The Djinn, movie (2021)
image © The Djinn LLC (Mad Descent & Kinogo Pictures)
Article updated: 2022.01.07
The The Djinn (2021) is a contemporary fantasy / supernatural horror film. The movie was reviewed by Kadmon.
Product: The Djinn, movie (2021)
Original title: The Djinn
Series: -
Setting: contemporary fantasy Earth
Product type: Film, Genre: contemporary fantasy / supernatural horror, Style: fantasy, contemporary fantasy, thriller, horror, supernatural horror, creature
Release: Premiere: 2021.04.08 (virtual cinema) (Cleveland International Film Festival), Release: 2021.05.14
Reviewer: Kadmon, Type: Male, 40s, Preferences: Immersive, logical story, consistent setting, prefers surprises to spoilers, prefers establishing elements before referencing them
Watched: very recent (2022.01), first time
Rating: Weak (2- out of 3 points), Enjoyment: Weak (2- out of 3 points)
* * *
This is my review of The Djinn, a contemporary fantasy / supernatural horror movie from 2021. It's about a boy trying to make his greatest wish come true, with the use of a magic spell. The The Djinn film is boring, I don't recommend it, unless you are a fan of movies featuring genies.
If you'd like to be surprised by the The Djinn film, I don't recommend you to watch the trailer beyond 1:12, because it gives away too much of the plot. It basically provides a summary of the film, up to the very end. Also, if you watch the trailer up to 1:12, you can skip the first 30 minutes of the movie.
* * *
Review (spoiler-free) - The Djinn, movie (2021)
I didn't know anything about this movie when I've run into it. It didn't look too exciting, but I thought I'll give it a try. I didn't watch the trailer.
The The Djinn movie is about a boy trying to make his greatest wish come true, with the use of a magic spell.
The basis of the plot is not outstanding, but it's acceptable. However, the execution of it is not efficient, the film takes too long to remain interesting. The pacing is consistent, but slow. There are no character arcs. I didn't find logical problems.
The cinematography is okay, the movie is watchable. They manage to shoot the scenes, but don't expect anything surprising. The action scenes are okay.
Although there's only three characters in the whole movie, we don't get to know practically anything about them. This makes them less relatable. They are portrayed by the actors fine.
The music (by Matthew James) is strange, it feels random. Sometimes it fits the movie perfectly, but sometimes it feels like a synth-pop score from the 1980s.
The Djinn is a watchable contemporary fantasy / supernatural survival horror, that only dedicated fans of the genre might enjoy.
My experience
I was not satisfied with The Djinn (2021).
Rating: Weak (2- out of 3 points). The Djinn is too long for the story, and has dramatic errors.
Enjoyment: Weak (2- out of 3 points). The Djinn is boring.
Rewatchability: I'm not sure. I think it's mostly the surprise of the story that makes you feel interested.
Chance of watching it again: No.
Chance of watching a sequel: Unlikely.
The Djinn, movie (2021)
image © The Djinn LLC (Mad Descent & Kinogo Pictures)
Will you enjoy this?
If you like mystery or thriller movies, you might like The Djinn.
If you like horror or action thriller movies (Halloween, Nightmare on Elm Street), you might like the film, although there are not many action scenes or scary scenes in the The Djinn movie.
If you like jump scare movies, there are some of those in The Djinn movie.
If you can get through the first half hour of the movie still interested, the rest of the movie will be the same.
If you are excited about genie stories, you might be interested in this movie.
If you hate subtitles, you'll be in trouble with this movie, unless you can read the sign language used in the film.
If you prefer visuals over story, you'll be probably bored by The Djinn.
Do you need to know the original stories / other novels / films to enjoy this?
Quite the contrary. There's enough explanation that you'll understand what's going on without knowing the original myth. If you have seen any other movies based on the same premise, you'll be probably bored throughout this film.
Watching for plot points
If you are interested in genie stories, it might be worth watching the The Djinn movie for the plot points. Although reading the summary is probably just enough.
