Ouija: Origin of Evil

Universal Pictures | Release Date: October 21, 2016

7.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 251 Ratings

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User Reviews

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MahmusOct 29, 2020

I've always found Mike Flanagan's movies to be quite overrated, and this movie is for me the best example for why I think that.

It's just a bland and unmemorable movie. Never really scary and only ocassionally creepy. It has some good ideasI've always found Mike Flanagan's movies to be quite overrated, and this movie is for me the best example for why I think that.

It's just a bland and unmemorable movie. Never really scary and only ocassionally creepy. It has some good ideas but is held back by having to expand on the lore of its awful predecessor. I like the look and the style of it, but I just wished it offered more than a well made but generic story.

It starts strong but quickly descents into pure over the top horror loudness. It reminded me a lot of The Conjuring (another well-liked horror film that I'm not a big fan of for similar reasons).

Most of Flanagan's movies I've seen are ok at best.
I just think his work is not for me.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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MarioGROct 27, 2016

It was OK movie overall.
YES it could had been much better but anyway..
It was frightening scary at times & kept me interested till the end..
Ouija 2 is from the good descent horror films of 2016.

3 of 11 users found this helpful38

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GinaKOct 24, 2016

I didn’t see the first Ouija movie, and I thought this one was supposed to be a prequel and explain things. On the contrary, I found it mystifying and with many plot holes. Would I have been able to fill them if I had seen the first movie?I didn’t see the first Ouija movie, and I thought this one was supposed to be a prequel and explain things. On the contrary, I found it mystifying and with many plot holes. Would I have been able to fill them if I had seen the first movie? That said, I thought the film was very well done (even though I couldn’t quite understand what was going on or who was doing what to whom) – beautifully photographed, very well acted, and nicely paranoid. I just didn’t understand why.… Expand

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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EpicLadySpongeOct 21, 2016

Comparing this to its poorly-done predecessor, this is actually done and built better as just your average movie itself. As a horror, however, still not trying at it. Good backstory, but terrible horror sequences. Still better than its predecessor.

1 of 5 users found this helpful14

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eagleeyevikingJul 18, 2018

Far better than the first film but not great enough to stand on it's own, "Ouija: Origin of Evil" is nevertheless a twisty, scary ride.

1 of 16 users found this helpful115

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LeZeeJul 30, 2017

So this is where it all began!

It is a decent horror film, but surely better than the first. The previous part was an usual teen themed horror where everything started as a playful. But this one was a prequel and it focused on the origins. ASo this is where it all began!

It is a decent horror film, but surely better than the first. The previous part was an usual teen themed horror where everything started as a playful. But this one was a prequel and it focused on the origins. A single mother with two daughters is making money helping the people who want to contact their beloved dead ones. The things changes when her little daughter started to communicate the spirits of her own. The chaos unleashes, the house becomes haunted and the family begins to fall apart.

Keeping it simple is what worked out well for the film, despite thematically borrowed from others, scenes were kind of familiar and characters intentionally developed. Particularly the priest role was the most overused in any horror film. Followed by the twist. That turning point was good, but not a new. Nice performances and well shot film. Ouija is a fine concept for a horror theme and with this film's somewhat success, I hope the next one would only get better. So it is worth a watch, if you're not anticipating a something special.

6/10… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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sjultiDec 4, 2016

This movie is kinda in that its so bad it's good territory, like the movie isint scary at all, some of the scenes that where meant to come off as scary actually are funny this is a weird movie.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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sandbornOct 25, 2016

Good until a cheesy third act! This movie is well made from a technical stand. I really like how the director captures the 60s style, fashion and mood. The acting is solid, especially the little girl. She's sweet and creepy, all at the sameGood until a cheesy third act! This movie is well made from a technical stand. I really like how the director captures the 60s style, fashion and mood. The acting is solid, especially the little girl. She's sweet and creepy, all at the same time. The first hour presents a nice build-up, but then something happens to start the last 30 minutes and it throws the movie off track. It's not so much the event itself but how everyone around it responds to it in an unrealistic way and the movie just gets silly from there. Still, the good definitely outweighs the bad and the special effects are awesome!… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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EpicSurvivorJun 24, 2020

