After her father passes away, a woman returns to her childhood home and reconnects with her estranged sister which eventually causes them to use their techniques to raise his spirit and seek retribution by placing it into a body and torturing it, only to question their purpose when it goes too far.
This here was a decent enough effort. One of the bright spots here is a fine first hour that deals with the sisterly relationship at the forefront. Obviously built around the two of them reconnecting based on the circumstances and getting over the betrayal that kept them apart, the chance to see the two getting reacquainted or the flashbacks to their childhood showing their training in witchcraft while trying to survive their crazed father's religious antics. This is all well-handled and gives a sense of compassion to them as this goes about setting up the later half, fueling their need for witchcraft after getting all these elements covered. Their turn towards witchcraft, however troublesome their rationale might be, the scene offers a lot to like. Taking their hatred to a logical end as they head out to dig up the body and use it for their ritual sparks not only the body being removed and taken to the bedroom where the spell they enact has plenty to like. There's some fun to be had with the objects flying around and supernational action that signals something's going on, and the bright colors of the scene featuring their ritual setup and the spiritual energy flying around all create a strong, chilling presence. The main guise of the film, with the two dealing a series of fine witchcraft-based torture that is brutal, graphic and based nicely on a sympathetic bent for the girls, giving this one some really enjoyable aspects. That said, there are some big flaws within here. One of the main issues here is the sloppy and scattered second half that features several curious plot points. There's no real point here for the home invasion tactic that serves simply to provide a new body to toy with since there's a breal between the ritual and them taking him outas that lull in the action doesn't really do the film any favors as this could've been done in different manners with different beats. As well, there's also the confusion throughout here as to what happened to the spirit they summon who is either possessing the girls or the house the way they act at times, from curious lesbian leanings they never acknowledge to seeing his spirit appearing around the house that may be hallucinations that point to both causes throughout here. All told, this aspect also ties into the films other big issue in its sedate and generally bland pacing. The tempo here feels off with the curious addition of the home invasion after they've raised the spirit, and that's carried over from what happens in the first half where the film struggles to get going. Since the sisters have to reconnect with each other following their time apart, this is wholly reasoinable and expected but the film takes on a slightly too sedate pacing for the type of torture they inflict later which is really jarring coming from that setup. Even the finale comes up somewhat oddly in that the mental torture he inflicts on them stops the enjoyable physical torture. It's not enough to doom the film but is enough to lower it somewhat.
Rated R: Graphic Violence and Graphic Language.
