Seance: The Summoning (2011) User Reviews

Despite the Low Budget, Could Have Been Much Better

[claudio_carvalho · 3/10 · 30 July 2013]

The friends Marcus (Chris Olivero), Joey (Bobby Campo), Eva (Nazneen Contractor) and Sara (Devon Ogden) go to the morgue where Marcus works to record a séance summoned by Eva that is a medium. Joey does not believe that Eva is capable to summon spirits and make jokes all the time. However, Eva summons a demon by mistake and Joey is possessed by the fiend. The Christian Sara tries to exorcise Joey but the powerful demon has many tricks to lure her.

"Seance: The Summoning" is a low-budget movie with great potential but unfortunately it fails. Sara and Eva try to use the help of God to defeat the demon but the fight between good and evil is poorly resolved. In the end, neither God nor the devil wins the battle and the story becomes pointless. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Evocação – A Porta do Diabo" ("Evocation – The Devil's Door")

Do Not Watch! I am Dead Serious...

[One_slice_of_pizza · 3/10 · 12 May 2012]

You know what happens when awful script meets with bad acting, right? Instead of having a fun Friday, you get mad and start thinking about how to get your 2 hours back.

This is exactly what will happen if you watch this movie. Don't get me wrong, I love cheesy horror flicks but this one is just plain awful. Dialogs are cheesy, the whole plot doesn't make any sense and it is full of logical mistakes. I'm not blaming the actors for their bad performances because when the script you are working with is so bad, the things you can do are limited.

The characters are so hollow and two dimensional that we don't care a bit when they die. Actually, we don't even care if they survive, we just want this movie to be over as soon as possible.

All in all, I strongly recommend to skip this flick and find something else to do instead. Believe me, it will be a very smart decision on your behalf.

Warning: Do Not Read This Part, If You Haven't Seen It Yet!

Why did the handy cam disappear?? If it wasn't important, then why did almighty director Alex Wright use it at the first place?

A demon is not a spirit, it's an entity. How come you don't know the difference as a writer working on a supernatural theme?

First, Joey was with Eva, and then we find out that he has an unborn baby from Sara? If he was with Eva before, then when the hell were Sara and Joey together? It's not like they are 50 years old.

Marcus was a very unnecessary character and it may shock you Alex Wright, but nothing changes in the script when you exclude this character.

I can go on forever but I will be straight to the point. Alex, you really need a career change so that you can stop wasting our time and money by shooting movies that should never exist.

Another possession film only this is the worst one I have ever seen

[Thrill_KillZ · 3/10 · 12 May 2012]

This film was so hard to sit through, what started out as a decent B movie film got stale very quick with the same scene that lasted for over an hour. It's story involved two girls & two guys, one of which was the security guard at the city morgue. So they decide to have a seance there around all the dead bodies in hopes of contacting spirits, all of which is being done to prove to this Joey character that there is an afterlife of some kind, so Eva a self proclaimed medium was the lead at the table to prove him wrong. So once they get started something goes very wrong, so they decide to try again(genius). Of coarse the second attempt goes even worse than the first and we are stuck looking at a very overdone and lame scenario for the next hour, with people running around acting stupid.

I found it hard to keep my attention on it and the only reason I watched the whole thing is to write a review to let other people know how bad this hole thing was right to the very end. I don't like to bash films or write negative reviews but sometimes it just needs to be done for humanity's sake. I don't recommend watching it, not even for a time killer because it will probably just end up annoying you, and there is certainly enough annoyances in life already.

A small dose of subtle terror can go a long way...

[paul_haakonsen · 5/10 · 14 May 2012]

Initially I have to say that having read some review for this movie, I was preparing myself for a boring movie, but still I am not really one to turn off movies unless they are beyond boring, and I did find the plot of the story interesting, so despite the bad reviews, I sat down to watch "Seance".

