Seance

Edgar Ravenwood, a renowned psychic and one-time bestselling author, has already survived a car wreck and near-death experience, and lost his eldest daughter in the process, so when his latest manuscript is rejected, it's hardly the worst day of his life. But he's still clearly down in the dumps when best friend Thomas offers the use of a luxury beach house for the weekend... A peaceful getaway by the sea awaits the troubled spiritualist and his family as they try to move on. Little does Edgar know, the house once belonged to slain drug lord Claudio Ruiz Montero, the victim of a controversial DEA sting years earlier, that turned into a bloodbath. When a gang of ex-cartel thugs, led by Sancho, arrive by Zodiac raft in the dead of night, Edgar finds himself captive along with his teenage children, Brett and Emily. Brett is shot while resisting and soon lies bleeding, in critical condition. Sancho lays out their demands, making it is clear this is no random home invasion. Montero went to his grave with many dark secrets, including the whereabouts of a $25 million slush fund, and Sancho wants Edgar to use his unique abilities to contact the deceased kingpin's spirit to help find the hidden loot. Then, and only then, will young Brett get the medical attention he needs, and Edgar and his family be released unharmed. Edgar must perform a sustained spiritual sitting-- a séance-- and, surrounded by the increasingly desperate criminals, the conditions are hardly optimal. He must reach out to the other side, summon Montero's ghost, and get the info required, all before his own son slips away. But as the eerie session unfolds, it becomes obvious that Montero's soul is coming straight from hell and has only bloody revenge on his afterlife agenda. One by one, the disembodied drug lord begins turning the men against each other, before settling on Edgar as his vessel of vengeance. As shady DEA agents staking out the house set their own plan in motion, and the evil spirit of Montero continues to possess him at will, Edgar must fight back, harness this vengeful supernatural force and channel it the best he can, to save his family, while at the same time uncovering the larger conspiracy afoot. SÉANCE... Possession is more than nine-tenths of the law. ********************The REVIEWS are in on SEANCE*************************** " This is an easy, fast, engaging read, and a great idea for a horror/thriller. CABIN IN THE WOODS meets LOS ESPOOKYS with elements of FACE/OFF?! You ratchet up the stakes and tension on every page and Edgar's escalating commitment (from no f-ing way to all in) is absolutely believable. I like how there's a rational explanation for the hallucinations, but there's also real mysticism and psychic activity. And everyone who thinks he knows what he's doing is dead wrong. Your writing has a really kinetic feel, and it hits us from the first page. There's a flow to the action, with an excellent ratio of action to dialogue... The turns keep coming, with Act 3 so full of them I didn't know which way was up. Right up to the last word. There's also a great mix of big and small. Meaning most of the action takes place in an intimate setting, but there are enough action set pieces (car in the river, raid on Montero's house) to place this a real-world context as well as hit the right genre notes. I like how we're supposed to feel bad about instinctively mistrusting Miguel, but we were right to be suspicious... You do a great job of planting and revealing... The main character is well-realized, and his internal and external conflicts jive nicely... You have some great turns of phrase, like pg 7 with Sancho's rage sublimating into a smile. And Sancho "holding all the cards" is a cool line. Also, the visual of Jorge and Armando gamely joining the seance is quite funny. "You, you need to believe, homes." So sick. And Jorge being "dead. Again." They s really keep the mood going. Bonus points for an Epic villain kill. and for dropping the name Marion Ravenwood... This is an original take on the horror thriller, which only seem to be more popular every year. The role of Edgar seems like it would be a blast to play (Also, Armando, who gets some great lines).” ************************** "From a technical standpoint, this script is an excellent example of the writer's work. This writer clearly understands and respects the screenwriting medium. This story is essentially a hostage scenario with a most unusual take on the negotiator, being a psychic. It's an interesting enough idea and I think the engine on its own has enough juice to carry the basic premise. This script isn't short on-premises. It's a nesting doll of ideas. Every layer you descend more and more of the mystery unfolds and that was a good way to keep me invested and keep my attention from waning."