Back when they were kids, Alex (Demis Tzivis, Oliver Lopez as kid) and
Emma (Ida Gyllensten, Zalma Lopez as kid) used to play Madame in Black
in front of their grandmother's mirror, just to see who freaks out sooner.
Rules of the game, repeat "Madame in Black" three times in front
of the mirror, then a witch infamously burned on a stake centuries ago,
will come and get you. Of course, that's just an urban legend, but back
when, Alex could swear he had seen the Madame in Black (Ellinor Rosander),
if only for a moment in the corner of his eye ... Now Alex and Emma and
their respective partners (Jennica Landén, Kase Chlopecki) celebrate
Emma's birthday - and somehow Alex has tracked down grandma's mirror that
was believed to be lost for years now as a present for Emma ... and of
course, they insist on playing "Madame in Black" ... and of
course nothing happens - until Alex's car breaks down, and when he makes
it back to Emma's place on foot he's attacked by something he never can
properly make out. And that's only the beginning ... Sure, the
premise of The Madame in Black sounds rather similar to Candyman,
but that's where the similarities end, as The Madame in Black is
much more of an effective and in a good way old-fashioned spooker that
relies on atmosphere and suspense and that keeps things in the shadows
most of the time, making the things one doesn't see much creepier than
what's seen on screen. And thanks to a very competent directorial effort
and a solid cast, the film works like a charm, too.
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