‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ possesses more frights and feels

A general rule of thumb about horror-movie sequels: They rarely improve on the original. That’s what makes “Ouija: Origin of Evil” such a surprise. It’s better in every department than 2014’s “Ouija.” In other words, think of it as “The Godfather: Part II” of fright flicks.

Technically, the new film is actually a prequel, set in 1967. That’s the first thing director and co-writer Mike Flanagan (“Oculus”) gets right. The atmospheric movie carefully reconstructs the period, down to vintage board-game boxes and the smoke that wafts through the air at an intimate restaurant. You expect this kind of precise attention to detail from an episode of “Mad Men,” not a low-budget horror flick.

Speaking of “Mad Men,” Elizabeth Reaser, so good as one of Don Draper’s obsessions in the show’s final season, injects a wistful soulfulness into her role as Alice, a widowed mom with two daughters. Lina (Annalise Basso) is going through some mild teenage rebellion while Doris (Lulu Wilson) is a typical 9-year-old, though her father’s death has left her raw and vulnerable. She has trouble making friends and is often teased by schoolmates.

Alice, with help from the girls, makes her living as a medium, conducting seances to help survivors communicate with their relatives. It’s all a scam, but Alice believes she’s doing a service by giving hope to those who are grieving. She also longs for some of that hope – a nice, layered touch that gives the character more depth than you’d expect.

She decides to add a Ouija board to the routine, and even figures out a way to move the planchette with hidden magnets. Doris wants to use the board to communicate with her father, and at first she appears to succeed. It seems innocent enough, with the girl delivering pleasant messages from the beyond. But how do you explain the fact that she can suddenly write using cursive letters, or the numerous pages she’s written in Polish?

That, of course, leads to a priest in the form of Father Tom (Henry Thomas), principal at the girls’ school. A widower who turned to the church after his wife died, he and Alice form an emotional connection over their loneliness; again, another nice, adult emotion that adds unexpected poignancy and dimension to the characters.

Still, by the time the priest arrives, things are already reaching Linda Blair territory. Alice’s eyes turn milky white and she discusses in great detail how it feels to be strangled to death. And, of course, her body is suddenly way more bendable than it used to be.

If anything, the movie’s third act is the only thing that feels a bit a disappointing. The plot is carefully constructed, the performances are rich (both girls are excellent), the characters are believable and a sense of dread grows throughout. Heck, the movie is even great to look at, with its period sheen and slightly muted colors.

It’s such a terrific build-up that by the time we get an explanation for what’s going on and full-blown possession sequences, a certain familiarity creeps in. It’s not entirely the filmmaker’s fault; after all, how many times can you see a demon-possessed child do a spider walk and still be creeped out?

Well, OK, that’s still creepy. Still, it just feels like the characters deserve something as fresh and original as the rest of the film. On the other hand, the finale has the kind of jump scares and action that modern audiences crave. Plus, the final scene is the stuff from which nightmares are made.

Randy Cordova, USA TODAY Network

★★★1⁄2

Universal Pictures presents a film directed by Mike Flanagan and written by Flanagan and Jeff Howard. Rated PG-13 (for disturbing images, terror and thematic elements). Running time: 99 minutes. Opens Friday at local theaters.