MY CALL: Just okay. Not regrettable, but nothing I’m recommending either. Effects and gore are just too infrequent for me. MORE MOVIES LIKE The Power: For a much better horror experience with a Mexican doll, I’d recommend Dolly Dearest (1991).
Seeking to control the power of an Aztec demon called Destacatyl through an ancient relic, a wealthy academic travels to Mexico and murders the caretakers of the possessed statuette. This small relic finds its way into the hands of a student who gathers with his friends to contact a spirit using a Ouija board. An indigenous doll relic and a Ouija board, people? Too bad Witchboard (1986) wasn’t released yet to warn you. But has Trilogy of Terror (1975) taught you nothing!?!?!
After their weird Ouija experience, the students approach reporter Sandy (Suzy Stokey; Deep Space, The Tomb). One student seems to have been influenced by ‘the power’ of the relic and, yeah, now he’s basically evil. There’s really not much to this plot.
The head-squash death scene was not gory, but I respected and enjoyed the set up. And the early professor flagpole impalement death wasn’t bad either. Other than that, and a bunch of ho-hum Poltergeist-y shenanigans, essentially nothing happens in the first fifty-five minutes. The writing and acting are good enough, and the story is engaging. But just not enough is happening. At least, not until the demon in the doll possesses someone, who then takes on some snarling demonic latex aspects and bloodily mutilates himself a bit.
The film is well made for an 80s horror movie. However, the horror that is offered is too infrequent and never feels like enough when it’s happening. By far, the most (or only) satisfying horror scene is when the bad guy is defeated, with bloody lacerations all over his mutilated body. Still, even that scene is not good enough to justify that this movie is worth recommending—I warning I issue since I, myself, will often watch a movie on the basis of one awesome screen grab. The final scenes are cheeky, cheesy and fun. But still not worth it overall. There’s just too much “nothing” happening for too much of this movie.
Co-directors Stephen Carpenter and Jeffrey Obrow (who both did The Kindred and The Dorm that Dripped Blood) have done better. Not sure how this movie ended up so phoned-in and hollow.