The Invoking (2013) (DVD Review)
Directed By: Jeremy Berg
Starring: Brandon Anthony, Carson Holden, D’Angelo Midili
Rated: UR/Region: 1/Widescreen/Number of disc: 1
Available from IMAGE ENTERTAINMENT
After inheriting a house from the family she never knew, Samantha Harris (Trin Miller) and three friends head to rural Sader Ridge to inspect the property. Soon after arriving, Sam begins to experience horrific visions of savage brutality and unspeakable evil. Plagued by the sinister forces closing in around her, Sam descends into a waking nightmare when the demons from her past refuse to stay buried any longer.
So we once again have a movie where a group of friends are traveling to collect a house someone left to them and wouldn’t you know it, something creepy is going on! Our lead, who seems to have some hidden issues, runs into a caretaker of the property who seems to know her even with her not being able to remember him. This just starts everything going to hell in a hand basket in the film. The film’s quality, however, seems to go up and down. The movie seems really interesting at first, but then things do seem to drag, get somewhat confusing, and then finally settle for an ending that may or may not do for you what the director intended. You may end up somewhat let down or perhaps even confused a little. Don’t worry, I think that is normal.
The movie is at least well made, but does seem to walk down the middle of the line in regards to the actors being on point or perhaps hamming it up a bit too much. At times people seem genuine with their roles and you almost believe them. Just when you start to think things are going to be all fine and dandy we then get some acting that just seems forced. This and the way things are planned out in the film do hurt things overall a bit. It isn’t an awful film, but I think it is a little flat in a few areas.
– Commentary with Writer/Director Jeremy Berg, Producer Matt Medisch, and Writer/Producer John Portanova
– Commentary with Actors Trin Miller, D’Angelo Midili, and Andi Norris
– Behind the Scenes Documentary
