I don't know much about the background of this movie, but I know it was made on location by an actual family, probably with a budget of next to nothing. In spite of that, this movie is gorgeously lensed. The supernatural sequences have the twisty, extradimensional, mechanical cadaver feel of Tarsem or of a late 90s Marilyn Manson video, and the disorienting special effects are done with a sleight-of-hand (digital or practical, I'm not sure) that's seamless and very impressive. The non-supernatural sequences are likewise artfully crafted, with the camera often functioning as a ghostly voyeur. The setting is immersive, with richly contrasted color. There's a crisp, almost monochrome color palette of white snow against black night, with a touch of resonant blue and a splash of red thrown in for good measure. The cinematography here is not to be missed.
The acting is fine, and the characterization is well-developed. Toby Poser as the grieving mother is especially good, effectively conveying a realistically complex and moving portrait of someone's who's simultaneously certain of her pessimistic convictions yet desperately hopeful that she will be proven wrong. The film also subtly portrays her grappling with her own disillusionment and cynicism, regretting the ways in which she has turned her gifts into a selfish, hollow racket. A scene in which she communicates with a double of herself is perhaps the high point of the film.
Unfortunately, this theme is only vaguely fleshed out, given some additional background by a former protege who has the artistic misfortune of being portrayed by a stereotypical magical negro, all gleaming teeth and sinister laughter. The borderline offensive tropiness here is the only deliberate wrong step the film takes, but the story as a whole could have also been a little more "deeply" developed.
Overall, this a very solid, engaging horror film with stylistic flair that's all the more impressive given the tiny budget. The movie never overstays its welcome, and horror aficionados will find it well worth their time.
