“Tarot” wasn’t a film that I particularly held out much hope for. Running at 1 hour and 32 minutes—and with a relatively unknown cast (at least, to me)—I didn’t expect to be blown away. However, being a horror fan, it was one that had to be ticked off the list.
In an unexpected turn of events, however, barely had the title sequence finished and I was, without a doubt, utterly invested. What wasn’t there to like? A strong opening soundtrack? Check. Creepy, slightly nostalgic, ’90s style, spooky setting? Check. Cute cast, plenty of teen angst, coupled with a light dusting of humour? Check. The opening scenes swiftly catapulted me back to some of my greatest movie moments, from classic ’90s slashers such as “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” to more recent favourites like “Stranger Things” and “Fear Street.” As far as I was concerned, I was strapped in and ready to go.
’90s Slasher Style Horror
And I can report, I was pleasantly surprised. “Tarot” was an exciting ride. It managed to accomplish, in its short run-time, what many films cannot: a sense of tension and gory, slasher style kills. It also coupled this with an impressive ability to not take itself too seriously. I can only describe it as a cross between two of my favourite horror franchises: “The Woman in Black,” and the “Final Destination” series.
The film revolves around a group of friends who rent a house for a birthday celebration. Towards the end of the night, whilst exploring the house, they come across some old, chilling tarot cards. Despite warning that one should never read from a set of tarot cards that belong to someone else, (a warning, might I add, that should always be adhered to), Haley (Harriet Slater) undertakes readings for each member of the group. Shortly after this, (*spoilers*) the audience is teased with a quick flashback of a dark, threatening presence that has been unleashed as a direct consequence of the tarot readings. This undoubtedly implies that danger is coming for each of the group members.
And that it certainly does. Each character soon meets their grisly end (*spoilers*), in gruesome ways that reflect their tarot readings. The deaths are satisfyingly gory. It invites the audience to the sense of dread each character feels in waiting for death to find them. It’s in a style similar to “Final Destination,” as mentioned above. Each death is surprisingly well crafted, and what I enjoyed most about “Tarot” was the way that it holds back. It never reveals too much of the main demonic presence, and frequently taunts viewers with quick, eery glimpses of a dark figure, reminiscent of the veiled figure in “The Woman in Black.” It’s fun, thrilling, and keeps you on your toes from start to finish. I’m not too proud to admit that even I was watching some scenes with the lights on.
A Film that Doesn’t Take Itself Too Seriously
Perhaps the strongest quality of the film is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. There are plenty of wisecracks that gently mock the horror genre itself, owed mainly to the wonderfully endearing character, Paxton (Jacob Batalon who also stars in “Spiderman: Homecoming”) who, in my opinion, is the real star of this show.
One cannot deny that “Tarot” and its characters are underdeveloped, and the plot is anything but complex or mystifying. But its satirical puns—whilst delivering a little light relief—continually remind viewers that the film does not claim to be anything but a fun, easy watch. It’s a film, I would argue, that gives viewers a satisfyingly tense, albeit gentle, slasher style horror experience.
“Tarot” is available to watch on most streaming services.
