The Djinn (2021)

 

    Happy Monday, everyone! Hope everyone had a great start to their week. This week's review is special because it was suggested by Kevin Chan, a good friend of mine from the Twitter days. When I first announced on Facebook I began the blog, he was among the first to suggest a film. A few blog posts later I decided it was time to give this one a shot! We've been reaching many firsts here and I'm happy to continue doing what I love.

    Additionally, please read until the end for an announcement + new poll!

    Admittedly, I've never heard of The Djinn until it was recommended because I hardly pay attention to newer releases (but I will now, of course). I also waited to read reviews until after I watched it so as to not influence my experience. This is also a film I did not take notes on so this is another organic review. 

    The Djinn was released in selected theaters and streaming online on May 14th, 2021 (the same day I watched it a year later, wow!) by IFC Midnight. It was written and directed by David Charbonier and Justin Powell. It stars Ezra Dewey, Rob Brownstein, Tevy Poe, and John Erickson. The film runs for 82 minutes.

    Dylan, a mute boy, moves into a new home with his father Michael in the fall of 1989 after losing his mother earlier that year. Upon finding an old book in his room, he discovers there's a way to fulfill his heart's biggest wish. That is, until, he realizes you should be careful what you wish for.

    Right off the bat the film obviously was working with a low budget and it was successful. Having it take place in the 80's was a huge plus giving it a familiar touch all together. Moments of tension were heightened by an eerie, excellent score. However, there were moments where the score took away from important scenes and sometimes overlapped which made it annoying. Cinematography was phenomenal and gave depth to the film I haven't seen in many horror films. It was eye candy all around! Acting was incredible and the credit absolutely goes to Dewey's performance. There is nothing more chilling than being a helpless child navigating through relentless terror in your own home. Most critics believed that the film was not supported by a young boy's performance but I wholeheartedly disagree. Dewey had an enormous responsibility but he not only did it well, he was convincing. The story was original, continuous, easy to digest, and took your attention immediately. There was no gore, sex, or violence in the film making it enjoyable for all audiences. Unfortunately, there was not a moment I jumped out of my seat for. I wasn't scared at all. I found myself dozing off during some scenes because they didn't pick up fast enough making them obvious fillers. Even though the story was great, I believe they were afraid to take risks with it. I found myself wanting more substance but that can be both good and bad depending on how you look at it.

An ominous story with room for improvement but enjoyable!

My general rating is 6.5/10. Based on:

-Acting

-Low budget

-Tight atmosphere

-Original story

-Score

    This film is excellent for a date night, with your friends, and your family. If you're a fan of the supernatural, creative stories, continuous tension, and safe horror I highly recommend it. In fact, I believe all kinds of horror fans out there will find The Djin to be enjoyable one way or another.

A big thank you to Kevin Chan for the suggestion!

    Once again, I will be out of town at the end of the month with my partner and friends which makes it the perfect opportunity to post this month's poll early. The review will be posted May 30th. 

You can vote here: https://linkto.run/p/WCAP02FK

I've already posted the poll on Facebook and the results are interesting so far. Please take a moment to vote!

Thank you all again for reading! Can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts and any suggestions for the next review. At the moment I don't have a film lined up for next week so this is a good opportunity to send suggestions my way.

Stay safe and make wise decisions!

-CL