The Incarnation Review

3 star uninspiring and occasionally tedious horror film.

The Incarnation is a 2022 American horror film, joining the long list of horror films created during lockdown and featuring a handful of actors and only one location.

It is written by Tyler Clair Smith and Isaac Walsh, who also makes his directorial debut.

“I got all the money and, everything else, but he was into some strange things.”

Brad (Taye Diggs – Days of Wrath, River Runs Red) and his wife Jessica (Jessica Uberuaga – The Fanatic, Mind Blown) are overjoyed to have managed to find a beautiful house just outside L.A. within their budget.

Fully furnished, they are renting their new home from Peter (Michael Madsen – Reservoir Dogs, The Hateful Eight), a strange but amiable seeming chap who inherited the property from his father.

The first night there they begin to notice strange goings on, doors opening or refusing to open, banging noises and things which go bump in the night. The next day, Jessica finds a box of strange artifacts in the spare room, containing gold coins which turn out to be extremely valuable.

They ask Peter, who just says that they belonged to his father and he doesn’t want them. In the process of opening a business, they could certainly use the money. At the same time Brad discovers a book from the same box and reads an incantation from it. What could possibly go wrong? It’s almost as if there is  demon in the house.

Their fortunes soon begin to change for the better, but nothing comes without a cost and their greed will soon lead them down a very dark path.

The Incantation is a good idea for a film, but it falls short of the mark on a number of levels. Despite starring renowned actors, the enthusiasm for the roles just doesn’t seem to be there and the performances feel very stiff and flat.

The script doesn’t help either, it’s quite stilted. The star of the piece is really the house, it’s a very unusual shape, almost like a dome and showcased by endless fly throughs of the rooms. Unfortunately this estate agent show reel detracts from any tension that might have been generated.

The storyline is also a little vague and confusing. It’s not a bad watch, but it’s probably not destined to be a classic. There’s plenty of gore if you’re prepared to wait for it.

“You’d better go for the throat. If I survive, you’re going to be having to look over your shoulder.”

The Incantation is available on Digital Platforms now and on DVD from 21st March 2022.