The "last wish" is a good employment for the mystery despite the familiar story

One of the most important reasons for the success of horror cinema in this century is its return to the foundations on which it originated in the beginning of the 20th century.The tracer who follows the history of this cinema notes that all good films carry common elements, they serve as a genetic imprint, such as: ambiguity, the general atmosphere, tension and personalities.
Horror cinema is perhaps the most popular among people, and it is inevitably the magnet of the masses without the need for stars, and at the same time its success depends on simplicity, this is the secret of the equation.
The Final Wish, currently in UAE theaters, falls into a subcategory of psychological horror, although it contains elements of traditional or supernatural horror. The film did not bring anything new, not a film masterpiece, and did not turn the rules of terror upside down, but it employed the common elements in a sensible and psychologically charged story.
After failing a job interview and being evicted from his unpaid rental, Aaron (Michael Welch) returns to his hometown after receiving a call that tells him his father's death. Returning and facing family and friends are not easy under Aaron's indifference throughout his years of absence, especially his mother Kate (Lin Shi), who lost her feelings towards her son as a result of being away from the family until his father's death.
Aaron tries to make up for what has been lost, relieve the family's sense of deprivation, and as he collects his father's personal belongings, he finds an old jar. Later, he discovers that she is cursed and reaps the purpose of making good wishes at first, and then ill-fated to the person who leaves him. Does the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp seem familiar? Yes, this film is like Aladdin's story but in a terrifying serious mold.
The film was written by Jeffrey Reddick (author of Final Destination), and directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. (directed by Hickok). There is trust worthy of Woodward, who does not rely on moments of panic as horror movies do, but more on ambiguity and building an atmosphere of tension.
Woodward knows that the text in his hands is far from perfect, and knows that he deals with an old story dealt with horror films a lot, and this is what we mean by confidence, it nevertheless proceeds the film based on psychological excitement, using the themes of the mystery of death and the severity of separation on the individual and society, in a way that calls for Meditation.
Woodward also employs the mystery well, and comes out one surprise after another, backed by Welch and Dean of the Horror Cinema Shi, who has not missed these films since the mid-1980s.

The malicious soul
The relationship between mother and son is dysfunctional, with illusions and nightmares leading to despair. The demonic element does not look its ugly face until after the middle of the film and more in recent scenes, and interestingly, it is convincing. The icon of horror Tony Tod adds a dim dim, grabbing attention in the only scene in which he appears.
We can say that the old and familiar story, which we mentioned, was partly inspired by the classic 'The Exorcist' or 'Exorcist' 1973, or perhaps from the Arab cultural heritage (folklore), and although the mention of the malicious spirit in the film was clear, it is nice that the text does not Plunge into the explanation, but keep it to the lowest possible level.
Aaron and his mother were subjected to hallucinations as a result of the loss of his father, which creates mystery in the film. When Kate's behavior suddenly begins to change, we don't know precisely where the truth is and where the nightmares are? Is it what her hallucination sees, or is it the view of her son who has been distorted in his perception of things since the beginning of the film, because of the ambiguity of that jar. Is the demonic entity the cause of her nightmares or the loss of her husband?
Although there is some kind of romantic connection between Aaron and Lisa (Melissa Bologna), the nucleus of emotional attachment in the film is the relationship between the mother and her son. This is the most beautiful and complex aspect of the film, the most obvious, and the only aspect where Shi shines. Perhaps it is the first time that Xi has appeared worryingly, rather than her previous appearances in less complex roles, and lends a comedy to the horror atmosphere, as in the famous Insidious series.
Her elegant old clothes, and scene decor, give depth and color to her story, and help paint a depiction of her deceased husband. Aaron is a young man in an environment where he grew up and returned after a long absence, as if he were a fish taken out of the water.
Pablo Des' filming, lighting to serve the utmost horror, and references to other horror films, such as "Annabel" by placing a puppet at the edge of the screen, or depicting a statue of an evil entity, helped stir tension. It is a disadvantage to fully embody the entity on the screen at the end of the film, and it was not necessary. Mystery is the best factor to throw terror in the hearts, or simply show it in the form of a shadow or transparent imagination, as happened in the "exorcist."

Need patience
The film will not please horror enthusiasts, who have seen works of the Conjuring, Hereditary, or Insidious level, because it focuses more on psychological horror, possibly because it is independent production. But Woodward, despite the simplicity of the text and the possibilities, is very capable of his tools, which remains largely consistent despite all the flaws, most represented in the montage rather than writing, and in the unconvincing performance of some characters, as opposed to the great craftsmanship of Shi, Welch and Todd.
The film needs patience despite not exceeding 95 minutes, which is not scary enough, and is suitable for the viewer more than enthusiastic or auditor and follower of the history of horror cinema, and interested in the way of writing and making scenes more than who wants only a story and moments of panic .. Again we say: the film does not It contains a scary story because it depends on the psychological factor, and will not be on the lists of the best films of the genre, but it is not bad and coherent.