I don't understand why it got so bad reviews, because I didn't find the movie that bad. Sure it was not a million dollar Hollywood movie, but still it was to the point and it had a good enough story to tell. "Seance" is about four young people going to a city morgue, where one of them works as a security guard, to have a seance (hence the name of the movie) in order to call up the spirit of the dead. Something goes awry and something dark is called forth.

The storyline was compelling and it was good at building up suspense and thrills. Now, don't expect to be scared, because it is not that kind of horror movie. Instead, it is the type of movie that builds on brooding atmosphere and subtle terror.

Personally, I found there was a little too much Christian propaganda in the movie. But hey, dealing with evil presences, I suppose that is what people think they need to turn to.

The people cast for the movie did good enough jobs, two people stand out and carries the movie entirely; that being Bobby Campo (playing Joey) and Nazneen Contractor (playing Eva). Their performances were really great, and came off really believable.

One thing that I didn't understand about the movie was if the entity that was called forth had been waiting 200 years for a mortal vessel to possess, why did it speak 21st century American English and not 19th century American English? If they had kept it that way, the movie would have had so much more credibility. And also, a cool touch to the possession would have been if the possessed individual spoke with those voices simultaneously.

"Seance" is a toned down version of "The Exorcist" and it would appeal to today's audience, and perhaps even instill a curiosity to further explore the market for possession-style movies and return to the 'classics'.

"Seance" is well worth a watch if you like movies that have a brooding atmosphere and builds up subtle terror, instead of being all gory and trying to be as brutal as possible. And speaking of gore, then there were actually some nice enough scenes with blood and injuries in "Seance". Thumbs up for that. And the story takes place in a city morgue, that just adds so much to the setting, and that was really a nice touch.

previous reviews were very kind

[turbodieseloaner · 2/10 · 9 March 2013]

At the time of my review there were only 3 others. One reviewer,IMHO, didn't even watch the same movie as me. Another one of the reviewers really skewered the movie but still gave it 3 stars. Lets be honest, both the script and the acting was amateurish. There were no likable characters. Nor were they believable. I have to confess that I didn't see the whole movie, a quarter of the way in I couldn't stand it any more. I didn't want to be one of the reviewers who complain about wasting 2 hours of their life; hey, to those reviewers; why didn't you stop once you found out that the movie was awful? It is obvious what level of production this movie is well within the first 5 minutes. Even if you were intrigued by the plot; the production values are instantly identifiably bad; and no way bad in the good sense. Like a lot of other complaints about the rating system, I really wish it started with zero instead of one. Seems like this review has turned out to be about other things besides the movie itself but there's no sense in wasting any more of one's time than what's already been wasted. Forgive me for ranting.

It is what it is

[Leofwine_draca · 3/10 · 27 September 2015]

And what it is is not very good. SEANCE: THE SUMMONING is an entirely cheap seance/possession flick in which a quartet of rather unlikeable characters break into an old morgue to hold a seance for some stupid reason or other. Before long one of their number becomes possessed by the spirit of an ancient demon and death, murder, and madness ensue.

This is a cheap little B-movie with very little to recommend it to the horror fan apart from some cheap gore effects here and there and lots of desperate attempts to be scary. Despite the intensity of pitch, none of this is remotely frightening and indeed it all seems rather familiar and lacklustre, with the usual script lines that sound like they're ripped off from THE EXORCIST and the like. The acting is bog standard, frequently verging into ham territory, and the running time drags out despite the relative shortness of the production. Next, please...

Avoid at most costs.

[RatedVforVinny · 2/10 · 1 December 2019]

From the makers of the remarkable 'Hellraiser', this is not only awful it's bloody terrible! It's a real horror show (excuse the pun) and I just about made it through to the bitter end.

Devons mouth

[amygajan · 4/10 · 30 January 2020]

I have only one thing. This movie could have been more but Sara's played by Devon, mouth drove me crazy throughout this movie. Why in the world would you not tell this woman how ridiculous she looks in this movie. I will tell you to never ever play any parts that make you cry or scream. So ridiculously ugly!!!!!!

