I’m going to approach this review as if I just watched Ari Aster’s Hereditary. Excellent cast with outstanding performances! Beautifully shot gothic horror in an overlay of eeriness and peculiarity. However, so many unanswered questions that never provided a satisfying resolution. And it’s just all around….slow. Sigh….  

Gabriel is a shattered man who unloads his childhood trauma through a church confession and tears. He is determined to invest 100% into his relationship with his love, Emma while keeping his younger sister Celeste under his wing as his ward to ensure this regrettable past never returns to haunt him or this life he is committed to advancing. When Emma’s aunt Milda passes away, leaving her the discomforting home from where she claimed to communicate with the dead, all bets are off for hopeful Gabriel.  

Milda was an eccentric older woman who apparently became a troubled devout church member, losing her faith and engaging with a somewhat sinister black magic force which now wants to possess her niece Emma and Gabe’s sister Celeste as vessels for evil spirits to rise once again. She has become the ghost creator. The Voice of Shadows.

This sounds wickedly sinful, huh? Sign me up!
For now.

Through a book of artsy fables depicting malicious transgressions, Gabe discovers a pentagram with names surrounding the symbol in a very sinister and scary portrayal of what may follow Milda’s death. With the assistance of Father John, it’s clear that they need to vacate this haunted house and leave everything behind. Quickly.

Unfortunately, Celeste has since disappeared after succumbing to the apparitions while Emma is hesitant to depart without accepting her aunt’s last will and testament – accepting this gifted house as a benefit for the new life she plans to build with Gabriel.

However, the conditions placed upon Emma and Gabriel are too subjective and dangerous for them to follow, especially when Gabe considers the egregious sins that still condemn him from asking God for any favors. So how will this work out?

Slowly.
Like, PAINFULLY slowly.

While the characters are well developed and empathetic to the viewer, the pace is just beyond laborious for the first 50 minutes of the film. If I could’ve gotten up to speed in 5 minutes, I’d have gladly fast forwarded to the last 40 minutes for a little more active substance. Perhaps some answers to so many unknown items being thrown at us through Milda’s past and the current priests’ speculation? How about providing us with a little more slaughter within the first half of the movie so my attention doesn’t drift? Too much to ask when there’s too little, too late.