Tarot review.
Tarot is a throwback to an era of horror better left in the past.
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Tarot
Directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg
Written by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg
Starring Harriet Slater, Jacob Balaton, Avantika, Adain Bradley, Humberly González, Wolfgang Novogratz and Larsen Thompson
Tarot Review
There are a few eras of horror that we see movies return to from time to time. The mean-spirited grindhouse feels of the 70s…the madcap gore of the 80s…meta horror of the late 90s. Tarot takes its cues from a decidedly less popular time. The played too straight despite being nonsense movies of the late 90s/early 2000s. That’s not to say this period doesn’t have its fans. Depending on when you were born…this may have been your entryway into the genre. Think of movies like Urban Legend and Darkness Falls. Movies you may have grown up with and hold in some esteem…but aren’t really…you know…good.
But they aren’t bad. Neither is Tarot. A defining characteristic of these films, however, is how easily they could have been good. They take absurd concepts and play them so deathly serious that you can’t help but laugh. That’s a sign of a movie that can entertain you…but doesn’t necessarily work as intended. That’s the world that Tarot lives in. A silly concept that the film seems keen to not have fun with. Or, at least, not invite you to laugh along with it.
That’s not to say that there aren’t attempts at comedy. In fact, Tarot’s long pre-title opening scene shows us a group of young people joking around and having fun. We just aren’t invited in on their jokes. They’re laughing and having a great time. We’re watching and waiting for anyone to say something funny. Things have the cadence of humor…but lack the content. This problem largely extends to the way Tarot treats horror as well. But we’ll get to that.
On a birthday getaway and out of booze, a group of friends play with a strange deck of tarot cards that accurately predicts their immediate futures. As in…it tells them how they are about to die. Admittedly…a pretty good concept. Even better, the words said during each reading all come back to pay off. Hints of how deaths will occur…warning signs too often ignored by the panicked targets when their number is called. Unfortunately, the ability to enjoy these rides is often undone by how serious the movie presents things. Worrying that you are prophesied to die in a car or on a bridge would be a lot more fun if someone wasn’t deadpanning the importance of astrological signs and horoscopes the entire time.
This would be forgivable if the seriousness of the scenes paid off in an effective atmosphere. It (almost) never does. Outside of one inspired kill scene… Tarot keeps you chuckling at its straight face. It doesn’t have enough fun with the premise either. There are some strong moments to be had…but it takes they are few and far between. Tarot can never quite decide what kind of movie it is. It introduces a fun lead into death scenes…but doesn’t have fun with them. It abandons most attempts at humor…which is a fine narrative choice given the grave circumstances the group find themselves in…but leaves the film feeling cold in between kill sequences.
None of this is the fault of the cast. They do what they can to present likable characters who are terrified of their collective curse. Tarot does a good job introducing us to the group and giving subplots to some characters who will never get to see them play out. That allows some early deaths to feel a bit surprising. Not that the character doesn’t survive…that the movie cared enough to give them lives they don’t have the opportunity to live for long.
Tarot is also a pretty well-made movie. It presents a slew of antagonists to stalk the individuals who drew their cards. The monsters themselves aren’t that memorable…but it is a more interesting idea than seeing the same killer over and over. The highlight of the creature/kill sequences is, easily, the Magician. A stylish kill scene that works perfectly. It leaves the rest of the scenes feeling underwhelming by comparison…but it’s a highlight to look out for.
Urban Legend turns out to be a strong comparison to what Tarot offers. Young characters trapped by fate to die deaths based on a fundamentally absurd premise. One that would be a lot more fun if the movie’s recognized that. Instead, like Urban Legend, Tarot wants you to think its premise is no laughing matter. It’s the only joke in Tarot that works.
Scare Value
A competent little horror movie with too few moments of horror. Or comedy. Or cleverness. It may appeal to viewers of a certain age…but hardcore horror fans will find little to get excited about. A good cast gets what they can out of it. They’re aided by strong production values. All that’s missing is an effective horror movie.
2/5
Tarot Link
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