I haven’t been much of a fan of some of the recent ghost movies that have been making their rounds as of late, especially all of the remakes of the Asian ghost films in recent years. However there is something about this low budget flick titled CONJURER that give it’s an edge above to average ghost film despite it’s lifetime original movie appearance and it’s slow start.
CONJURER is about a struggling photographer named Shawn Burnett (Andrew Bowen) and his wife Helen (Maxine Bahns) whom both suffered the loss of their first baby that was stillborn. Helen’s brother convinces them to move into a country side farmhouse with loads of property and peaceful scenery. However the peace does not last long when tales of a local legend revolving around a small cabin on the property begin to make their presence felt to Shawn. At first Shawn believes that a local boy is playing games with him, but soon he finds out that there is really a ghost on the property with a motive to scare him and his wife off the property. Not knowing if her husband is going insane or not, Helen now pregnant with their second child begins to fear her husband and his obsession with the legend. However, Shawn is convinced that their is a ghost after him and his wife and sets it’s upon himself to prove it.
The script for CONJURER start off a bit slow as it develops the plot and the characters in the first act. After it establishes everything, the story becomes the main focus of the script which revolves mainly around it’s main character of Shawn Burnet. The second act is really where the script gets good, and the flow of the plot picks up. The script also had some very well dialogue that complemented the script, as well as the story.
CONJURER does come off as being a candidate for a “Lifetime Original Movie”, mainly because of it’s look, production value and overall story. But the film does have some very good acting especially in the likes of its main characters. Andrew Bowen does a great job in the lead role as Shawn Burnett and his wife Helen is played by Maxine Bahns whom also does a good job in her supporting role. Speaking of supporting roles it’s hard for me to name the great supporting cast this film has, all of whom were good in their respected roles. On the production side of the fence, the films does have some decent production value. I for one really liked the locations and thought the set design for the cabin worked very well and was very effective in it’s ability to make me feel a bit uncomfortable. There is not really any gore or over use of blood in the film as it strictly relies on suspense to bring out the scares in it’s audience, there are some visual effects that are alright, but nothing to crazy.
Overall, CONJURER does have some pretty good moments and is a very well made film. A horror fan with a good guy might even be able to pick up some influences of other films like THE EVIL DEAD and ARMY OF DARKNESS, especially towards the end of the film where some very good shots that are reminiscent to the ones that Sam Raimi used in the cabin scene in EVIL DEAD. CONJURER does have it’s weaknesses, mainly in the script when the films begins, but overall it’s a very well rounded film that gets better as the film movie along and the story begins to develop. It’s the kind of ghost story that I can see a lot of female horror fans getting into, so guys keep that in mind when it comes to picking out a film for you and the misses to watch. CONJURER is defiantly one of the better ghost films to come around in a while. It does have it’s up and downs and it does not have the star power behind it, but it’s a good little ghost story.
– Horror Bob
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- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