Should you watch this on your own screen at home, or is it worth going to the cinema?
The visuals probably look similar wherever you watch it.
* * *
The Djinn, movie (2021)
image © The Djinn LLC (Mad Descent & Kinogo Pictures)
Review with spoilers - The Djinn, movie (2021)
I didn't like the The Djinn movie.
By 45 minutes, I started to get bored. The Djinn doesn't do anything interesting, and we watch the kid making frightened faces.
Cover
The cover of the movie is okay, it doesn't say much, but it doesn't spoil the movie.
The trailer
The trailer is basically a substitute for watching the movie.
If you prefer spoilers, it's a great trailer for the The Djinn film. If you prefer to avoid spoilers, it will ruin the movie for you.
Promise of the first scene
A boy wakes up to the crying of a woman. This is so vague, I have no clue where will they take the story. However, based on the title, I assume there will be a genie somewhere in the story.
Execution: I'm not sure this was the best way to begin the movie. I don't feel they have fulfilled any kind of promise they've made with this.
Plot summary / Synopsis
1989, summer: A boy (Ezra Dewey as Dylan Jacobs) wakes up to the crying of a woman (Tevy Poe as Michelle Jacobs, who we learn later, is his mother).
1989, fall: The boy and his father (Rob Brownstein as Michael Jacobs) move to a new flat. The previous owner, an old man, died in that flat. The boy finds an occult book in their closet. The boy talks to his father, telling him that he thinks that his mother left them, because the boy is mute.
When the father is out, working a night shift, the boy tries to make a spell from the occult book, hoping to make his wish of having voice come true. He has to make the wish at 23:00, and at 24:00, it will come true with the help of the Djinn, but the one who makes the wish may have to pay the price.
In a flashback, we see that his mother probably also tried to use the same spell.
We see smoke rising from the closet, unseen by the boy. Electronic devices keep getting switched on. The boy has an asthma attack, but when he goes for his inhaler, he sees a creepy humanoid in the room, so he hides in the bathroom. The creature, taking a human form, tries to get in, but the boy closes it out. The creature opens the gas in the kitchen.
When the creatures breaks the door, the boy knocks it out, and runs behind its back, and gets his inhaler. He tries to leave the flat, but the doors and windows don't open. When he breaks the window, the window magically gets repaired.
In a flashback, we see that his mother probably committed suicide.
The boy closes the gas, and hides in the closet. He starts reading the occult book, and sees that the creature can be hurt like a human.
The creature switches off the power, so the boy has to use a candle. The boy lures the creature into the closet, and closes it, then switches the power back on.
In a flashback, we see how his mother committed suicide.
After midnight, the boy cuts the tendons in the legs of the creature, but the creature breaks one of the legs of the boy.
The creature takes the form of his mother, and pleads to him, but the boy still extinguishes the flame of the candle.
Everything turns back to normal. His broken leg is healed. But he still doesn't have a voice.
In a flashback-like sequence, the boy has a voice and asks his mother, if he could have stopped her suicide by shouting at his mother. The mother nods no.
When the father arrives home, the creature appears, takes the voice of the father, and gives it to the boy. The boy cries, now regretting his wish.
The setting
The movie is set on a contemporary (1989) fantasy Earth, where magic is real, and magical creatures live.
The Djinn, movie (2021)
image © The Djinn LLC (Mad Descent & Kinogo Pictures)
The djinn
The Djinn is one of the five guardians of the Shadow Realm.
In order to conjure it, one has to make the spell at the beginning of the last hour of the day, by lighting a candle, putting three drops of blood in the wax, and telling the wish to a mirror. If the conjurer can survive one hour in the presence of the Djinn, it will make one wish come true. But it can twist the wish to have unexpected consequences.
It looks like even after one hour is passed, it's still intent on killing the conjurer. Before killing, it likes to taunt and play with the target, preferring the taste this gives.
It can be banished by extinguishing the flame of the candle, after midnight. Until then, the flame can't be extinguished, it burns continuously. When dropped into water, it teleports to a safe location.