Its a "Meh" Movie. Nothing new and nothing really interesting but if you like scary films it will scratch that itch. Hereditary,Abigail Hunting and The Nun were way better. Not a bad movie just not really that great. Doctor Sleep on the otherIts a "Meh" Movie. Nothing new and nothing really interesting but if you like scary films it will scratch that itch. Hereditary,Abigail Hunting and The Nun were way better. Not a bad movie just not really that great. Doctor Sleep on the other hand was amazing! This gets a solid 6 from me.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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DirigiblePulpDec 12, 2016

Mike Flanagan just gets so close yet again, yet falls disappointingly short. Oculus is still his best work, and the promise that both Hush and this prequel to a PG-13 board game prequel show, is that if given the right opportunity he mightMike Flanagan just gets so close yet again, yet falls disappointingly short. Oculus is still his best work, and the promise that both Hush and this prequel to a PG-13 board game prequel show, is that if given the right opportunity he might really be capable of a cold-blooded classic.

This is a film that shouldn't exist, should never have gotten theatrical distribution and definitely shouldn't have attracted the likes of Flanagan (okay, he probably did this to increase his clout in the industry, but still). He musters some great work here, following familiar supernatural cliches but bringing his own touch to the proceedings.

The setting is beautiful, the characters likable and not completely square. The atmosphere is given time to build, he luxuriates in teasing and messing with audience expectations (as a way of spiting this, and goosing the audience lulled into a slow burn placation, he includes an explosive scene wherein the actual demon is seen shoving his fist down the little girl's throat. It's both too much and a necessary jolt at the time, a conundrum if ever there was one and a small encapsulation of everything right and wrong within this film). It's too bad some of the nice work done in the first 2/3rds of the film is undone by a cliched, boring, exorcism-lite finale. None of it is very scary, and it all has the feel of fitting into the "Ouija" franchise package, whatever in God's name that could mean. Considering the stakes here, what Flanagan does is still impressive.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Rox22Sep 4, 2022

Pretty much, this movie is exactly what you think it will be. However, it does have a bit of heart with some well rounded and well written main characters. Also, the creepiest little girl ever (with exception to the Exorcist.) Good build upPretty much, this movie is exactly what you think it will be. However, it does have a bit of heart with some well rounded and well written main characters. Also, the creepiest little girl ever (with exception to the Exorcist.) Good build up and creepy enough atmosphere to get the job done.

Overall: This is a decent horror movie that doesn't really do anything new, but what it does, it does pretty well and is entertaining.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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Castiel_AngelMar 25, 2017

I am just gonna give this an average 5 because I am honestly not sure what to say about this movie. Yeah it has some really great horror moments like when the super cool looking demon just suddenly appears but there are also some reallyI am just gonna give this an average 5 because I am honestly not sure what to say about this movie. Yeah it has some really great horror moments like when the super cool looking demon just suddenly appears but there are also some really cheesy unnecessary parts to it as well.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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FlipjeMay 11, 2022

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I was impressed with The Haunting of Hill House, with Mike Flanagan at the helm. And I thought, I love the first two Conjuring films, as I felt they were directed with heart by James Wan, and I figured, hey, what Flanagan did for his series could be similar to Wan working in a film format. Not quite.

If you are getting into Flanagan's oeuvre, I would say this might be a misfire. The premise seems fun enough, psychic scam artist family ends up getting in quite deep when the supernatural actually creeps into their lives. But the other aspects of the story, namely the father who passed on and the history of the house are barely fleshed out to give the ending any substance or payoff. If this house the trio is occupying is supposedly cursed, or adds an element of horror, it might have worked with more foreshadowing and backstory. Instead, the reason we learn that horrible things are happening is because, oops, the three characters were doing ouija on a cemetery, that is, bodies are buried on the property and so... it's against the ouija board rules. Sure, it might explain things and yet it doesn't. On the plus side, all the leads are great and you are invested in their story until they become disposable for the evil to take over and then, with the ending, I shrugged feeling more cheated by the clumsy script. As the climax began to hit its stride, I'll admit, I checked out. Character arcs were fumbled. Some moments didn't feel earned or meaningful. The whole thing, again, is a misfire. They are some nice scares here but I keep returning to the Conjuring films not only for the scares and creepiness but also the well-crafted script and the characters. Here, the characters are fine, the script nose dives near the end.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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