I mined the joke depths of using a board game as the inspiration for a horror movie back when the original Ouija came out [“Spirit Bored,” Film, Oct 22, 2014], but fortunately, it’s a rich tapestry. With the sequel, Ouija: Origin of Evil, the stage is now set for a veritable bonanza of BOARD GAME HORROR FILMS. This followup loosely plays off the original—people use ouija board, then die—but sets the action in Los Angeles 1967, so just think of the mid-century possibilities! Tiddlywinks (“You’ll tiddlywink your pants with fright!). Parcheesi (“The confusion of how to play will befuddle and terrify!). Or Mystery Date (“Like most mystery dates, there’s a high likelihood you’re in danger!”). This mine is deep.
While 2014’s Ouija was a forgettable foray that built its flimsy house of spirits on jump scares and teenagers’ casual dropping of such Victorian terms as “planchette,”Origin of Evil is a smarter bit of demonic possession.