No matter how banished it is, it can re-appear in the real world at will. (So I'm not sure why does the candle even work.)
When conjured, it looks like smoke. It can take a humanoid creature form.
It can make itself appear like a human, using photos of people, but in a mirror, its true self is seen. It only took the appearance of people who were already dead, maybe it's relevant?
In the real world, it can be hurt like a regular human. When damaged, it leaves a sticky, smoke-like substance behind. Insect repellent also hurts it, making it blind. It can only regenerate when it returns to the Shadow Realm. It seems like it can be knocked out, even by a kid.
It can make doors shut. It can repair broken windows. He can use telekinesis to push people away from doors and windows.
It has a hard time locating a boy in a small flat.
The message of the story
Be prepared to pay the price for the wish you make. Never forget to appreciate the things you have, when you consider what's missing from your life.
The structure of the story
The scenes of the The Djinn film are mostly played in sequence, following the same storyline. There is a flashback scene, that's repeated multiple times, getting longer.
The boy is the single viewpoint character.
It has the usual arc of the dramatic structure - introduction, action, resolution.
* * *
Things I liked
- The real look of the Djinn is not bad.
* * *
How does it compare to the other works of the creators?
I haven't seen any other works of the writers / directors (David Charbonier & Justin Powell). I'm not excited to see their next movie, but I might still watch it, as this film was watchable.
How does it compare to other adaptations of the same story?
Compared to other movies about the genie, The Djinn is more tame and more boring. Others either make it have more horror action scenes, or make it more funny.
* * *
The Djinn, movie (2021)
image © The Djinn LLC (Mad Descent & Kinogo Pictures)
Analysis of the story - The Djinn, movie (2021)
I mostly liked the story, but the dramatic problems prevented me from completely enjoying The Djinn.
Problematic elements
Show, don't tell: We don't get to see why would the boy want to have a voice. He communicates fine with his father. It would have been good to see how frustrating it is that other people don't understand him.
The arrival: I've felt that the establishing shot, when the Djinn arrives, is a bit too long, especially as nothing happens after it to use the tension of waiting.
Establishing the home: We have a long establishing shot of the empty flat. However, the beginning of the movie would have been the right opportunity to show us the home, as the new owners just arrived, and they could have been introduced to the place with the audience.
Repetitive plot: First, the creature does something (opening the gas, switching off the power). Then, the boy sneaks behind its back, to undo what the creature did.
Clumsy Djinn: It doesn't look like the Djinn really wants to kill the boy. It could have easily catch and kill him in the shower in the first five minutes.
The ending: When the exchange of voice happens, the narrator reads the passages from the book, reminding the audience of the price of the wish. With this, they indicate that they don't think the audience can remember things that happened 30 minutes earlier.
The price: The voice of the father is not a great price. I'm pretty sure the father would have given it up voluntarily, had he had the opportunity.
The mother's suicide: The mother has the same candle while doing the suicide, that the kid used to summon the creature. Is there a significance to it? Why did she commit suicide by candle light anyway?
The setting: Why 1989? Why not the current year? What would have changed? The creators made the choice, but I can't understand it.
Lack of tension: Unfortunately, I never believed for a moment that the boy could get hurt. I was slightly surprised when his leg was broken, but a moment later, it was magically healed, so it was okay. If we had seen the Djinn kill its previous conjurer, it might have been put the whole thing in a different light.
The magical world: The book seems like a mass produced spellbook. If it's really this easy to summon the Djinn, it probably happen on a daily basis. This probably means that it affects the whole world.
Unanswered questions
- Why did the mother commit suicide?
* * *
Possibilities of improvement
There's a maximum of 60 minutes of story inside this film, so it has to be shorter.
- Trim the scenes to make them shorter.
- Probably cut the part about the previous owner dying in the flat.
- Cut the parts about the dead criminal. Also, cut the part with the newspaper and the Djinn - let it just take a random human form, we don't see its face anyway.
