Review: Despite Some Gloss, 'Amulet' Doesn't Hang Together

An Imelda Staunton horror movie, you say? What more could we ask for? Well, perhaps something understandable, scary, and without camp.

Director Romola Garai's feature debut, "Amulet," mixes a few different horror genres into a mismatch storyline that neither gels nor feels all that original. Some of the imagery is compelling and fresh, but the twist is obvious and nothing comes together in a profound or terrifying way.

Tomas (Alec Secareanu) is a soldier suffering PTSD (or so we think, as, surprise, there's more to his story) living on the streets and in dire need of help. Enter a nun, played by Staunton, who finds Tomas literally on the street and takes him to a crumbling home in the country. There, he meets Magda (Carla Juri) who cares for her sickly mother – a woman kept like a prisoner in the attic.

Staunton's nun tells Tomas he can stay in the house for free as long as he helps fix the myriad of things wrong with the home. But, of course, he must stay away from the attic. (Cue eye-roll.)

Once she leaves, the reserved Magda and confused Tomas have to find a way to get along and avoid talking about sick mommy. Eventually, the truth about what's going on upstairs begins to seep out, and all sorts of weird events and body horror starts to surface.

All the while, we get flashbacks to Tomas' post-soldier life and what might be really causing his psychological problems.

The film dances between being a psychological horror like "The VVitch" and grand guignol like the Italian directors of the '70s, neither coming together in any satisfying way. The characters are hard to care about, and the explanation for what is really going on is silly and sort of far-reaching.

There are some cool cinematic moments in there, but "Amulet" doesn't come together like a horror film should. It tries its hands at many genre tricks, but ultimately doesn't amount to much you can hang around your neck.