Summon a better film next time

[movieman_kev · 3/10 · 17 October 2014]

Four college friends who one night summon a demon who readily inhabits one of their bodies, have to figure out a way to defeat the demonic entity.

To say this is Writer/Director Alex Wright's best film is damning it with faint praise indeed, as the only previous films of his that i've previously seen were the abysmal "Wishmaster 3" and equally abysmal The "First 9 1/2 Weeks". At least this one starts off well-enough, if still stilted and unoriginal, before collapse in on itself and limping to it's conclusion. As it stands, the movie is still worthless, yet better than those two aforementioned stinkers.

Eye Candy: Cortney Palm is briefly topless (but as a cadaver, so....)

Christian Horror

[SSK9030 · 2/10 · 23 November 2019]

So four friends go into a mortuary to have a seance. There's the pagan non believer, the atheist, the good girl Christian and the nomdescript friend. It seems like all Christian Horror movies have to include a plot line about abortion and this one does not disappoint. The acting is okay. The script is silly at times. The movie isn't scary or overly graphic. There's no nudity but there is an attempted rape scene. Is it the worst movie I've seen? No. Would I recommend it to anyone else? Also, no.

Love It

[myspecialparadise · 8/10 · 24 January 2014]

The person that makes this film really interesting is Nazneen Contractor, though she really should consider changing her name for fame. Nazneen reminds me a lot of Jane Russell ... she actually looks like she could be Jane's daughter, that's how much they have in common when it comes to looks, as well as attitude. If they ever make a movie about Jane ... Nazneen should get the part, if she's as good as she appeared to be in this film. I certainly hope she continues doing movies, she has the potential to become a very popular actress ... right up there with Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman, but her name will most likely hold her back ... the name you use, in this business, makes a huge difference in what goals you reach. Maybe Nina Nazeen ... it flows well?

Actually, what makes this movie "good" is the casting, and the wonderful imagination of Alex Wright, whom seems to have a lot of thoughts, when it comes to religion, as The Love Ministry! If he believes what the character "Joey" says about the church.

The filming was very realistic, as was the sounds. The action is superb, and the entrance of the spirit was well incorporated by giving the spirit an appearance as preparations began for the seance, showing that the spirits are already there ... awaiting acknowledgement. Totally cool.

The actors are not seasoned actors, few actors are at their ages, that takes years and years of experience, but they are much better than a lot of actors ... at their ages. One thing I can say is that the parts were given to the right people, and the script was basically solid. This is a film I will enjoy watching numerous times ... because the script, directing, action, and film cuttings run as smoothly as a classic poem ... its rhythm is constant, and the parts are never, obviously, played over the top, or under-expectations of what was needed. Anyone that does not appreciate the quality of this film hasn't a clue of how many films, like this one's subject, are basically some degree of crap.

By the way, and totally surprising to me, the profanity in this film actually worked ... probably because it wasn't over-used, and it was felt by the actor(s) ... and not everyone was using it. Anyhoots, the point is that this is one of the rare films where profanity worked, in most films it is so obvious that the profanity is used for shock ... not real, not felt ... just there, where it didn't belong.

Anyhoots ... I love this film, and it caused me to buy the 2006 DVD "Seance", a waste of money. It was OK, but it couldn't hold a candle to this one!

Not so bad

[martynapanufnik · 6/10 · 2 July 2013]

As i can see many quite negative reviews for me this movies wasn't as bad as it seemed, in my opinion. I think the movie deserved a better rating as to what it has now to me this movie seem a lot similar to all of the other possession movies it was slightly predictable by it's title although i was not put of for one i actually really enjoyed the movie, it was not too scary but not to mild either just quite right. i think more people should give this flick more credit, thus it's actually a good movie it may have been on a low budget but that doesn't affect it's watchablity. I high recommend this movie as in my opinion it was really good.

From the fiery pits of hell... THIS MOVIE.

