I assume this would be a wise practice, under the circumstances. “We just watched three friends die in front of us, but let’s discuss our relationship.” Trapped in a house with a possibly malevolent presence thinning out the numbers is neither the time nor the place for these issues. A shame, given that Ward’s dark predictions are whispered eerily to the others in a scene fondly reminiscent of Regan’s party-crashing in “The Exorcist.” The rapid deaths, though dull and contrived, are sheer cinematic brilliance compared to the inane inter-couple bickering we are subjected to in the midst of surrounding carnage. Though boasting a premise with potential, “Evil Inside” grows so deliriously far-fetched once Sarah foresees everyone’s demise in what I assume one would call a “psychic snuff montage,” it becomes laughable. Though Sarah wasn’t near the scene, everyone blames her, locking her in the attic and then turning on one another as paranoia runs amok. Soon thereafter, Lucy dies just as it had been described, in an accidental tumble down the stairs. Her premonition is chalked up to an inappropriate attempt at humor once she quickly learns that cool points are not awarded for giving a group the collective heebie jeebies. After a few brews and tame milquetoast laughs, the fun is brought to a cautious stop (not a screeching halt, a phrase that would oversell this) by a terrified Sarah’s vision of Lucy’s demise due to a broken neck. In an attempt to help her fit in with the local teens, seemingly kindhearted Lucy (Sage Howard) arrives on Sarah’s doorstep with a smattering of forgettable and obnoxious friends in tow. Or at least a refresher course in the Hippocratic Oath. The mental health wizard who considered this an appropriate first step after hospitalization should have his/her license revoked. Just released from a psychiatric facility where she spent an undisclosed stretch after attempting suicide in truly bizarre fashion, Sarah is staying in the family’s ominous and terribly lit home by herself. Her official credit for this film is under the name Lala Hensely, showing that neither the main star nor apparently the movie itself wanted to be associated with the production. Giving a surprisingly harrowing performance, Hannah Ward portrays disturbed lead Sarah. Also known as “Dead Inside,” (I am feeling each syllable of that title after watching it), “Evil Inside” misses every opportunity presented to be more than just another shoddy little thriller. It’s simply sad when the only aspect a movie has in its favor is the answer to the million dollar question, “Where are they going with this?” and fails to even deliver upon that sole titillation. This is a disappointment when a film with potential fails to see a good plan through. Horror flicks have a vast and sprawling history of completely screwing the pooch in the last act. However, I can say this in no uncertain terms and without hesitation: If the ending of “Evil Inside” was a dude, I would run him down with my dad’s car. Even forced to go so far as to use the actual title of the film I’m reviewing within the opening paragraph cannot save me from artistic impotence in this matter. It would prove an impossibility to even mention by names the countless other genre entries that have utilized this sad attempt at pulling a proverbial rabbit out of the hat without giving it away. I cannot bring myself to type one word describing in detail what bothers me most about “ The Evil Inside” without spoiling the final twist. As her house guests begin to turn murderously against each other, Sarah must determine whether her visions represent the preventable or the inevitable… or something entirely more sinister Sarah, a mentally-disturbed teen, has a jarring premonition of her friends’ impending deaths one night at a sleepover.
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