Tarot

Tarot, is a film that explores the supernatural thriller genre with a certain finesse, in which a group of young people are trapped by a deadly curse. The film begins during an idyllic stay at a remote house in the forests of upstate New York, where a group of students come across an ancient divinatory tarot deck. One of the students, an avid astrologer, uses the cards to read her friends' futures, unknowingly triggering a series of sinister events that will begin to unfold in alarming and violent ways once back in town.

This scenario fits into a well-known cinematic niche, often filled by films such as Jeff Wadlow's Truth or Dare, Adam Robitel's Escape Game (Scape Room), and other works where youth finds itself confronted by implacable supernatural forces. However, Tarot attempts to distinguish itself from its predecessors by fine-tuning its suspense mechanisms and avoiding overly obvious stereotypes that could alienate its target audience.

Tarot's protagonists are mainly young adults, reflecting the film's target audience. Unlike the usual archetypes of the genre - the bimbo, the intellectual, the jock, the talker - the film opts for characters who are a little more nuanced and less caricatured. This decision enriches the experience of the viewer, who, despite knowing the prophecies attributed to each, discovers with increasing tension how each destiny is tragically fulfilled.

The film's pace is particularly well managed. The 90-minute running time is optimized to maintain suspense without getting bogged down in lengthy explanations or unnecessary narrative detours. The revelation of the causes and details of the carnage is delivered with enough speed to keep the viewer engaged, but also with enough depth to satisfy curiosity without frustrating.

Tarot succeeds in establishing itself as a competent and occasionally original entry in an often predictable genre. It offers an entertaining experience that cleverly uses audience expectations and genre conventions to create effective tension and constant engagement. Despite certain limitations inherent to this type of production, the film demonstrates a definite ability to revitalize familiar themes with a certain brilliance and originality.

Tarot
Written and directed by Spenser Cohen, Anna Halberg
Based on Horrorscope by Nicholas Adams
Produced by Leslie Morgenstein, Scott Glassgold, Elysa Koplovitz Dutton
With Harriet Slater, Adain Bradley, Avantika Vandanapu, Wolfgang Novogratz, Humberly González, Larsen Thompson, Jacob Batalon
Cinematography : Elie Smolkin
Editing: Tom Elkins
Music: Joseph Bishara
Production companies: Screen Gems, Alloy Entertainment, Ground Control
Distributed by : Sony Pictures Releasing (USA), Sony Pictures Releasing (France)
Release date: May 3, 2024 (U.S.), May 1, 2024 (France)
Running time: 92 minutes

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