The Pact (2012)

I'm pretty good at watching movies. I usually don't try to find the twist. It's there to surprise you. Let it. That said, there's no way you're guessing this one.

Spooky.

Okay, first off, if you haven't seen this, I'll be spoiling the shit out of it. You've been warned.

Annie (Caity Lotz: Arrow) is in town with her sister for their (somewhat abusive) mother's funeral. Her sister, Nichole, promptly disappears. Plagued by supernatural happenings, Annie becomes fearful that her mother's ghost is seeking some sort of vengeance and is responsible for her sisters, and then her cousins, disappearance. 

Of course, she is the prime suspect. 

During the investigation of the house, and with the help of psychic, Stevie, Annie discovers frightening truths about her family and home. 

Now this is low budget horror done well. 

Spewing atmosphere, and being truly scary, the movie leads you toward one conclusion, and then snags you in another direction. And then another. Having it focus on the mother/daughters relationship is a stroke of genius. It's early Shyamalan good. 

The reveal of the mother's brother, who disappeared years ago over halfway through the film is brilliant. Finding out he was a serial killer is better. The dynamic of the ghost/daughter relationship is tipped when it then appears that the ghost is actually Uncle Serial-Killer.

Then, twist, finding out he's still alive and living under the freaking floor. BAM. Mother's the ghost after all and trying to help.

Twisting genius.

This look. This one. Haley Hudson, people. 

Anyway, enough fawning. The acting is good. Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers) is highly credited, but barely in it. Star, Caity Lotz is excellent and psychic Stevie (Haley Hudson: Marley and Me (!)) is fantastic. 

The special effects are scant, but well done, with budget obviously playing a factor.

Script and screenplay are what makes this one unmissable.