Totem

"Totem" is a Mystery - Horror movie in which we watch a troubled family facing a supernatural entity while trying to find the balance on their between relationships.

Since I didn't have high expectations from this movie I wasn't disappointed by it. Despite its potential and the well-crafted eerie and tense atmosphere the movie didn't succeed on not being predictable including some jump scares that were very old-fashioned. Also it contained some plot holes since it left too many questions unanswered. I found myself waiting for something more substantial to develop including some of the characters. In addition, the interpretations of the cast were solid, particularly Kerris Dorsey who played as Kellie and conveyed both a sense of fear and vulnerability. Lastly, I have to say that "Totem" is an average horror movie. It had a few haunting moments but it was more confusing than satisfying.

Slow,poorly written and tiring. And that's just the first few scenes. It gets worse from there...

Father moves his emotionally needy girlfriend in with his two daughters and things go to hell from there. This was like a bad episode of a Lifetime drama series, except for it lacking drama or cohesion. It just gets worse as the minutes drag by.

Not going to spoil the "twist"...but let's just when you get there you wonder what took so long. It's a surprise; however, it's like winning the lottery when you are 90. It could have happened earlier and you'd have been more pleased if it had.

Dull film. Silly premise. Not worth the 96 minute run time.

Saw 'Totem', being fond of horror regardless of budget (even if not my favourite genre) and being intrigued somewhat by the idea. Being behind on my film watching and reviewing, with a long to watch and review list that keeps getting longer, it took me a while to get round to watching and reviewing it.

Giving 'Totem' a fair chance with being interest and apprehension, it turned out to be far better than expected. Won't say that 'Totem' is a great film because it isn't and the potential, while not wasted, is not fully lived up to. Considering the large number of films seen recently being mediocre and less and wasting potential, was expecting worse and was relieved that while wanting in a fair few areas it was actually one of my better recent low-budget viewings.

'Totem' started off quite well, the first twenty minutes or so starting the film off on a promising, unsettling and atmospheric note that really does intrigue.

Production values did have some eeriness and nowhere near as cheap as expected, and the music, which not the most memorable in the world, didn't detract from the atmosphere.

The setting is effectively spooky and some of the lead acting at times was not bad. There are spooky and suspenseful moments and it isn't dull. The direction doesn't feel phoned in and the storytelling in the first half does intrigue.

However, the story was severely wanting in the second half after starting off promisingly. It is very disjointed and after the promising start the final third especially loses atmosphere, one loses interest and things start to not make sense. Too much of the film is vague and doesn't explore some elements and story strands enough, some dropped soon after being introduced, go nowhere or serve much point.

Ending is unsatisfying, on top of feeling hasty there are too many loose ends hanging in the air. Got the sense that the writers didn't know how to end the film. Would have liked much more tension and suspense, scares could have been more consistent and some weren't surprising enough.

Found too the script to lack natural flow and with a bit of cheese going on, and the characters bland with some adopting some annoying and not always logical decision making. The support acting is even more problematic than the second half's storytelling, at best it was poor and too often terrible.

Overall, better than expected but not great still. 5/10 Bethany Cox

Really generic and stupid horror that thinks it appeals to hip teens.

Cheap scares, visions of figures in halloween makeup that then disappear and a slow and bland plot make this one of those write-off movies.

I sort of like how it ends though but I'm not sure it's worth the wait.

Kellie (Kerris Dorsey) is a 17 year old who spends her energy taking care of her father James (James Tupper) and younger sister Abby. Despite her objection, James invites longtime girlfriend Robin (Ahna O'Reilly) to live with them. Abby has not been sleeping. Kellie grows frustrated with newcomer Robin as she seeks solace from boyfriend Todd.

This is another Blumhouse product. They take a scatter gun approach to financing these small scale horrors. This one simply lacks intensity. It's a slow grinding horror. It has no particular atmosphere other than the suburban home vibe. There are all the traditional jump scares and the Poltergeist moves but nothing is new. Tupper and O'Reilly are not particularly special. I only know Dorsey as a child actress in Brothers & Sisters. She's mostly fine and does her transformation well. Most of this movie is a waiting game and it's an impatient wait. The motion detectors are almost interesting. The movie grinds on until the last act. The twist works well enough but it isn't enough. This needs more.