Review Roundup: Supernatural Horror Film OUIJA Opens Today!

The supernatural horror flick OUIJA opens nationwide today, just in time for Halloween! Hasbro Toys co-produced the film, who also manufactures the actual OUIJA board games.

After a young girl is murdered, her close friends take it upon themselves to discover the truth about her death. After finding a recording of their friend playing with a OUIJA board just before her death, the group decides to unravel the ancient mysteries behind the game.

OUIJA stars Daren Kagasoff, Ana Coto, Bianca A. Santos, Douglas Smith, and Olivia Cooke. The film was directed by Stiles White, and co-written by himself and Juliet Snowden.

Let's see what the critics had to say!

Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times: What "Ouija" lacks in wit and originality, it makes up in volume - a trademark of the "Transformers" director Michael Bay, who is one of the producers.

Justin Chang, Variety: As has become the norm with so much contemporary horror, most of the scares in "Ouija" are gimmicky and repetitive "gotcha!" moments, owing more to d.p. David Emmerichs' whip pans and a series of ear-splitting thwacks and shrieks than to any deeper, more psychologically grounded shivers.

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: Though "Ouija" starts off evoking a nicely eerie atmosphere of dread, it ultimately goes too far, making the liminal space between the spirit world and this one all too eye-rollingly literal.

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Nothing very spirited happens in Ouija, a deadly dull and overly familiar movie about summoning ghosts that draws upon nearly every horror movie cliché.

Ethan Gilsdorf, Boston Globe: Sadly, the teens commit one rookie horror movie mistake after another. They enter the haunted house at night. They split up into the attic and basement. They forget to test their flashlights.

Roger Moore, Detriot News: Ouija" is a dead teenager movie aimed squarely at a teen audience.

Steve Tilley, London Free Press: It's like an un-scary Paranormal Activity meets an un-gory Final Destination. I've seen more frightening (and thoughtful) episodes of Scooby-Doo.

Jim Vejvoda, IGN: The story -- co-scripted by Stiles White and Juliet Snowden -- is derivative, predictable, populated by stock and underdeveloped characters, and with occasional laughably bad dialogue.

Kofi Outlaw Screen Rant: Visually, White manages to craft some nicely tense and spooky sequences - but rarely knows how to complete them in an effective manner.

Kimber Myers, Indie Wire: This film is effectively scary, filled with plenty of jump moments and a few slow-burning scenes, but the scares aren't enough to balance the poor writing and lack of imagination.

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