Since our species first developed language, sharing ghost stories around a campfire was established as one of the most universal human experiences. Though different cultures have their own particular flavors of phantasmagorical frights, many of these stories still seem to share repeating patterns throughout different retellings. Bloody Mary, for instance, is incredibly popular in the US, but has several worldwide equivalents like the Bathroom Blonde in Brazil and the Queen of Spades in Russia. This last example has actually been the focus of several film adaptations in the past, but filmmaker Aleksandr Domogarov attempts to breathe new life into the tale with his latest production: Queen of Spades: The Looking Glass.
Queen of Spades stars Angelina Strechina and Daniil Izotov as Olya and Artyom, estranged half-siblings forced to live together in a boarding school after a tragic car accident ends with their mothers’ death. As they make friends and begin a new life at the gloomy institution, which was once an old mansion, the siblings and fellow students become involved in a ritual to summon the wish-fulfilling spirit of the mansion’s original owner. Unfortunately, these wishes come at a deadly cost, and the group soon becomes haunted by the dreadful Queen of Spades.
Though the story might not sound all that original, you have to remember that this is an adaption of a popular urban legend with roots in ancient ghost stories, so it’s natural that some elements would end up feeling familiar. That being said, the end product here feels like a bland retelling of the same tired tropes that have been plaguing supernatural horror movies for decades, now, and there’s really no excusing that.
Don’t get me wrong, Queen of Spades is definitely not a bad movie. It actually boasts a lot of atmosphere and some genuinely creepy locations, not to mention a fun cast (though the script doesn’t give them enough to do) and more than a few competent scares. The problem is that the film doesn’t strive to be anything more than a Russian-themed retelling of other popular horror movies and doesn’t quite develop its own unique identity.
With the exception of the main siblings, the script has a severe case of cookie-cutter characters, and even the main antagonist isn’t developed all that well. The Countess’ overall design feels a bit too bland, looking like a generic old-timey ghost, though I guess this is appropriate enough according to the legends.
Like I mentioned earlier, however, there are several attempts at memorable scares, which is commendable even if they don’t always land. Some of the ways that the Countess turns her victims’ wishes on their heads are actually quite creative, though I don’t think the movie goes far enough with the whole Monkey’s Paw scenarios.
In all honesty, I actually had a good time with Queen of Spades: The Looking Glass, especially towards the end. The film might be unremarkable, but it’s far from an ostensibly bad experience. I think it might be easier to appreciate the film if you’re already familiar with the original Russian legends, but I guess they could have done a better job of setting up the rules and mythology behind the Countess. In any case, I wouldn’t mind re-watching this one on a late-night Russian horror binge, so it might be worth a shot if you’re interested in Slavic folklore.
Queen of Spades: The Looking Glass premiered at the Popcorn Frights Film Festival!
