Netflix Viewers Flock to This Shocking Underrated Horror Sequel From Genius Filmmaker
IP-based horror picture Ouija didn’t win over many critics upon release in 2014, but it slayed at the box office, returning more than $100 million globally on an estimated budget of $5 million. With returns like that, it’s no great surprise that we got a sequel two years later. What does come as a surprise, however, is how much better the second series installment is. Despite its status as the superior effort, Ouija: Origin of Evil doesn’t always seem to get the recognition it deserves. It’s as if the flick had its moment in the sun upon release and then faded into the background. That’s a shame considering it has real staying power. You don’t have to take my word for it, though. Ouija: Origin of Evil is presently streaming on Netflix, meaning you can experience the film for yourself and draw your own conclusions.
When we say that Origin of Evil is the superior effort, we mean it, and we have the receipts to back that claim up. The first film in the series, Ouija, holds an utterly abysmal Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 6%. Yikes, a score in the single digits. Seeing as there was nowhere to go but up from there, director Mike Flanagan used the foundation built by the first to make a better film, a film with a far more impressive 83% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
In addition to sitting at the helm of the project, Flanagan also takes a writing credit on Origin of Evil. He co-wrote the script with frequent collaborator Jeff Howard. The pair previously worked together on Gerald’s Game, Before I Wake, and Oculus.
In case you need a primer, here is the plot crunch for Ouija: Origin of Evil: In 1967 Los Angeles, widowed mother Alice Zander (Elizabeth Reaser) unwittingly invites authentic evil into her home by adding a new stunt to bolster her séance scam business. When the merciless spirit overtakes her youngest daughter, Doris (Lulu Wilson), the small family must confront unthinkable fears to save her and send her possessor back to the other side.
Will you be checking out Ouija: Origin of Evil now that you know it is available to stream on Netflix? Let us know in the comments section below.
Stay tuned to the site in the very near future for more essential updates from the streaming scene. If you’d like to keep tabs on me in the meantime, you can find me on Threads as @FunWithHorror.
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