Review: ‘The Djinn’
There were two films released this year and both were the products of writing-directing duo David Charbonier and Justin Powell. Both films, The Djinn released on May 14, 2021, and The Boy Behind the Door just two months later on July 29, 2021, are two very different stories with their own individual atmospheres yet oddly enough they feel like a packaged set. Despite their differences in quality, story, themes, and amounts of passion that went into the productions, you can watch them both back to back and not only see the fingerprints of the pair that made them but you will get the feeling that one is an afterbirth of the first.
This may be a review for The Djinn but I feel that it is impossible to properly discuss it without also discussing The Boy Behind the Door because watching it alone, and then watching it as a companion piece results in two very different opinions. At least, from my perspective. The Boy Behind the Door is perfectly capable of standing on its own and does so with incredible suspense that will keep you clenched tight in your seat the entire time. It is a must-see, but The Djinn isn’t so lucky. The quieter, shorter feature comes off as its experimental half-brother that likes to half-ass its homework until it’s too late to turn it in. Taking on a look, feel and tone of a short film that was designed to be expanded into a feature-length one, a blueprint that never got fully mapped out, it never reaches its full potential and needs its smarter, more focused sibling to help them out.
Despite being released first, The Djinn was actually made after The Boy Behind the Door and yet it’s the one that comes off like first-time filmmakers testing the waters. There is a dreadful atmosphere and tone, with both films revolving around a boy, who is alone for the majority of the runtime, that is forced to deal with a horrible situation that forcibly exposes them to very adult themes but as I said, it never takes what it has and properly runs with it but rather sleepily walks its way through the story until the end credits start to roll.
The Djinn opens with young Dylan, a mute and asthmatic boy, walking in on his mother’s suicide. She’s standing in the kitchen with her backside to him, and only after he realizes what she’s doing, does she turn around and face him. It cuts to black and we jump ahead just a few months later as Dylan and his father are moving into a new home. This right here is the whole focus of the story, so just keep that in mind. While exploring his new home, Dylan finds an old book that offers instructions on granting people’s wishes explaining that a creature called a “Djinn” will appear to grant your deepest desire. Dylan waits until his father goes to work to get busy, and he asks exactly what you’d expect a mute little boy to ask for– he asks for a voice.
When the djinn arrives Dylan finds out that there is a catch to getting what you want. The djinn will only grant you your wish if you can survive one hour in its presence as it viciously tries to kill you. This is why you need to always read the fine print. A fairytale framed in a modern setting, the message can be boiled down to “be careful what you wish for.” There are heavy themes at play that stay way past the line of playing it safe, but I think that really all comes down to the runtime. Coming in at just 82 minutes, there is no room for anything but the plot. No time to diddle dally around, and no time to expand on what could have been some incredible psychological warfare between a boy consumed with guilt over something that wasn’t his fault, and a mythical creature that can literally bend reality.
I’m actually unsure of how to properly describe my feelings for this film. It’s short, slow but also compact, and features an incredible performance by Ezra Dewey but it never goes anywhere beyond the safe and decent resume builder that it ultimately is. At the same time, I find it impossible to simply cast it aside as a mediocre film. Whether it’s the aesthetics, tone, or the fact that there is actually an incredibly fascinating film somewhere in here, it has struck a chord with me.
Final Verdict
The Djinn is a fascinating movie wrapped inside a constipated one and while I wouldn’t say it’s by the numbers, it’s very predictable. There is a haunting and painful presence that vibrates throughout the whole story that’s amplified by Dewey’s terrified facial expressions, this alone makes it worth a viewing, and the story itself is captivating with room to branch off into many different directions but the way its executed makes it seem like an unoriginal supernatural thriller.
Is this film worth a watch? I’d say yes. I’d recommend it to someone but not to anyone looking for anything other than a slow creeping story accompanied by little to no dialogue.
(3 / 5)
Movies n TV
“The Demon of the End” Trumpeting New Evil
The assessors investigate a potential haunting who happens to be Kristen’s (Katja Herbers) neighbor in “The Demon of the End.”
