Well done. . .and then the ending. . .

During this movie, I kept thinking how much I couldn't wait to re-watch it with other friends and family. And then the last five minutes erased all that. . .Below you will find some spoilers, simply because I need to discuss them in order to explain the pros and cons of this film.

Premise: Molly is dealing with severe PTSD after he mother tries to kill her. Though her mother is now locked away, she continues to haunt Molly, and the reasons she tries to kill her eventually prove shocking.

Writing Quality/Character Development: This is a psychological thriller that deals with a teen's (Molly Hartley) severe PTSD after her mother attempts to kill her. She has headaches, terrifying flashbacks of her mom stabbing her, and hears voices, but mostly she is just a teen trying to find her way at a new school. The movie treats the trauma realistically, aside from the obvious supernatural moments, while also reporting on the Bible and its truths through one of Molly's classmates, a Christian who shares salvation with her and encourages her to seek it without being preachy or pushy. The strange flashbacks and sightings of her mother build to a crescendo toward the end when everything Molly thought she knew about her mother changes. In the final moments of the film, we learn that Molly's parents made a pact with a woman (who turns out to be Molly's trusted counselor) after Molly was stillborn: the woman promises them their baby, but when she turns 18, she will become Satan's. Hence, why Molly's mother tries to kill her--it is to save her (a faulty message, indeed.) No one can choose your salvation, or your condemnation, for you.

Values: The promise of God's Word. Unfortunately, it is eventually shown to be indefensible in the face of Satan.

Content (sex, language & violence): No sex, some language, the violence shown is repetitive (stabbing scissors).

Scare factor/Suspense: There was one scene, in particular, that frightened me, when an eerie face pops into the screen. The images of her mom are scary, similar to Carrie's mom (Carrie).

So, the movie pushes the idea of saving grace, but in the end, it abandons it for the "Word of Satan" by throwing a "Rosemary's Baby" ending at us. All of the characters buy into the lie that Satan wins, even the Christian; she tries to kill Molly too, to save her before she hits 18.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love:--Romans 8:38

#TheHauntingofMollyHartley