The Summoning

This was not the worst thriller I have ever seen, but it was very flawed, and moves very slowly without being particularly intriguing (I don't mind a slow burn if it is good). It begins with a rather interesting premise that is based on a true story - this could have been a really creepy movie. For starters, the lead actress was pretty bad. She showed so little emotion there were times she seemed mildly sedated. Secondly, they did not delve into the history of the theme - this could have been very creepy and had the makings of a great ghost story. Lastly, I found the ending unsatistying - not terrible, but an ending that many will see coming. Actually, I found the acting by Elbert Hill (the old maintenance man) to be superb, and I wish he had a larger role. Also, while Eric Roberts does not disappoint, his role was quite small. Four stars from me - had a great premise, but needed some tweaking, starting with the lead role.

Plot of this movie is all over the place. The main objective was to get justice for the slaves who were killed and had housing built over them, but instead turned into a search for a missing white girl who was investigating the slaves. The characters have 0 depth or development to them. The detective is dry and unlikable with a backstory that doesn't contribute at all to the film. And the ending...well the ending is incomplete. They wanted it to be a suspenseful ending but it just ends up annoying you because it doesn't make any sense. Oh and let's not forget people never turn lights on in this movie. There's a scene where two people are studying and not a single light is on, and it's night time. What a waste of time and a good premise.

Good god. Listen I'm all for the idea of DIY, labor-of-love thrillers, so I stand behind the idea of this film existing. But rarely does a labor of love feel so poorly tended to by its team. From subpar acting to cliché dialogue inside a messy script full of plot devices that go nowhere, The Summoning fails to realize that tension isn't assumed, it's crafted.

Given the premise is a supernatural film based on a true story, I wasn't sure what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. The filmmaker appears to have a very grounded take on the subject. While the movie could have easily been filled with cheap thrills, instead the director focuses on telling the the little known dark secrets of a small town. The cast in general did a great job, Eric Roberts delivers as usual. Other stands outs include Elbert Hill Jr. as an informed and wise caretaker. Pacing wise the story could ave moved a little faster. Overall it was a worthwhile purchase and I look forward to seeing more from this director.

Okay, some might complain but first of all... it's an independent movie. Now let's talk about genre. It's listed as a Horror on some platforms, but when I came to the IMDb page, I noticed that it's listed as Drama/Thriller -- which makes a lot more sense. It's definitely a drama with a mystery feel and a handful of scary moments. The acting is good and the overall story is pretty intriguing...apparently based on real history of that area. With the recent hurricane that exposed money-hungry land developer schemes, this movie feels right on point. And it's not often to find Houston in films these days...cool backdrop and that sugar factory they filmed in was creepy.