The assessors investigate a potential haunting who happens to be Kristen’s (Katja Herbers) neighbor in “The Demon of the End.” David (Mike Colter) turns away from temptation and embraces his visions. Andy (Patrick Brammall) finds himself trapped and struggling. Kristen visits her mother (Christine Lahti as Sheryl) at work.
“The Demon of the End” is the tenth episode of season 3 of Evil, created by Michelle King and Robert King. The central cast includes Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, Michael Emerson, Christine Lahti, and Andrea Martin. As of this review, it’s available through Netflix and Paramount+ and its add-ons.
What I Like about “The Demon of the End”
“The Demon of the End” begins shortly after the last episode, keeping momentum with a memorable introduction. “The Angel of Warning” provides another memorable introduction, but this episode directly connects the tragedy with the characters we know. It hits hard and lingers on that emotional investment.
Li Jun Li continues her exceptional performance as Grace realizes the cost of assuming she understands her vision. One might speculate why this realization troubles her, but the moments leading to her appearance visibly haunt her.
The evolution of Andy’s (Patrick Brammall) storyline provides a few twists that suggest a focus for the character. Andy often seems like one of the characters neglected by the plot, and “The Demon of the End” provides some work in remedying this issue. While the follow through varies between episodes, it’s still effective in this episode.
![Evil: Season Three [Blu-Ray]](https://hauntedmtl.com/wp-content/plugins/aawp/public/image.php?url=YUhSMGNITTZMeTl0TG0xbFpHbGhMV0Z0WVhwdmJpNWpiMjB2YVcxaFoyVnpMMGt2TlRFdGJuQndVRmhtU1V3dVgxTk1NVFl3WHk1cWNHYz18MTc0MDU5MjMyNA=)
- Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi (Actors)
- Robert King (Director)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
![Evil: Season Three [DVD]](https://hauntedmtl.com/wp-content/plugins/aawp/public/image.php?url=YUhSMGNITTZMeTl0TG0xbFpHbGhMV0Z0WVhwdmJpNWpiMjB2YVcxaFoyVnpMMGt2TlRGYWJYaGtVVFpFYlV3dVgxTk1NVFl3WHk1cWNHYz18MTc0MDU5MjMyNA=)
- Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi (Actors)
- Robert King (Director)
- Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Last update on 2025-01-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Kristen remains the central character for most plotlines, passing from each catastrophic revelation with surprisingly effective pacing. Katja Herbers chews each scene, often displaying her thoughts with her expression alone.
When Evil lets a scene simmer, it leads to some of the show’s best moments. The combined revelations at the end between the characters hold many such moments. Kristen’s final scenes of the season bring this visual storytelling to life. Small moments connect previous episodes to the current plot as everything becomes clear to Kristen and the viewer.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
This is less a trope or trigger, but a character displays a moment that suggests an OCD. It’s a brief moment with little room to make any definitive claims.
Perhaps toxic family relationships should be mentioned. However, little is unpacked at the current moment, leaving potential plotlines for season 4 to develop further or drop.
David suggests a character pray at a particularly low moment regardless of their belief. I find it benign, but it might not sit well for some. However, this is a series following assessors for the Catholic church.
What I Dislike about “The Demon of the End”
There’s nothing I particularly dislike or take issue with in “The Demon of the End.” The one criticism is that of leaving in something akin to a cliffhanger, forcing season 4 to begin with season 3’s natural conclusion. Yes, it builds anticipation, but it leads to a non-conclusion.
Final Thoughts on “The Demon of the End”
“The Demon of the End” brings the end of season 3 with a few memorable moments and directions for season 4. It ends the season by promising a future confrontation with two key characters and several mysteries to explore further. The episode mostly feels complete in its execution, though it ends right before a full conclusion.
(5 / 5)
Final Thoughts on Season 3
Season 3 is the shortest season of Evil, breaking the 13-episode trend of 1 and 2. This decision seems a positive development, allowing a more focused plot that pushes the greater narrative along. However, it is a shame that this season drew a shorter straw, considering the initial fumbling of season 2. Viewers receive a clear move toward a definitive conclusion. 
