Suparna Chakravarty

#FilmReviewBy Suparna Chakravarty Film: #Hexing Genre: #Thriller #Drama Director: Christophe Lenoir Releasing: 30th October 2019 Company: Picture Perfect Producers: Vivek Singhania Manju Gautam Kathy Horgan Writers: Vikram Gupta & Vivek Singhania Cast: Dominique Swain Jan Graveson Emma Eliza Regan Ketan Anand Camille Solal Zoe Corraface Conor Marren Zeb Moore Shane Robinson Alicia Mairead Gerrard Gwen Pauls Elaine Kenned Claire Blennerhassett Adam Weaver Cinematographer: Stephen C Walsh Editor: Christophe Lenoir Sound Designer: Eric Navarro Laurent Rodier Background score: Frederic Bry Production Designer: Girts Balodis Sachin Roy Costume Designer: Sine McEllin Neerja Rampal Makeup: Ligita Aleknaviciute Natalia Gradska Quite a different feel to the genre. Possibly for the last-time, ‘Notre Dame’ could be shot as part of any cinema, making the opening shot memorable. Noteworthy filmmaking in low-budget from the visionary producers. Stars: 4 out of 5 Premise: : “Something has caused Hannah’s mom die the unnatural death that Hannah had witnessed as a child. Hannah returns home to her estranged Father to piece together the circumstances of her Mother's death. In the process, she discovers an ancient Indian Yantra board from a local antique dealer that leads to a series of strange, uncalled-for incidents. Hannah & her friends uncover a deadly curse from the past. A curse that has engulfed not only her’s but even her friends’ lives.” Coming from a French Director, ‘Hexing’ does complete justice to the tone & colour with low-key lighting and noir all through. Lenoir showcased the human emotions & what goes on in the minds, flawlessly. A smooth transition of thoughts and events have been portrayed well through the edits. The nuances of every relationship is established by the actors’ toned down & poised expressions. The first half established the subtle undercurrents of the plot. Dominique Swain, as always, has been good, however, she was under utilised. Set at a leisurely pace, the first 30 minutes give a smooth build-up to the plot without any forced horror to claim the genre. Navarro & Rodier have done a commendable job of creating the tension through sound design despite a calm visual. Walsh has made each frame look like pages from the classic French coffee table books, making it a treat to the eyes. This is a strong plot & subject, portrayed in a simple narrative. However, the connection between the Yantra board and Hannah, that made her reaction to it different from her friends, could have been more spelled out. Why didn’t she respond to it the way her friends did ? Also, the character sketch of Horace Granger, the antagonist (played by Ketan Anand), and his motives could have been more elaborated. The horror quotient is average. Impact is good. Screenplay is interesting. Though it’s quite engaging for the audience, the story could have been more connected with the scope of this subject. This is not a horror film where we just sit detached & watch & jump at any horrifying visual. In ‘Hexing’ the characters look like people next door and make us relate to them stronger. It’s realistic in treatment that makes us think about the story. My rating could be 3.5 out of 5, had it not been for the Producers who did a praiseworthy job of making this film in such low budget. My extra .5 rating goes to them for a vision that has optimised the production value without compromising on the narratives & content. #NotreDame #ReviewBySuparnaChakravarty #ReelzBuzz #Hexing #DominiqueSwain