HORRO MOVIE REVIEW: JESSABELLE




3/5

Jessabelle, a twenty something woman, has to return to her childhood home and spend time with a father she barely knows. Soon she discovers tapes that her deceased mother has recorded before her birth. Curious to know her origins Jessabelle starts watching the tapes one by one, sinking deeper into despair and into madness, just like her mother did many years ago.

Jessabelle may not be very original but effective. The premise of beautiful young lady locked up in a creepy house full of ghosts and with imminent growing danger works well. The not so straight forward mystery is also pretty good. There will be no major revelations but you get a decent satisfying answer for all the happenings and sometime simple is the best.

Anton Sanko's haunting soundtrack compliments the creepy setting of an old New Orlean house and some creative cinematography is just enough to fill in the absence of visual effect. Sometimes it's all about atmosphere and Jessabelle delivers it in brackets.

I would have liked the movie more if not for a very flat ending. There could have been more action, more creativity, more drama. Many of the original set ups, especially Jessabelle's temporary being bound to a wheel chair, are underused. But I guess the budget also dictated where the story had to go. Without breaking any new ground Jessabelle delivers on its promise. It is scary, atmospheric and beautifully shot. Not being particularly great, it will not disappoint.  

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