[natashabowiepinky · 3/10 · 3 May 2014]

In my experience, if a film is advertised as being 'from The Producers of' a MUCH bigger movie, then it tells us two things. 1. The Producers have fallen on hard times, and 2. This new film is gonna suck. Both criteria here = fulfilled.

So, we have this complete idiot taken over by a supernatural presence during a seance held at a morgue, and his three friends try to save his life. One of them gets his neck broken early... shame. The two remaining girls (One a devout Christian, the other a pagan worshipper) end up having to rely on the Bible to get them out of this mess.

OH MY GOD (Pun intended) it's tedious listening to them talk non-stop about religious hogwash for two thirds of the length. We want to see heads rotate 360 degrees and pea soup vomit from the possessed victim's mouth, not scene after scene of explanations about 'How The Lord Loves All' or oblique scripture readings. In fact, I'd almost swear this whole production was bankrolled by the Church itself... if it wasn't for most of the other objectionable material on offer.

And as our spiritually hi-jacked human being starts rocking up and down like an epileptic while tied up his chair ( in shots from the waist up, it looks as if he's masturbating) it was all I could do not to burst out laughing. Yes, the sole redeeming feature is the unintended humour. Whether it's someone with a gob full of toothpaste trying to pass it off as frothing at the mouth, or the hilarious excuse for a final battle which involves the head of a live rat being bitten off (Is the pagan girl related to Ozzy Osbourne?) it almost (but not quite ) makes up for all the other nonsense.

At one point, during a particularly exasperating moment, those immortal words are uttered " I'm tired of this s**t". You know what? I couldn't agree more. 3/10

Yes another one.

[oynaqozgar · 4/10 · 27 April 2013]

Well I don't know if this will be a spoiler or not. But here goes.

This is very much a formula movie. And it is probably not the formula you are thinking off. This is the typical, a main character is either a non believer or in this case Pagan and their magic is not strong enough, but we have a true believer that conveniences her the true path is through Christ. It is a formula conversion to Christ movie. And like all the others like it, it comes off flat and lacks all the true horror feel. This is not a movie to scare you, it is a movie to convert you.

I will give them one kudo, they read a small part of a Pagan book to sound convincing but they really have no idea what Paganism is.

If you are Christian and like this kind of movie you will like it. If you are a horror movie fan and like even a glimpse of scary, well don't wait up for one. The female roles were really weak and Bobby Campo as the possessed had the only role that had any meat on it and he did what he could. But it is not the actors fault with this kind of movie they really don't have much to work with.

Added a star for the acting

[jmbovan-47-160173 · 4/10 · 8 May 2020]

So, standard possession flick with standard cast of characters: film student, reformed Christian, alternative spiritualist, and rebellious anarchist. Possession happens, "The Power of Christ" is attempted, but a bloody finale somehow occurs. It gets a bit preachy when battling the demon as confidence and "faith" are questioned. The ignorance of the characters though undoes any of the attempts at tension. Has no one seen The Exorcist?! Otherwise a low rent flick that barely holds together what it has.

Enough added twists to make this interesting.

[LeatherCajun · 9/10 · 31 October 2023]

So, horror movies featuring 4-6 teenagers stuck in a "place" are legion. Most are horrible and by the numbers.

This one distinguishes itself on several levels. 1. It takes place in a huge morgue/funeral home, complete with a morgue room, a separate infant corpse room. A chapel. 2. It's well-lit, allowing the viewing to enjoy the physical appeal of the young actors, all of whom are very pretty. 3. The muscular teen male lead is shirtless and well-lit for half the movie. 4. The most emotionally important relationship are between the 2 boys and the 2 girls who are both close friends, romance is not really present. 5. Cutting and mental illness are worked into the movie in an interesting and organic way 6. None of the actors are bad 7. Christian belief motivates one of the characters in a natural, significant, and not preachy way. 8. The male lead has a natural partly crooked smile. 9. The demon character is believable and very malevolent. 10. The girls are touch in a believable way. So, on a scale of ALL MOVIES ever made, maybe a 3, but on a scale of indie horror films staring ONLY 4 young actors, maybe a 9/10 or even higher.

