New indie spook-fest The Last Possession, a first-time feature for the writer and director, is a haunted house flick complete with a sci-fi twist. It handles the slow build of tension, and the requisite jump-scares, well enough. But the final showdown with the forces of darkness is disappointing and rushed, as the filmmakers feel obligated to ‘go big’ and abandon the tight domestic focus.
When the Peroni family lose their home to foreclosure, father Kent has no option but to move his partner and two young children into the house he’s inherited following his father’s suicide. His wife Stephanie works hard to settle nine-year-old Jack and six-year-old Gabby. But Kent becomes alarmed when Gabby reports the presence in the home of his estranged (and very dead) Dad. When the whole family begin to experience the malevolent threat stalking them, the Peroni’s realise it’s time to call in professional help and confront their unwelcome house guest. The film is at its strongest in this scene-setting work, depicting the growing strains within the family unit.
Anyone making a movie based on one of the most familiar motifs in screen scares should aspire to one of two goals: to do it really well, or to do it differently. The Last Possession falls short on both of these ambitions. Any filmmakers declaring that their story is a ‘last’ experience should be confident that something about their cinematic statement is conclusive. And while this is competently made, it’s essentially derivative. Amidst the endless clamour of possession movies, this latest arrival will be far from the last word in homebound horror.
THE LAST POSSESSION from Terror Films is available on streaming platforms from March 11th
