The Pact Review more spooks

An unsettling presence emerges in a woman's childhood home as she tries to unravels a mystery in the wake of her mother's death.

Finely directed by Nicholas McCarthy complete with a few scares - figures appearing, noises, an ouija board, eerie photos ala Shutter The Pact quickly covers many familiar elements synonymous with ghost films. However, it's more drama horror at times emulating The Entity, Stir of Echoes, Amityville, Japanese horrors and their remakes. In addition it's more emotionally grounded than horrors Insidious, The Messengers or Dream House but McCarthy's The Pact doesn't have the fresh chills of The Innkeepers or Woman in Black.

There's a slow character driven opening with Caity Lotz as Annie who shoulders the weight of the film throughout. Casper Van Dien is almost unrecognisable and to his credit gives a heavy weight performance, probably his best as Creek. There's a rich score by Ronen Landa that adds a little tension and the location shoot is crisp reminiscent of setting of White Noise.

Unfortunately The Pact doesn't play as a homage. While extremely well acted (Lotz is superb) and a creepy mystery it adds nothing new to the genre. It's basically a competent slick rework of the aforementioned films to name just a few with a premature obligatory twist and unnecessary end scare.

That said, newcomers to the genre should find it fulfilling.