- Cut the long establishing shot. It's not really important, and takes a lot of time.
- Cut the gas scenes. The cutting the power will have the same effect, and it's better when the kid goes in the dark corridors.
- Cut the crawling scene in a way that it looks like he reaches the candle just when the clock ticks midnight, and he extinguishes it.
- Cut the ending narration about the price of the wish.
How it could have been better?
Focus the beginning on the daily life and struggles of the boy. Show us how bad it feels to be mute. Make us understand why he wishes to have a voice.
Show us that the genie is cruel, probably by showing a previous victim - for example, the previous owner of the flat, from whom they've inherited the book. The police thinks it's a violent murder by a drugged burglar, but the signs - candle, mirror - indicates for the audience that it was the genie.
Don't waste effort on making the movie look like it's set in 1989.
* * *
Behind the scenes
Thoughts about the reviews of others
* * *
The Djinn, movie (2021)
image © The Djinn LLC (Mad Descent & Kinogo Pictures)
Uses for the film - The Djinn, movie (2021)
Plot
- There's a mute boy, who'd like to have a voice.
- There's a boy, who finds an occult book, that can give him his heart's desire.
- A boy uses an occult book, a creature arrives, and wants to kill the boy.
Scenes
Designs
Scenario ideas - Role-playing game scenario ideas
- The team use a powerful spell. In order for the spell to get activated, a creature is conjured.
- They have to survive an hour with the creature.
- They have to defeat the creature to power the spell.
Scenario ideas - Wargame scenario ideas
The ritual: The defender has to activate an objective. The defender sets up the playing area. The defender units are deployed in the middle of the playing area. An area is randomly chosen as the activation point, outside of the middle area. Then the attacker deploys their force at an edge. The defender has to get the device, bring it to the activation point, and spend an action to win. The defender wins if they complete the activation, with more than half of their units alive. The attacker wins if they kill more than half of the defenders.
Specialist unit (harder for the defender): There's a specific kind of unit that can complete the activation.
Timer (harder for the defender): There's a limited amount of time (for example, 10 turns) for the defender to complete the action. If the time runs out, the defender loses.
Waiting time (harder for the defender): There's an amount of time (for example, 10 turns) the defender has to wait before they can start the action.
Device (harder for the defender): There's a device required to be carried by the model trying to activate the area. After choosing the activation area, choose an area randomly, outside of the middle area, to contain a device. The device can be taken by attacker models after defeating the defender model carrying it.
Multiple devices (harder for the defender): The defender has to collect multiple devices, from randomly chosen areas.
Multiple activation points (harder for the defender): There are multiple activation points, at randomly chosen areas. All of them must be activated by a defender model.
Single model to activate (harder for the defender): It must be the same model that activates all of the activation points. One area can be only activated once. If the model is killed, the game is lost.
Single model, multiple tries: All areas have to be activated by a model, but the areas can be activated more than once. You have to record which areas were activated by which models.
Activation in order (harder for the defender): When choosing the areas randomly, assign a number to them. The first area must be activated first, then the second, and so on.
Devices assigned to an activation point (harder for the defender): Each activation point has a device dedicated to it. The model that activates it, has to carry that specific device. If there are more areas than devices, some areas use the same device. If there are more devices than areas, some areas need multiple devices. Or you can come up with any combination of ideas.
Multiple timer (harder for the defender): There's a timer for every activation. Multiply the original timer for each activation point.
Different timers (harder for the defender): The amount of time the defender has is randomly chosen for each activation.
Timer starts at activation (harder for the defender): The timer for the next activation immediately starts when an activation point is activated.
Multiple waiting time (harder for the defender): There's a waiting time for every activation. Multiply the original timer for each activation point.
Different waiting times (harder for the defender): The amount of time the defender has to wait is randomly chosen for each activation.
Waiting time starts at activation (harder for the defender): The waiting time for the next activation immediately starts when an activation point is activated.
Movie accurate fight: Single activation point. The device is also the activation point. Waiting time.
