Tarot: What Do the Cards Hold for You?
Released in 2024, Tarot was co-directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg. The film wants desperately to be a modern-day horror film and to add its villain to the Slasher Hall of Fame. What it delivers, unfortunately, is a cliché ridden, unscary mess. The film follows 7 college students (Harriett Slater as Haley, Adain Bradley as Grant, Jacob Batalon as Paxton, Avantika as Paige, Humberly Gonzàlez as Madeline, Wolfgang Novogratz as Lucas, and Larsen Thompson as Elise) who, during a birthday getaway, find a mysterious tarot deck. Their horoscopes are read, but they start to die, one by one, in accordance with the horoscopes.
The first problem with the film is the number of main characters. When their horoscopes are read, they're done one after the other with little time to remember whose horoscope is whose. The film does take some pity on us and has a demonic voice reminding the audience as the killings proceed. Furthermore, each of the characters is a blank slate, typical college students with no personality other than to exist and die in the confines of the film. The reason I bring this up is that, occasionally, certain characters (George Bailey in a leading example, Hannibal Lecter in a smaller, supporting role) come along, leave an impression, and feel like real people. The only one that's given any sort of story Haley, who was unable to process her mother's death years prior, leading to her interest in tarot.
The second problem, and probably my biggest critique of the film, is the rating, sitting at PG-13. The film gives the impression that the writers or directors wanted to have the film be rated R; I submit Lucas's death by speeding train, practically annihilating him in the process, as evidence of this wish. However, upon submission to the studio, the folks with the money read the script and said, "No, this is far too much. An R rating limits how many people can see this. Trim it down to PG-13." I'm not 100% sure an R rating would've improved or even fixed this film, but I'm sure it would do more good than harm.
In terms of the cliché elements, the film follows a formula that's been seen in countless movies before. Partying teenagers: check. Remote cabin: check. Find a clearly evil and foreboding thing in an equally clearly evil and foreboding basement: check. Throw caution to the wind and proceed to interact with the clearly evil and foreboding thing: check. You see what I'm getting at?
The only positive thing I can give the film is the character of Alma (Olwen Fouéré), an expert in tarot and its history. Fouéré has a voice that's intriguing and enjoyable to listen to. The Alma character is, by far, the most interesting, with a backstory of an interest in tarot and the deck the teenage group has found. I would much rather watch a film that explores more of her backstory than what we received.
Tarot is a one and done for me that will probably be forgotten by next week, if not by the time I finish writing this review. It's a run-of-the-mill, boring film that shows all the bad that horror movies have to offer. I've read through the deck, and I don’t see me returning to this film in the future.
Cast
Harriett Slater as Haley
Adain Bradley as Grant
Jacob Batalon as Paxton
Avantika as Paige
Humberly Gonzàlez as Madeline
Wolfgang Novogratz as Lucas
Larsen Thompson as Elise
Olwen Fouéré as Alma
