A GOOD horror movie is like a roller coaster. There is the set- up in the form of an eye-catching theme, the anticipation in the form of the climb, and the payoff in the form of the drop.
An excellent horror movie like The Possession of Hannah Grace has all three elements in spades, but it also has great pacing, a believable plot, and a generous helping of thrills and mystery.
The movie begins with a priest performing an exorcism on the titular character, Hannah Grace (Kirby Johnson), which does not end well for everyone involved.
Flash forward three months, and we meet Megan Reed, a former cop who is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Reed is played by Pretty Little Liars star Mitchell, who looks very much like another TV beauty, MacGyver’s Tristin Mays.
In her efforts to put the pieces of her life back together, Reed, with the help of her rehabilitation sponsor, gets a job at the Boston Metropolitan Hospital.
All is well, until one night when the burnt, mangled, and mutilated cadaver of what is thought to be a crime victim is sent to the hospital. It turns out to be the body of Hannah Grace.
The set-up for the movie was masterfully done. The rules of this movie world are presented to the audience in the form of a doctor explaining and showing Reed what is expected of her at her job.
She is taught how to receive a body, how to process it, how the lights in the hall are motion-activated, and how most access doors require her to have a key card.
An experienced moviegoer can anticipate how each rule is going to be used to create tension later, but it is done as a natural part of the story.
Because Reed is made out to be a former cop with issues, her decision to investigate the case of Hannah Grace, her self-doubts, and her courage to face certain situations feels natural and appropriate.
It also helps that she avoids one of the worst tropes in horror movies: bad decisions.
I thoroughly enjoyed the movie with its small cast of characters, limited locations, and a focused storyline.
It does lack surprises; however, it did everything else so well, and I cannot fault it for that.
If you are looking to treat yourself to an excellent mystery thriller, I highly recommend The Possession of Hannah Grace.
