THE SUMMONING ** U.S.A. 2014 Dir: Curtis Schultz 88 mins
A group of high school friends get together and head out to the woods to go to what is known as simply the barn party. On their way to the party their car breaks down and they must walk the rest of the way. As they walk through the woods they are hunted down one by one by a satanic group until one will become the final sacrifice.
THE SUMMONING has the format you would recognise from countless movies and also tries to fit in as many horror cliches as possible, car broke down, no phone coverage etc. Thankfully comic relief is found in the character of Drew (played by Flavio Milicchio) who is definitely socially awkward but has the best lines in the whole film. Possibly the only actor you would recognise in the film is Jordan Wall (who was in the t.v. series THE GLADES) playing a throwaway role as the wet blanket boyfriend Cam. Director Curtis Schultz has previously worked on horror films in the visual effects department, notably on THE POSSESSION OF MICHAEL KING. When you consider THE SUMMONING is his second directorial gig you can relax a little but not much as the film does have its faults. Ultimately this film will get lost in the shuffle of direct to DVD films due to it doing nothing new with the satanic ritual format.
Review by Peter ‘Witchfinder‘ Hopkins