(4.5 / 5)
Named for one of my favorite Goosebumps books, The Boy Who Cried Monster shed light on a character who hasn’t gotten much attention. One that, as far as I’m concerned, needed some additional screen time.
The Story
We begin this episode with Anthony, investigating the Fort where his brother vanished. He’s surprised to find equipment that wasn’t there before, as well as an underground tunnel.
Meanwhile, CJ is having a bad time of things. After leaving a food order out on a woman’s porch, causing it to be lost, he makes up a story about zombies to explain the mistake.
After being caught, he explains to his mom that he’s bored as a delivery person. He wants to help make changes to the family restaurant.
His mother seems open to this at first. Then, CJ brings a delivery of soup to Anthony.
Anthony, it seems, hasn’t been feeling well. It must be something he ate. Or something that ripped through his suit at the Fort. By the time CJ arrives, he’s falling apart.
But he manages to pull himself together just long enough to kidnap CJ and try to feed him that same goo that infected him. The other teens save CJ just in time. And Anthony, or at least something that looks like Anthony, loses his head.
What worked
To start with, this episode was funny. Considerably funnier than the rest of the season. Part of this was the focus on CJ, easily the funniest character in the show. But it was also the fantastic acting by David Schwimmer. His line delivery, especially while doing violent things, was so inoffensive and even apologetic. It was impossible not to laugh.
I also appreciate that almost everyone is together now. After everyone finally talks to everyone else properly, all of the kids are on the same page. Even Jen is at least aware of what’s going on and working to fix things. The only one who isn’t with the team is Anthony. Or, at least whatever it is that looks like Anthony and is walking around his house.
Finally, I want to talk about our new character, Hannah. Hannah is incredibly creepy, upsetting, and almost certainly not a human being. Everything from the way she moves to the way she talks to her weird smile is unnerving. It’s as close to the uncanny valley as an actual human can get. And since the actor is a real human even if the character isn’t (we assume) that’s quite a feat.
I also loved that Devin is smitten with her right away. And we don’t know if he falls so hard because he’s a dumb teenage boy or because she’s infected him in some way. Both seem equally possible. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does through the rest of the season. Because I’m sure it isn’t going to be anything good.
What didn’t work
All that being said, this episode did have several fatal flaws. And they happen to be issues that are at the very top of my most hated tropes list.
To start with, I cannot stand the love triangle between Frankie, Devin and Trey. It feels forced, and way too much time is being spent on it. Now, I’ll grant that part of this is just because it feels like a very teenage drama storyline. And technically this is a show for teenagers and tweens. But frankly, we can stop encouraging this sort of bad storytelling for younger people. They’re smart, and this sort of thing insults their intelligence.
- Goosebumps available now on Disney+!Lucy likes to tell monster stories
- She’s told so many that her friends and family are sick of it
- Then one day, Lucy discovers a real, live monster: the librarian in charge of the summer reading program
Last update on 2025-02-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
I also hate issues that could be solved with simple conversations. If Anthony had simply talked with his kids before being replaced by a pod person, a fragile pod person, I bet a lot of these problems could have been solved earlier. This always feels like a lazy plot device. Anytime the answer is, ‘If we’d just communicated earlier this could have all been avoided,’ I am out.
Things are getting serious with just three episodes left to go. So we’ll be marathoning them this week.
(3.5 / 5)
Movies n TV
Witness the Supernatural Horror of The Eye (2008)
Living blind most of her life, Sydney Wells (Jessica Alba) undergoes a transplant in The Eye (2008) and witnesses unexplainable phenomenon.
Living blind most of her life, Sydney Wells (Jessica Alba) undergoes a transplant in The Eye (2008). The clearer her vision becomes, the more unexplainable the sights she witnesses. Yet, no one seems to understand or believe her. To understand what she’s seeing, Sydney must uncover what happened to her doner.
The Eye (2008) is a supernatural horror film directed by David Moreau and Xavier Palud, an American remake of a Chinese film of the same name directed by the Pang brothers. This PG-13 film stars Jessica Alba, Alessandro Nivola, Parker Posey and Rade Serbedzija. As of this review, the film is available on Amazon Prime Video.
