Incantation is a 2022 Taiwanese point-of-view horror film about Li Ronan who was cursed after breaking a religious taboo six years ago. Now, she must protect her daughter from the consequences of her actions. The film is, of course, inspired by an alleged true story.
Directed and executive produced by Kevin Ko from a screenplay co-written with Che-Wei Chang. Produced by Hsu-fen Yang.
The movie stars Hsuan-yen Tsai, Ying-Hsuan Kao, Sean Lin and Ching-Yu Wen.
Reviews:
“Overall, Ko injects Incantation with plenty of pathos and clever techniques to engage, even if it’s still prone to the pitfalls of the format. The constant and abrupt shifts between past and present make for uneven pacing in stretches, and the scares rarely land for those well versed in the subgenre.” 2.5 out of 5, Bloody Disgusting
Cursed videos. Strange rituals. Unexplained trances. Even possessed people killing themselves by repeatedly bashing their heads against walls […] are all things fright film aficionados have been through countless times before. The only boon keeping Incantation just above average, or slightly better than below average depending on your personal tolerance level for tropes, is that the unique setting at least allows us looks at these routine chiller clichés from the lens of a different culture.” 45 out of 100, Culture Crypt
” …you hardly have time to catch your breath before the next scary weirdness arrives […] Ko’s work doesn’t suffer from exposition either, a welcome change from horrors that derail themselves trying to explain everything, though it does mean that some references and plot points get too easily lost in the process. There really is no let-up on the pace of the film…” Andrew Heskins, Eastern Kicks
“Director Kevin Ko is hypnotising viewers, expecting us to not only act as witnesses but also accept the meticulously orchestrated religious view assuredly. Nevertheless, the film twists itself at the end, converting the benediction into damnation, altering the exorcism into a conjuration, striking a fatal blow to the audience. Therefore, Incantation operates on viewers’ cognition, rendering an endless aftermath of goosebumps.” Zijiao Zhu, Eastern Kicks
“Bringing to mind a number of other, slightly better, movies (I kept thinking of the superb Noroi: The Curse and The Grudge), Incantation has some nice ideas, a good share of freaky moments, and imagery that will stay with you for some time after it’s all over. I think it might also reward viewers with a number of details that can be picked out during a rewatch.” 8 out of 10, For It Is Man’s Number
“Honestly, I didn’t expect much other than to be entertained. However, Kevin Ko manages to really get the audience involved. You care about the characters which is the key to getting us hooked on the story!” Heaven of Horror
“Incantation is horrifying, mysterious and everything that horror movie lovers will enjoy. It will make you wish to watch the worst reality television out there if only to forget the trauma of this movie. Thoroughly enjoyable and extremely traumatising.” 5 out of 5, Leisure Byte
“Incantation is a horror mystery that wants to channel The Ring by going down the viral spread of evil. The reasoning behind the evil is different, but Ruo-nan wanting to drive towards viral support through the problems comes through here […] The movie does use found footage, which does capture the magic of the tension-riddled concept. Incantation is filled with tension that is ready to shred your nerves.” 4 out of 5 stars, Movie Reviews 101
“Incantation is full of frightening images and some body horror but is more unsettling than scary because of its disjointed editing and pacing. The film is overly long and becomes somewhat boring in the middle and the out-of-chronology format is confusing, making it difficult to keep track of what’s happening at times. There are a handful of truly scary sequences…” 2.5 out of 5, Ready Steady Cut
For more reviews and two trailers visit page 2
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