Ouija centers on the story of two grown women who, in their childhood, counted Hasbro game Ouija among their many diversions.

When Laine (Olivia Cooke) and Debbie (Shelley Hennig) reunite and dig out the dusty board game, the game becomes more sinister than they remember. Before long, the dormant powers of the board are awoken and their deepest darkest fears are laid bare and exposed in this Michael Bay-produced horror film directed by Stiles White.

Ouija Reviewed

Critics are not impressed with Ouija, detailing the many ways in which it fails to capitalize on the concept's possibilities. In the end, the movie provides little more than the all-to-familiar cliché’s of horror films, particularly ones in which spirits are meant to induce the flick’s big frights. A few kinder reviewers enjoyed the absurdity of the movie and found it no worse that its simpler scary movie predecessors.

“If nothing else, this Halloween offering from director Stiles White (and produced by Michael Bay) is entirely sincere in its desire to scare people. Despite the embarrassing “Based on the Game by Hasbro” end credit, which doesn’t exactly suggest you’ve just taken a trip to the dark side, a Ouija board is no worse than most other horror-movie premises. The denouement, involving a very game Lin Shaye sinking every last molar into the scenery, is absurd. But once you’ve accepted the idea that Hasbro holds the key to the afterlife, absurd is a feature, not a bug.” – Farran Smith Nehme, New York Post

“Unfortunately, Universal's low-budget quickie aimed at young audiences hopelessly squanders the opportunity, being less scary than landing in jail while playing Monopoly. Profits are assured in this current undemanding horror movie marketplace when even a mediocrity like Annabelle can become a major hit, and Hasbro will certainly reap the benefits just in time for the holiday season. But creatively speaking, Ouija is dead on arrival.” – Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter

“Nothing very spirited happens in Ouija, a deadly dull and overly familiar movie about summoning ghosts that draws upon nearly every horror movie cliché. Even if the Ouija board accessory is shoehorned into the picture, you've seen this movie before. Many times. It's essentially the story of evil spirits emanating from a dead person in a haunted house and terrorizing teenagers. Laine (Olivia Cooke) and Debbie (Shelley Hennig) are lifelong best friends. Some of their childhood time involved playing with a Ouija board. Whose didn't?” – Claudia Puig, USA Today

“Pronounced like "squeegee," "Ouija" is a tie-in fright flick only a group of toy and movie executives could summon from around a conference table, a blah imitation of PG-13 haunted house movies like "Paranormal Activity" and "Insidious." Whether it's a rule that people in board game adaptations have to read the instructions aloud, "Ouija" is only a mystery as a promotional tool. If you're not scared, you won't buy one. And if you are, why would you?” – Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times

Ouija is currently in wide release.

Leave a comment

Read more about: