Review: The Djinn

The Djinn is a terrifying modern-day parable that explores the old adage to “be careful what you wish for”.  Written and directed by David Charbonier and Justin Powell, The Djinn takes the audience on a truly harrowing game of cat and mouse between a mute 12-year-old boy (an amazing Ezra Dewey) and the titular Djinn he summoned.

The Djinn has a tight 82-minute runtime, so the scares start early and escalate until the shocking ending. The set up and premise are brief and straightforward.  Mute, 12-year-old Dylan, is dealing with the recent tragedy of losing his mother in an event for which he feels partially responsible.  Flash forward a few weeks to Dylan and his Dad’s (Rob Brownstein) first night in their new apartment.  Despite not being able to speak, Dylan communicates via sign language and written notes/drawings. He seems like a genuinely bright kid. Dylan and his father share little screen time together, but the actors do a wonderful job of conveying a true sense of love and chemistry.

However, Dad works as an overnight radio DJ and must leave Dylan alone for the night. He ominously reads Dylan an excerpt from Pinocchio that concludes with “what’s done cannot be undone” as a bedtime story (so comforting!), reminds him to take a shower before bed, then remarks that he will be home before Dylan wakes up.

The thought of leaving a 12-year-old alone overnight is questionable, but it is worth noting that The Djinn is set in 1989. I was 13 in 1989 (ouch) and can vouch for the fact that kids were generally less supervised back then. The 80’s setting also helps the film’s plot seem more realistic by Dylan not having modern tech to assist him in battling the Djinn.  Finally, the spooky-cool 80’s synth soundtrack helps greatly with building tension throughout.

After Dad leaves, Dylan explores his new closet and discovers some interesting items left by the apartment’s previous tenant, who died on the premises. A creepy old mirror, black candlesticks, a disconcerting portrait, and an evil-looking whispering book. Naturally, instead of being scared and leaving his closet as fast as possible, Dylan reads the book (never read the evil book!!) and performs a “Wish of Desire” ritual. 

The ritual proves successful, and from there The Djinn turns into a claustrophobic and disturbing predator versus prey story of Dylan trying to survive the night. A Djinn is an earlier term for a genie, and can be good, evil, or somewhere in between. Unfortunately, the Djinn Dylan summons is very much in the evil category.  Also, Djinns can take on human form, which proves especially traumatic for Dylan towards the film’s climax.

The Djinn is an indie film that takes place over one night. In a small setting. With very little dialogue. The performances, cinematography, and monster all must be near-perfect to make an engaging movie.  They are.  Ezra Dewey is phenomenal as Dylan.  His facial expressions and body language convincingly convey true terror, despair, strength, hope, and more. The cinematography puts us right there with him. The audience is up close with Dylan throughout the film, drawing us into his terrorized face and seeing things through his eyes. It is a vicarious experience. Finally, the Djinn itself is a truly frightening entity. First seen only in startling glimpses, once viewed in its entirety (whether it be masquerading as a human or in true form) it is spine-tinglingly scary.  

The Djinn, in true Grimm’s fairy tales fashion, does NOT shy away from putting its child protagonist in extreme emotional/physical peril.  If that is a trigger for you, please take note of that before viewing this film.

Overall, The Djinn is a tense, tightly wound cautionary thriller that does an amazing job with a fresh take on a common premise. The performances, mounting dread, and titular villain make for a dark, disturbing, and frightening film.