Writer: Robert Ben Garant (Screenplay)
Starring: Sarah Snook, Joelle Carter, Mark Webber, David Andrews, Ana de la Reguera, Amber Stevens West, Chris Ellis
Plot: Returning to her childhood home in Louisiana to recuperate from a horrific car accident, Jessabelle comes face to face with a long-tormented spirit that has been seeking her return and has no intention of letting her escape.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Voodoo You Think Is Haunting You
Story: Jessabelle starts with a real bang when Jessie (Snook) and her partner are moving homes and get hit by a truck, he dies while Jessie has to go through months of physiotherapy. Jessie has to call her estranged father Leon (Andrews) to pick her up and look after her while she completes her therapy all while still being confined to a wheel chair.
Jesse finds herself in the isolated house in the middle of swamp lands with nothing but a radio to keep her company. One the first night Jessie believes she sees and hears and woman while she is sleeping. Investigating around the house Jessie finds old belongings which includes a video message sent by her mother before she was born, due to be given to her on her 18th birthday. The message warns Jessie that she isn’t alone and a girl wants her out before we learn everything her father takes the tape throwing her wheel chair into the swamp.
Jessie starts getting visited by the ghostly figure as she learns more about her mother’s sickness as her father continues to try and protect her, he ends up becoming a victim of what is going on. This brings in Preston (Webber) an old friend who offers to help her. Jessie has to try and figure out what is going on and who is this ghostly figure after her?
Jessabelle plays out like my favorite sub-genre of horror, the ghost haunting to uncover the truth. There is a slightly twist with this one though, we get all the trademarks for what you expect to see but the final moments will surprise. You are left guessing for a long time about what is happening but you really don’t know where the film is taking you. We look into voodoo which we know can go in any direction really unless you have studied it, which frankly I haven’t. I like how the film decides to jump straight into the scares even if they are gentle at first before increasing with each one. I think this is a good horror story and the ending suits the film nicely. (7/10)
Actor Review
Sarah Snook: Jessie starts off as a happy young lady whose life is turned upside down with a horrific car accident that leaves her boyfriend dead and her stuck in a wheel chair. After moving back to her father’s house but it is here where he nightmares really start to happen. Sarah does a good job in the screaming leading lady making us convinced with what is happening throughout. (7/10)
Joelle Carter: Kate is Jessie’s mother who died when she was young, but she left tapes where she believes she can predict the future that only show death in Jessie’s future. Joelle does give a solid supporting performance. (6/10)
Mark Webber: Preston Sanders is the old flame of Jessie’s who is now married but is helping through the troubles she seems to be facing with the mysterious visits. Mark fills the partner in the investigation easily enough giving us a solid portray of the old flame. (6/10)
David Andrews: Leon Laurent is Jessie’s estranged father who helps take care os Jessie while she recovers but he doesn’t like her looking around for anything in her past, but whatever he is hiding her from finds a way to take him out of the picture. David gives a solid supporting performance but does end up looking like a generic swamp like local. (7/10)
Support Cast: Jessabelle has a supporting cast that helps the film unfold giving us clues to what could really being going on.
Director Review: Kevin Greutert – Kevin gives us a good horror film with plenty of scares from early on until the final scene. (8/10)
Horror: Jessabelle is filled with scares, we have two very good ones with the stairs and the bath scene. (8/10)
Thriller: Jessabelle does manage to keep us guessing from start to finish which is rare in a horror film, as they usually just make us sit at the edge of our seats waiting to see what happens next. (8/10)
Settings: Jessabelle puts the action in a house where a wheel chair bound person would struggle to get out, but the use of the Louisiana swamps adds the voodoo factor. (8/10)
Special Effects: Jessabelle uses good special effects to create the haunting moments. (8/10)
Suggestion: Jessabelle is one for all the horror fans to watch and enjoy, I think the horror fans will like the number of scares as well as the story that keeps you guessing. (Horror Fans Watch)
Best Part: I like the effect of the bath scene where the ghost is just as scared as Jessie.
Worst Part: We don’t get enough true clues which I know horror films like to give us.
Oh My God Moment: Final scene.
Scariest Scene: Stair scene, where Jessie hears footsteps running down the stairs brushing past her before she sees who is doing it.
Believability: No (0/10)
Chances of Tears: No (0/10)
Chances of Sequel: Unlikely.
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Runtime: 1 hour 30 Minutes
Tagline: The dead are back for life
Overall: Jessabelle is a horror film filled with shock, scares leaving your heart pulsing before the final scene leaves you breathless.
Rating