Miniatures - 1/50-1/60 (28-32mm scale)
Civilians: Human-sized modern civilians.
The Djinn (real form): Large / human-sized humanoid.
* * *
Similar stories - The Djinn, movie (2021)
Movies
Aladdin (1992): Animated movie. In a historical setting, people use a genie for three wishes. It's a humorous take on the story.
Aladdin (2019): In a historical setting, people use a genie for three wishes. It's a humorous take on the story. Based on Aladdin (1992).
Conjuring the Genie (2021): In a contemporary setting, people use a genie for wishes, leading to their deaths.
My Soul to Keep (2019): A kid is trapped in a house, while terrorised by a supernatural entity.
El páramo / The Wasteland (2021): In a historical setting, a family is terrorised by a supernatural entity.
Wishmaster series (1997, 1999, 2001, 2002): In a contemporary setting, a genie goes on a wish-granting / killing spree. It's more action-oriented than The Djinn.
Z (2019): In a contemporary setting, a family is terrorised by a supernatural entity.
TV series & episodes
X-Files: Je Souhaite (2000): In a contemporary setting, people use a genie for three wishes, leading to their deaths. It's more interesting than The Djinn.
* * *
Frequently asked questions - The Djinn, movie (2021)
Will the The Djinn movie be available with English audio dub?
Currently (in 2022.01.06) The Djinn is not available with English audio dub, just English subtitles. And I don't think they'll dub the sign language.
Is the The Djinn film based on a book or comics?
No, The Djinn is not based on either books or comics. It is however based on stories about the genie.
Is the The Djinn film a remake or reboot?
No, the The Djinn film is neither a remake nor a reboot.
Is there a post credit scene in The Djinn? Does The Djinn have end credit scenes?
No, there's no post credit scene in The Djinn.
Where can I see The Djinn? Where can I watch The Djinn online? Is The Djinn available on Netflix? Is The Djinn on Amazon?
As of 2022.01.06, The Djinn is available on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, Microsoft Movies, Vudu, YouTube.
* * *
Resources - The Djinn, movie (2021)
Official
The Djinn: Official website.
Information
IMDB: 2021 (2021): Database article.
WikiPedia: The Djinn: Database article.
Letterboxd: The Djinn 2021: Database article.
Rotten Tomatoes: The Djinn 2021: Database article.
Creation
: Concept art article.¤
https://www.pophorror.com/interview-with-the-djinn-filmmakers-justin-powell-and-david-charbonier/
Reviews with no spoilers - The Djinn film (2021)
: Review video about the The Djinn film with no spoilers.¤
https://www.pophorror.com/david-charbonier-and-justin-powells-the-djinn-2021-is-lean-and-mean-movie-review/
https://www.voicesfromthebalcony.com/2021/09/15/the-djinn-2021-review/
Reviews with spoilers - The Djinn film (2021)
: Review article of the The Djinn movie, with spoilers. Includes a very detailed plot summary.¤
Analysis - The Djinn movie (2021)
: Analysis video, explaining the finale of The Djinn.¤
* * *
Buying the product - The Djinn, movie (2021)
| Buy the The Djinn, movie (2021) from Amazon |
| Amazon US - Amazon UK - Amazon CA - Amazon DE - Amazon FR - Amazon IT - Amazon ES |
| Buy the The Djinn, movie (2021) on eBay |
eBay US  - eBay UK  - eBay CA  - eBay DE  - eBay FR  - eBay IT  - eBay ES  - eBay AU  - eBay IE  - eBay AT  - eBay CH 
- eBay BE  - eBay NL  |
Buy horror ebooks and audiobooks from Kobo (USA)  Buy horror books from AbeBooks (USA)  Buy horror books from Book Depository  Buy horror products from Aliexpress (China)  |
* * *
Have you seen the The Djinn film? How do you like the movie? Would you recommend it to others? Do you know reviews or resources you'd like to add? What further thoughts do you have about it? Tell your opinion in the comments!
Comments powered by CComment