Netflix's catalog is full of many ghost movies. The editors of JustFocus have watched them for you and offer you a look back at five of them: Olaf's Evil Spirits by Fleur Johannesson, His House by Remi Weekes, 1922 by Zak Hilditch, Terreur.point.com by William Malone and In the Dark by David F. Sandberg.
Olaf's Evil Spirits by Fleur Johannesson
Released in 2018 on Netflix, the film The Evil Spirits directed by Olaf de Fleur Johannesson takes a lot of clichés that can be found in ghost stories, but still offers a coherent and pleasant set to watch. Jackson (played by Ben Lloyd-Hughes) and Angela (played by Florence Pugh, Dani in Midsommar) are siblings. While their mother hallucinated and saw ghosts, she ended her life, no longer able to bear this situation. To make some money, Jackson and Angela played on this state of affairs to embark on a career as fake ghost hunters. They scam people who call on them into believing that they have purified their home. However, one of their investigations does not go as planned because Angela also begins to have visions. Many already worn springs constitute the skeleton of the scenario of Evil Spirits. The characters would have benefited from having more depth in order to be even more endearing for some or have more relief for others. Nevertheless the acting is convincing and the atmosphere is worked. If it does not reserve big surprises for spectators accustomed to ghost stories, the film nevertheless allows to spend a pleasant moment.
Trailer Evil Spirits
His house by Remi Weekes
His House, directed by Remi Weekes in 2020, is an original British horror film with rather successful visual effects, especially since it is the director's first film. Arriving in England after fleeing the war in Sudan, a refugee couple is settled in a house while waiting for their situation to be regularized. Shortly after taking possession of the premises, strange phenomena occur. The couple does not seem to be alone in the house. A metaphor for guilt and how to live with this burden, His house portrays a more than current situation by dealing with the difficult condition of refugees and the hostility they face. The two main actors (Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu) are convincing and endearing. As for the horror aspect, His house is one of those rare horror films in which the appearances of spirits are effective and do not distort the oppressive atmosphere of the film.
His house trailer
1922 by Zak Hilditch
1922 was directed in 2017 by Zak Hilditch (Final Hours) from the short story of the same name written by Stephen King. A couple lives with their son (played by Dylan Schmid) in the countryside. This difficult life does not suit the mother (Molly Parker – Maureen Robinson in Lost in Space), who wants to sell the farm to live in the city. Her husband (Thomas Jane – Mark in Don't Fall Asleep) makes a radical decision to settle this dispute. Strange phenomena then begin to occur, while paranormal visions assail him little by little. 1922 is a very successful film that pays tribute to the work of Stephen King. The photography is sublime and totally immerses the viewer in the isolated farm. The sound effects are also very good. The film never overdoes it and instead distills its atmosphere in a progressive way with just what it takes to bewitch the viewer.
1922 trailer
Terreur.point.com by William Malone
Terreur.point.com was directed in 2003 by William Malone (The House of Horror) and has aged rather badly. The New York police are facing a series of violent deaths whose origin seems unexplained. Terry Huston (Natascha McElhone – Erica Gallagher in Believe), a researcher from the Department of Health, supports Inspector Mike Reilly (Stephen Dorff – Hal Hartman in 2017's Leatherface ) to lead the investigation. The trail of the epidemic is quickly replaced by that of the website Terreurpointcom, the only common point between the victims who connected to it two days before their death. The film leaves a terrible taste of unfinished. A few concepts are put forward here and there but never fully exploited. This draft leads to a mixture of the different ideas that makes the whole thing a little messy. The characters are flat and all that is cliché, as are the spirits and death scenes.
Trailer Terreur.point.com
In the Dark by David F. Sandberg
In the Dark is a British film directed by David F. Sandberg (Annabelle 2: The Creation of Evil, Shazam!)in 2016. Martin (Gabriel Bateman – Andy Barclay in Child's Play: The Doll of Evil) is a little boy who is afraid of the dark. As soon as all the lights are off, a frightening creature appears. Her older sister Rebecca (Teresa Palmer – Julie in Warm bodies) faced the same night terrors before leaving home. The most disturbing thing is that this creature seems very close to their mother (Maria Bello – Sally Lamonsoff in Buddies Forever) and very aggressive towards anyone who tries to separate her from her. The plot is well written, well constructed and told in a completely believable way from beginning to end. No inconsistency or implausible reversal of the situation disturbs the follow-up of the story. The actors are all very good and bring their characters, human and logical, to life. A beautiful photograph and a very good soundtrack complete the picture, making Dans le noir a particularly pleasant work to look at.
Trailer In the Dark
Our verdict for a successful horror movie night on Netflix: the editors of JustFocus advise you among these five films His house, 1922 and In the dark.
