“Tarot” is one of the surprise hits in horror for 2024. It stands out with its inventive death scenes and creepy creature designs. The movie, which challenges the limits of PG-13 horror, is becoming a favorite on Netflix.
Featuring both familiar and new actors, such as Avantika, Jacob Batalon, and Harriet Slater, “Tarot” turns an interesting idea into something unexpectedly frightening.
The story starts with a group of friends at a mansion-like AirBnB. They discover an old tarot deck and ask their spiritual friend, Haley (Slater), to read their horoscopes. The film follows a structure similar to “Final Destination,” with each friend meeting a death that matches their tarot card reading.
The reasons behind these deaths are revealed through an extensive backstory. Will anyone escape this cosmic curse, or will they all fall victim to fate? I’ll fill you in.
What Is ‘Tarot’ About?
“Tarot” begins with college friends at a mansion in the woods, playing drinking games. We learn that Haley and Grant (Adain Bradley), a couple, have broken up, which is important to the story. When they run out of alcohol, they explore the creepy house.
They don’t find any booze but do come across a basement full of old items. They find a box of tarot cards and have Haley read their horoscopes. These readings are eerily similar to the premonitions in “Final Destination.” The movie sometimes feels like a mix of different horror tropes, but it remains familiar and engaging.
The tarot cards show creatures related to each character’s traits, including the high priestess, the fool, the hanging man, the devil, the magician, and the hermit. With many characters and different personalities, it can be hard to keep track, but the card designs and creatures are impressive.
The film is a supernatural slasher, with each character being killed by the creature from their tarot card. Even if you don’t immediately connect the cards to the characters, the film provides plenty of explanations.
The Death Sequences in ‘Tarot’ Are the Highlight of the Movie
The film focuses a lot on its death scenes, which are quite scary. Elise (Larsen Thompson), who eagerly got her tarot reading, is the first to die. Her death is impactful, especially for her girlfriend, Paige (Avantika). Elise is killed by the high priestess in a brutal scene in the attic.
The second death occurs in an abandoned subway, showcasing the film’s variety of settings. These scenes often echo the tarot readings, making the earlier information pay off.
The group seeks help from Alma Astron (Olwen Fouéré), an older woman who has experienced similar horrors. Alma advises them to destroy the tarot cards. As they return to the house, another character, Madelyn (Humberly Gonzalez), falls victim to the hanging man in a tense scene on a bridge. Her death is preceded by a tarot reading that predicts her fate.
The Creatures in ‘Tarot’ Were So Terrifying, They Scared the Cast
The film used practical effects for the creatures, making them more frightening. Actors played the monsters, adding to the film’s creepy atmosphere. Gonzalez mentioned how scary the contortionists were on set. Batalon noted that the eerie atmosphere continued even when filming stopped, praising the prosthetics and costumes.
After Madelyn’s death, Paxton (Batalon) leaves the group, skeptical of the tarot’s warnings. He heads back to his place, where he faces the film’s most terrifying scene as the fool approaches him. Though his death happens off-screen, the tension is high.
Grant, Haley, and Paige reach the house and discover that destroying the cards by burning them is the best way to end the curse. However, the cards don’t burn, and Alma realizes she must read the horoscope of the woman who cursed the cards.
How Does ‘Tarot’ End?
“Tarot” has a lot of backstory, but it explains everything in detail. In the 16th century, an astrologer read a tarot deck for a Hungarian Count, who was distraught by the death predictions for his pregnant wife. The count banished the astrologer and killed her daughter.
In anger, she performed a dark ritual and bound her soul to the cards. Now, she takes the form of the cards and kills those who use them.
Alma begins to read the astrologer’s horoscope and sees her in the room, creating a tense atmosphere. Paige’s death is the most memorable scene, where she is sawed in half by the magician. Avantika’s performance adds to the scene’s impact.
With Alma also dying, Haley must read the astrologer’s horoscope. She reveals that all the cards are reversed, ending the astrologer’s curse. Haley connects with the astrologer by discussing her own loss, leading to the antagonist’s defeat. Haley and Grant leave the mansion as the only survivors—or so it seems.
As they walk away, Paxton appears alive, thanks to his quick reflexes and a bit of luck. The movie ends on a light note, showing Paxton’s survival and hinting at potential future stories.
Despite some flashy moments, “Tarot” is an entertaining film with a satisfying conclusion. Although no sequel is confirmed yet, directors Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg are working on new projects with horror experts Jason Blum and James Wan.
“Tarot” is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
