After watching the trailer for this film, I must say I had really high hopes. As a devout Horror fan with a declared preference towards ghost stories and hauntings, I had looked forward to seeing another usual film of the genre, mediocre yet frightening and fun to watch.
While Jessabelle is light-years away from competing with the sub- genres best like The Grudge or Dead Silence, it completes the task it unofficially took upon itself, as it obviously had no intentions of being profound or in any way great. Sarah Snook, while definitely not painful to look at to say the least, is far more than your usual Horror Eye-Candy made famous in classic Slashers. Trust me, this professional knows a hell of a lot more than screaming convincingly and looking fine in a bathing suite. This was my first encounter with her, and I must say she just might be the best thing about Jessabelle. Apparently she's been making quite a name for herself since 2012, and I can definitely see why. Even though her character is stuck in a wheel-chair, the empathy towards its desperation and helplessness is greatly created by Snook's acting skills.
As for the story, it suffers from one of the known banes of Horror - a mediocre plot twist leading to an anticlimactic ending, after a finely made build-up. At least there is a plot twist, true, as Horror films are highly upgraded by these in my opinion, but the one in Jessabelle simply feels unfulfilled. I find it difficult putting my finger on what should have been better about it, I just know it didn't create the sensation we expect from such twists. I believe that was the main reason for the ending being slightly wanting.
All in all, I found Jessabelle to be quite average, meaning anyone who doesn't expect to have their mind blown and being swept off their feet by a masterpiece could enjoy it quite a bit, as I did. Snook's acting and the sufficiently smart plot make it even slightly above average. As always, I would recommend that you ignore my humble opinion, watch it and judge for yourselves. If you ask me - as far as this one is concerned, it's definitely worth it.
Jessabelle
2014
Drama / Horror / Mystery / Thriller
Jessabelle
2014
Drama / Horror / Mystery / Thriller
Plot summary
Jessabelle "Jessie" Laurent is pregnant and accepts to move to the house of her boyfriend to raise a family of their own. However they have a car accident where her boyfriend and her baby die. Jessie is seriously wounded and trapped to a wheelchair, and the direction of the hospital asks her to contact her estranged father to help her. Leon Laurent brings his daughter to his house in Louisiana and lodges her in her mother's room. Jessie snoops around the room and finds a videotape where her mother Kate Laurent is pregnant and reads tarot cards to her. She tells that Jessie would never left Louisiana; she is attracted by water; and another woman wants her out of the house. However Leon arrives and destroys the tape. On the next morning, Jessie watches another videotape when her father is out of the house, and her mother talks about the man that had taught her to read cards, Moses. Jessie is haunted by the ghost of a woman and her father discovers the two other videotapes she has hidden. When he tries to destroy them, something happens to him and he is burnt to death trapped in a shed. During the funeral, Jessie meets her high-school friend Preston Sanders (Mark Webber),who is unhappily married. Preston decides to help Jessie after watching the videotapes. Who might be haunting Jessie?
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Excellent main actress, average film. Still fun and worth watching!
GET OUT OF THE HOUSE
Jessabelle (Sarah Snook) was involved in a crippling car accident that killed her boyfriend. She reluctantly must return to her rural Louisiana home with her rough exterior father (David Andrews). She discovers old VHS tapes made for her by her deceased mother reading tarot cards. Her dad forbids her from looking at them and destroys them. She also reunites with her high school friend Preston (Mark Webber) contrary to the wishes of Mrs. Preston. Jessabelle sees and feels a presence in the house, a ghost that she believes is herself and wants her out.
The confusions maximizes about 55 minutes into the ghost mystery and then answers come slowly.
The film was well done. Sarah Snook made me think of Emma Stone (The Help) in this role. I actually felt a chill and had goose bumps near the end of the film, something that is rare for me.
No swearing, sex, or nudity. If you liked this film you might also like "Find Me."
Flaws versus nice story
It's tough to judge or rate this. Because the essence was much better than what I was expecting. Even if you can see things coming (no pun intended),especially if you read reviews who give away certain things or you just have seen enough horror movies to know some things, you'll still be entertained by this.
And I did like where it went at the end (literally and metaphorically speaking). You could call it a nice twist, though many things could have been prevented if someone would have spoken out. The alternate or rather extended ending does not do anything more than the original did. Ending on the note the movie does right now is the best way to go out.