Straight to the chase, in the fashion of 1980s and late '90s slasher films, "Tarot" focuses on a group of college students violates the sacred rule of Tarot readings, they unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the cursed cards. One by one, they come face to face with fate and end up in a race against time to change it.

If you get a strong sense of déjà vu watching "Tarot," that's because it takes the basic premise from movies like: “truth or dare” “chose or die” “Final Destination,” etc...

This is the type of flick I watch on hulu or in this case Netflix while I'm in bed and halfway paying attention.  

It's like a half-decent cocktail party - it's got some flair, a dash of drama, and characters you don't mind spending a couple of hours with-- despite the fact, they had little personality to speak of and were just waiting to be killed. The plot's like an olive in a martini - not thrilling, but it adds some flavor.  The acting and dialogue are average, kind of like a conversation with a not-too-distant acquaintance. Emotional depth? It's there, but it's like background music - you notice it, barely. The conflict, though, that's where it gets a bit more interesting, like a poker game that's fun to watch.

I luv the backstory... the owner of the tarot cards... I like the creepy old lady that was going to destroy tarot cards also.  In my favorite tarot card was the magician.

Then again, had a lot of things in it that made me go "nobody would do that unless they were stupid."

They all were. Told not to run? Runs. Hiding from a killer? Hides in a literal box. Need to stick together?

Oh yeah... WHERE ARE THE PEOPLE?! Nobody in the subway system… nobody on the college campus… nobody in the dorm… nobody on the bridge driving… must have saved a whole bunch of money on not hiring extras the film.

Unfortunately it's a bit of a neutered affair, what with the PG-13 rating and fairly rote storytelling mechanics. It's truly mind-boggling that a premise for a horror movie like this is almost writing itself with the different cards and possibilities around that, but dropped the ball.  

While certainly not showing up on anybody's Oscar picks, it's a film that's like a weekend getaway - enjoyable enough, but not a life-changer. Methinks sometimes we expect too much from horror movies. Tarot is like eating fast food for dinner, yea it's not healthy, but it tastes  good and it's quick and easy.

If you subvert your expectations that Tarot will blow your mind, you'll be fine. -A

Nice review as always, Andrea. Love the artful comparisons.  
I'd watch it. I'm a sucker for most horror. I only draw the line at torture porn.

I fell very differently about this film. It was just so damn bland and generic. Felt like it came off a bad movie assembly line. The script seemed like it was written by AI. And the stupid characters insulted my intelligence. Shit happened just so the movie could continue. This one gets a HARD pass from me. Far better horror films have been released this year and are more worthy of your time.

Just my opinion, of course.