They tried..

[arrmeen · 7/10 · 19 September 2021]

I am not saying this is an awesome movie, but it isn't as bad as the low rating here.

I've actually seen movies which are boring and take more time to kick off with their story, but this starts off immediately. The cast is decent, atleast they're all good looking , act fine as per the script. The low part is story, it's weak, hence the movie falls flat.

Make up is excellent, full marks there. With a good budget and better story get the same cast, director and hope they make a better one.

Not THAT bad!

[evrw92 · 6/10 · 18 January 2014]

Let's be fair. This is your typical teen horror film: Cheesy Script Spirit Board Setting being a creepy morgue Atheist Kid Christian Kid Pagan/Witch Kid Said kids listening to music loudly in the car. Screachy Girls in trouble Man tearing a shirt off for the sake of it Steamy snogging scene Devil/Demon/Entity/Ghost scary possession Gore and blood (albeit not excessive but about the right amount for me, ending is a little strange though)

Having said all that, you know what to expect. For me it was no different to many other horror films you watch typical teens/twentysomethings being stupid and playing with things they don't understand. Worth a watch i'd say but watch it when there is nothing else that you would rather watch as it's not the best film in the world but not the worst either.

Decent enough but still with some problems

[kannibalcorpsegrinder · 7/10 · 26 August 2014]

Breaking into a morgue to film a student horror film, a group of friends accidentally summon a real demon who possesses one of the group and forces the others to try to drive it out in order to get away alive.

This here is overall quite problematic even with a few rather decent elements going for it. The one biggest issue plaguing this film is the fact that there's absolutely no reason for this one to descend into a bland rip-off in the final half-hour which does absolutely nothing here for the film beyond keep it it running beyond it's usefulness by dragging out cliché after cliché in order to fill this scene. Not only is this a storyline flaw due to the heavily and incredibly bland changes it makes here which are quite lame in forcing the story into that to begin with, but it also manages to keep itself going by utilizing those different clichés in order to save itself during those segments which are nowhere near that interesting. Forcing this into a marginal exorcism story is incredibly lame and stupid which really does ruin the final act here with this one resorting to those clichés without deviation or exception, as this comes complete with biblical-passage-quoting, holy water chucking, psychological torments and the utterly irritating feature of returning several times to try to finish the job when it starts getting too rough and causing them to bail on the whole experience. While those are somewhat problematic, the fact that this one does manage to include some fine features in a rather fun and exciting first half that really has a lot going for it. This is mostly the exploration of the morgue and its contents, which provide this with a perfectly chilling and dark setting upon which to really hang the different chilling moments throughout here which is quite fun and gets this going nicely. The séance sequence itself is well-done and delivers some solid jolts, some nifty and unexpected gore and sets up the entire impetus for the exorcism, giving it a lot of solid points to work off of. As well, while these scenes may be cliché and quite unappealing the actions present in the final half, from the tormenting and torturing to the stalking through the halls in here provide some pretty enjoyable and thrilling moments to help balance out the repetition of what's going on. Otherwise, this one is just overall decent.

Rated R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language, Brief Nudity and drug use.

Pretty Good

[RedQueenIMDB · 6/10 · 21 May 2023]

With the lame title, I wasn't expecting much but didn't know what else to watch. I was very nicely surprised by some unexpected originality & depth. Admittedly, it was mostly derivative, except for the end, which I thought was super cute & novel.

Overall, it was very high quality. Even though it triggered my hatred of Christian 'horror' movies, but it didn't go all the way there, earning my respect. You can't have a good exorcist story without some deep spirituality at your disposal. The writers got this.

I personally don't care for the modern horror trend of shocks in place of scares, but everything was well done in this film. Except the title.