The Other Side of the Door

Johannes Roberts, a savvy director who knows his way around the horror genre (F, Storage 24), adds another solid and respectable nail-biter to his increasingly impressive CV. Sarah Wayne Callies (from The Walking Dead) stars as the mum grieving over the tragic loss of her son in India where the family antiques business is based, and who performs a legendary dark rite to help herself find closure. But by breaking a vital ritual commandment, she unleashes the ancient spirit of the evil goddess Myrtu who wants vengeance. Aside from the creepy temple where the netherworld veil is thinnest and CGI-augmented Javier Botet ([Rec]) as the Kali-style deity, there's nothing of note to get too excited about. This efficient supernatural shocker is at its best when the bland dialogue is stripped away and the evocative eeriness of the Mumbai settings shines through. However, Jeremy Sisto (as the husband), excellent production values and the Pet Sematary vibe mean its shortcomings are fairly easy to overlook.