DVD Corner

Tarot Blu-ray Review

“Tarot” is a slapped together horror film.

Based on the novel “Horrorscope” (which honestly should have been the movie title as well), “Tarot” is a supernatural horror film revolving around 7 friends (Elise, Hailey, Lucas, Paige, Paxton, Grant and Madeline) who rent out a mansion to celebrate Elise’s birthday. After running out of booze, they search the place and break into a basement where they find all sorts of antiques including a creepy old tarot deck. After some needling, Hailey decides to do tarot readings for everyone. The results? Elise gets the High Priestess card, Lucas receives The Hermit, Paige is dealt The Magician, Paxton is revealed to have The Fool, Grant draws The Devil, Madeline is fated with The Hanged Man, and Hailey deals herself The Death card. Of course, this seemingly simple reading turns out to have deadly consequences as the deck of cards winds up being cursed. Can the friends escape their gruesome fates or will they find a way out of their dire predicament? 

It’s no secret that movies come and go at the theater at a quick pace in this day and age. Many films make the majority of their box office opening weekend, some may last a couple weeks, and even fewer have any sort of staying power. After a little more than 2 months, “Tarot” has hit home video already. Despite doing decent numbers at the box office, this horror film is has already been forgotten and it’s not hard to see why.

When it comes to Screen Gems horror films, they are decidedly hit-and-miss. Sometimes they strike gold with hits like “Don’t Breathe” and “The Exorcism Of Emily Rose,” but on the other side of the coin there are dreadful remakes and dull studio fare. “Tarot” is very much a flat, slick studio horror film that tries to win over audiences with tired jump scares and a hip young cast (Jacob Batalon, Avantika and Harriet Slater), but there’s nothing remotely scary about this movie. Writing and directing team Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg’s on the nose story about fate, horoscopes, and friendship plays like a cross between a slasher and “Final Destination” without the palm sweating excitement. It feels like the type of horror movie that is on auto-pilot as it offers nothing fresh or original. 

The only plus here is some of the monsters. Although CGI horrors tend to not be my bag, The well designed High Priestess and The Fool are especially noteworthy here. Their sequences are easily the highlight of the entire movie.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 1080p. Grade: A

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Grade: A

Extras:
* Digital copy
* Sony trailers
* 2 ½ minutes of “Killer Outtakes.”
* “A Twist of Fate: Making The Film”- A 6 minute featurette with interviews, set footage, interviews, story discussions and film clips.
* The nearly 7 minute “Circle Of Friends” is all about the characters and cast.

July 14, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | horror, Horror Movie, Tarot Blu-ray Review, Tarot Cards, Tarot Movie