‘Are You There?’ Review: Talking to the Dead by Candlelight
Are You There has a good atmosphere and intriguing idea, though the plot occasionally wanders into some odd places.
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What is Are You There About?
Are You There is a supernatural and psychological horror movie about a young woman who taps into dangerous forces when she uses a ritualistic candle.
Rosa studies paranormal psychology in college, and she runs a YouTube channel dedicated to the supernatural. From her recently deceased grandmother, Rosa inherits a candle and an elaborate candlestick with the words “sí” and “no” hanging from opposite sides. The candle is used in a ritual meant to contact the dead. The user asks a series of yes or no questions, and when the ritual connects with the spirit being contacted, the candle’s flame bends toward the correct response. Rosa uses the candle to contact her grandmother, but after a traumatic incident, she begins to suspect that she’s mistakenly contacted an evil spirit instead.
Are You There Review
While watching Are You There, I was, in some minor ways, reminded of a couple of different movies. One is Talk To Me (2022), because of how the summoning ritual in both films has rules that aren’t followed which leads to supernatural terror. The second movie Are You There reminded me of is 1408 (2007), because both films focus on psychological and supernatural horror taking place mostly in a single room. And even though Are You There doesn’t match the quality of either of those other films, it does have something to offer to fans of supernatural thrillers.
The basic hook of the movie, Rosa talking to a haunted candle, is the best part of Are You There. It’s a spooky scenario, especially early in the film when Rosa is getting used to the idea of talking to her dead grandmother, and then again when she starts to understand that something is wrong. Watching someone talk to a ghost by candlelight is a great image. The visual of the flame bending in response isn’t completely realistic (it waves and wobbles in a weird, CGI way), but for a low-budget horror movie, it looks quite good. More importantly, it’s effective exactly the way it looks. Some of the other digital effects don’t look as charming, but they’re used sparingly, so it’s fine.
The overall idea of the story is also good. That said, there are some plot threads that probably could have been trimmed or eliminated. For instance, Rosa’s YouTube channel appears to only be included as a way of providing an excuse for easy exposition as Rosa tells us (and her audience) her life story. There are other plot threads that could have been blended into the story better, which might have helped with pacing and provided a more consistent focus on the growing horror of Rosa’s predicament. Though, I can’t give any examples without spoiling some of the film’s bigger secrets.
All in all though, I enjoyed Are You There thanks to a likable lead performance from Laura Sollet, the movie’s spooky atmosphere, and some nicely crafted imagery from cinematographer John Orphan. The ending of the story might get more of an “okay, cool, I get it” reaction rather than a “holy wow, that’s awesome” reaction, but it is well done. It just might not feel totally original if you’ve seen a good number of movies like this. I will say though, I completely enjoyed how the movie provides enough clues in the first two thirds of the movie to be able to figure out the final third if you’re paying close enough attention. I always appreciate writing like that.
Are You There Rating and Recommendation
Star Rating: 3 out of 5
Are You There is a good low-budget chiller worth a look for fans of supernatural horror with an emphasis on psychological influences. Some moments might feel odd as they’re happening, but it all comes together in the end.
Further Reading
- Presence Review: A Unique Perspective Makes a Familiar Scenario Eerily Compelling
- The Dead Thing Review: A Supernaturally Charged Psychological Thriller About Being Ghosted
- Stupid Games Review: An Engrossing Supernatural Chamber Piece
- Psychological Horror Movies
- Best Ghost Movies
- New/Upcoming Horror Movies
- Best and Worst Horror Movies of 2025
