The hype train around this movie was pretty big considering the tiny budget ($4.5m) and lack of star power in front of the camera, with the trailers promising a new take on horror from the first time Aussie directors.

What was delivered however, was a lacklustre, by the numbers tale of yet another group of instantly hateable teens making contact with the other side and unable to close the door, leading to various scares and thrills as they escape peril (or not)

This movie hits every checkbox along the way without adding anything new or exciting to an already bloated genre. The hand simply replaces the standard conduit (Ouija board, mirror, book etc) for spiritual activity. Even the scares themselves are poorly conceived and lacking tension and gore. (Apart from one scene with Riley)

The characters are nothing more than shallow cutouts, made even harder to feel empathy with given how spiteful and truly annoying they all are. Only Miranda Otto (Mum) and. Joe Bird (Riley) rise above with solid performances from what little material they were given.

When it becomes apparent that this is yet another rehash of well trodden horror territory, it then becomes all too predictable and this is where the directors lose face. They add nothing to justify the hype around them. No flourish or signs that they can handle even the most basic of movie templates with creativity or provide a new "vision" on something that most of us have already seen before.

Where I will give the film some credit is on its sound design and mixing which was really solid.

There are hints of a better, more interesting story scattered throughout that are never built upon. Themes of suicide, expression of grief, technology and the family unit are touched on but unexplored, leaving the viewer with an unsatisified conclusion come the finale.

A finale which is indeed the most interesting and engaging part of the film, sadly only lasts 90 seconds and serves as a reminder of an opporrtunity missed.

4.5/10.