Witch-Hunt

Witch-Hunt was recommended by a friend of mine who told me to be patient with it. With this as a preface, I found the film on Amazon Prime and, sure enough, my feet were shuffling a bit throughout the first 30 minutes, but after that initial climb of the mountain, things got better and Witch-Hunt turned out to be a surprisingly fun night at the movies.

The film features a group of elementary school girlfriends who show up at the home of a mysterious woman to celebrate one of their birthdays. They decide to play a game called Witch-Hunt that is supposed to turn them against one another and, soon enough, they start seeing and hearing things and stop being able to trust one another. Is the game really cursed? Is one of them an actual real witch? You'll have to see the film to find out.

Sprinkled with a generous helping of dark comedy and fun banter, Witch-Hunt probably won't please the gorehounds hoping for decapitations, but more esoteric horror fans will probably enjoy it a lot. There are a few tiny pacing issues, but they don't detract too much from the experience.

You have to be old enough to remember the McMartin pre-school trial and the ridiculous hysteria of the 1980 satanic cult frenzy to appreciate this movie. If you do, and you like witchy horror, it really works.

Not my type of movie. Acting was good, but, I was thinking horror/thriller. Not watching a group of women--being women.

Chick who did people pleasing Suzanne over acted.

Clever, spare and modern horror movie with a great all-female cast. I recommend for Halloween, paired with Sisters or some other classic.

It is tough to find one with a script this good.

Okay, so it seems people either love or hate this movie. I will try to offer a balanced review (I'm not affiliated with the movie or anyone in the movie, just Joe Average horror movie buff). First off, this movie plays like a Lifetime movie, but edgier. That's not a slam; it just has that type of feel. The characters are a little under-developed early on, but not unlikeable. I thought the vibe of the characters as lifelong friends felt very authentic. The movie unfolds slowly, but the pace is steady and the tension is palpable. Things start off normal enough as the game begins, but gradually evolve from odd to weird to bizarre. The ending is somewhat open to interpretation, but satisfying. I thoroughly enjoyed the arc of this movie and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates "quiet" horror movies (along the lines of The Innkeepers, or House of the Devil).