What I Like about The Eye (2008)
In 2008, the film earned two awards and three nominations. The poster above and Jessica Alba received award-winning acclaim. This should probably fall within the Dislikes, but it also earned Jessica Alba a Razzi nomination in 2009. However, the Razzi likely focused on her performance on The Love Guru. Make of that what you will.
I’ll further comment on this point in later sections, but The Eye does work to show the complexities of incorporating this new sense from a character who has lived most of her life without it. She isn’t “fixed” because she was never broken, and it’s a commendable decision considering how often the opposite idea appears.
This film focuses on Jessica Alba, allowing her plenty of material to work through as she slowly breaks down against the mounting issues facing her. It remains a largely controlled performance based on the material given. She would win a Teen Choice Award and (funnily enough) the previously mentioned Razzi nomination. There’s another small role from a recognizable actress in one of her early roles. I will say no more on the matter.
![The Eye (2008) [Blu-ray] - Expired Digital Copy](https://hauntedmtl.com/wp-content/plugins/aawp/public/image.php?url=YUhSMGNITTZMeTl0TG0xbFpHbGhMV0Z0WVhwdmJpNWpiMjB2YVcxaFoyVnpMMGt2T1RGc2VGQkhSalZUTUV3dVgxTk1NVFV3TUY4dVgxTk1NVFl3WHk1cWNHYz18MTc0MDU5MjMyNQ=)
- THE EYE DESCRIPTION The violinist Sydney Wells has been blind since she was five years old due to an accident
- She submits to a surgery of cornea transplantation to recover her vision, and while recovering from the operation, she realizes that she’s having strange visions
- With the support of Dr
- Jessica Alba stars as a blind woman who receives an eye transplant, which allows her to see into the supernatural world, in this $31 million-grossing film
- Bonuses: featurettes, deleted scenes, digital copy
Last update on 2025-02-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Eye has strong bones and twists that I imagine come from the original film. I won’t comment further on the original, but The Eye provides twists that run with the concept of inherited memories. I love how The Eye explores this concept, though execution doesn’t fully develop these ideas.
Moving the narrative to Mexico adds a refreshing change of location. It adds some variety to the setting and a pleasant shift. However, I will say that the random town provides a typical depiction of rural Mexico.
Despite my reservations about The Eye‘s execution, the film lingers in its horror and often haunts the viewer. From the film’s concept to the visuals, The Eye has an early 2000s charm. Yes, it’s flawed and lacks in parts, but it still provides an entertaining and enjoyable experience.
Tired Tropes and Triggers
Ableism remains a potential issue for the film, though the ending persuades me against that concept. What can’t be denied is that there are several ableist characters, though I linger in the idea that this is intentional. The film shows their perspectives are wrong or inaccurate.
The key trope that this film explores is cellular memory. One addition to this concept is inheriting someone’s supernatural gifts. Though, that’s far from unique at this point.
What I Dislike about The Eye (2008)
Dr. Paul Faulkner (Alessandro Nivola) acts as a co-lead in the film and seems deplorable with his patient (Sydney). This is in no way an inherent issue with the actor but the writing. For a doctor who specializes in Sydney Well’s particular struggles, he seems furious anytime she appears overwhelmed. While it’s possible the ending suggests they are a couple, The Eye does leave this ambiguous. If The Eye intends to pair them by labeling these arguments as romantic chemistry, it fails.
The biggest problem with The Eye remains the underdeveloped ideas. While the plot points remain interesting, few get explored to any depth worth mentioning. Little gets solved, and even the climactic moment of development seems more a matter of happenstance. It makes me wonder if the original film might better explore these concepts.
Final Thoughts on The Eye (2008)
The Eye explores cellular memory with a supernatural twist. While far from a flawlessly executed film, a 2000s charm makes it memorable. If it further developed its concepts, The Eye might haunt in all aspects. However, it fills a niche for those with a taste for premonitions and lingering reapers eager for souls.
(2.5 / 5)
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