Incantation Review (2022)

Incantation Synopsis

Six years ago, Li Ronan is cursed after breaking a religious taboo, and now she must protect her daughter from the consequences of her actions.

My Thoughts on Incantation

This movie was a massive box office success in Taiwan, and horror films rarely rake in that kind of money without having something going for them, and Incantation delivers some real moments of innovation.

The plot is a classic cursed mom story. Li Ronan, played with admirable commitment by Hsuan-yen Tsai, gets cursed after visiting a remote, creepy village. Six years later, she tries to reunite with her daughter Dodo, who she gave up for foster care because she was being haunted.

Fast forward to the present and Dodo’s back, and now she’s getting cursed too. Honestly, the poor kid can’t catch a break, can she? At this point, the film decides it’s not just going to show us horror, it’s going to include us in it. Li speaks directly to the audience, breaking the fourth wall to ask us to chant along with her, like a cursed Dora the Explorer.

The film is technically found footage, but you wouldn’t know it half the time. It uses all the tropes but then just stops for some reason as the film jumps back and forth, and at times I did find it hard to follow.

I do wish the mythology wasn’t as vague too, and there are symbols, chants, and secret cult rituals everywhere, but at no point does the film slow down to explain why any of it matters. I’m all for ambiguity in horror when it’s earned, but here it was an issue for me.

But a lot of moments do work really well. The scenes in the village are genuinely unsettling, and some of the editing tricks are creepy, surreal, and genuinely disorienting.

And I do appreciate the film trying to do something new with the fourth wall. Asking us to participate in the ritual is actually kind of brilliant, because why just watch a horror film when you can risk your immortal soul in the process? Who doesn’t want that?

I do like the film though despite a few little annoyances. The performances are solid, especially from Tsai and little Sin-ting Huang as Dodo. The ambition is there, and while the style is a bit inconsistent, it does show flashes of originality, with some really good tension and atmosphere.

While I think the film is a bit muddled, overstuffed, and structurally all over the place, it is a very interesting film. It’s the kind of film that gets talked about in seminar rooms by people wearing beanies indoors and saying things like, “It’s not about the curse, it is the curse.” Deep stuff, man.

Be a bit confused, be creeped out, and blame yourself when Dodo starts coughing black goo. Just make sure to chant loudly enough this time. But it’s 100% worth a watch.

Incantation Trailer
Incantation on IMDB

Incantation Good Points

Strong Lead Performance – Hsuan-yen Tsai gives a committed, emotional performance as Li Ronan. She carries the film and makes you care about what is happening.

Creepy Atmosphere – Some scenes, especially the ones in the cursed village, are genuinely unsettling. The film knows how to create a mood of dread.

Fourth Wall Innovation – Having the protagonist talk directly to the audience and involve them in the ritual is a fresh twist on the found footage formula. It’s a rare and bold narrative choice in horror.

Incantation Bad Points

Messy Narrative Structure – The storytelling really lacks clarity as it jumps back and forth in time with little warning, making it hard to track what’s happening and when.

Weak Worldbuilding for the Curse – The rules of the curse and the “Mother-Buddha” mythology are poorly explained, and you’re left wondering why things are happening instead of fearing them.

Too Much Reliance on Tropes – Despite a few original elements, it still leans heavily on common horror clichés.

Is Incantation Worth Watching?

Yes, despite a bit of a messy story, it makes up for it in atmosphere and it builds the dread well, and I think it’s quite a creepy film, and one I would definitely recommend.

Where To Stream Incantation?

Netflix

Incantation Director and Cast

Director – Kevin Ko

Main Cast – Hsuan-yen Tsai, Sin-ting Huang, Ven Kao, Sean Lin, Ching-Yu Yen, Ahmed Shawky