How many of us first came to horror movies through middle school sleepovers? We've probably all been there: you're 12-14, a bunch of your best friends are crammed into somebody's basement surrounded by sleeping bags and junk food, and you've finished the first movie of the evening (probably a dumb comedy, more than likely involving a Wilson brother). You all know what's next: something spooky. For me it was The Ring. For you it might have been Scream, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th Part XXI, Jeepers Creepers, Nightmare on Elm Street, whatever. Something light and spooky in which a series of dumb teenagers get picked off one by one by creepy monsters. Not highbrow horror but good hair-raising fun.
That's what Tarot brought to mind for me. The cast is fun, the creature design is GREAT, and the individual kills are creative and wicked. What else do you need from a PG13 Summer Horror flick? Not every horror movie needs to be an Ari Aster-style untangling of childhood grief or a metaphor for a dead family pet. This movie knows what it is, where it comes from (it's pretty overtly a Final Destination tribute in a charming and fun way) and has fun with itself. I had fun. What else do you want?
That's what Tarot brought to mind for me. The cast is fun, the creature design is GREAT, and the individual kills are creative and wicked. What else do you need from a PG13 Summer Horror flick? Not every horror movie needs to be an Ari Aster-style untangling of childhood grief or a metaphor for a dead family pet. This movie knows what it is, where it comes from (it's pretty overtly a Final Destination tribute in a charming and fun way) and has fun with itself. I had fun. What else do you want?