Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Jinn’ (2014)

Written by Scott Edwards

​Not knowing anything about your family and history has to be one of the hardest things when growing up. I have been blessed to have been in the presence of my grandparents and even some great aunts and uncles who were more than willing to share stories about my family that even my parents did not know about. I do believe that knowing where your family has come from and what they have done in the past helps to direct you to where you may be headed in the future. Even for those people that do not know their blood relatives, I hope they take notes from their current family and follow their paths, as having a family, no matter who they may be, is better than facing the world alone.

Shawn has the ideal life, since he is getting married to the beautiful Jasmine and is living in a great apartment. The two are so much in love, neither of them can do wrong in the other’s eyes and they will be together until the day that they die. Before burning dinner again, Jasmine receives a strange package at the door with no return address and only a note inside for her husband. Opening the box, the couple finds a VHS tape that nobody should be able to watch, but Shawn has a VHS player at his office and heads off after dinner to view it.

Seeing a man that claims to be his father talking to directly to him about his family and the troubles they have encountered in the past, Shawn does not know what to believe. Hearing the words from the man on the screen, Shawn is led to believe that his family is cursed in a way and his children will be in danger if he does not fulfill his destiny. With no answer on his wife’s phone, Shawn arrives home to see his furniture all stacked in a strange configuration. Not being able to locate his wife, he calls the police to help find her, but as they are ready to call in a missing person’s report, she walks through the front door. With nothing missing in the house, and Jasmine being all right, they couple starts to take notice of the shadowy figure across the way that has been watching their apartment for several days now.

As the tape directed the couple to seek help from Father Westhoff if they had any trouble, Shawn and Jasmine decide to take the advice. Being greeted by a strange fellow named Gabriel, the couple does not believe the stories they are being told about evil lurking outside of their home and looking to harm them. Leaving in a huff, Jasmine is pulled into the woods, never to be seen again and when Shawn follows, he is confronted by an evil being, a Jinn that is looking to put the end to the possible prophecy that surrounds his family. Not knowing who to trust, Shawn runs back to the Father and Gabriel and is taken to another member of his family who is locked up in an asylum. Knowing that he is not crazy, Uncle Ali has been waiting for his nephew and will teach him in the ways to destroy the ancient evil and save his growing family. Without hesitation, Shawn takes to his training since he needs to find Jasmine before she becomes just another victim of the evil force that has been roaming the earth before man was ever created.

Talk about a movie that focuses on belief, I mean wow, and in a good way. I did not know what to expect when this popped into my recommended list, it did not disappoint at all. With some great visual effects and enough darkness that keeps the Jinn hidden in the shadows until they are ready to be seen, this is a movie that I will need to watch again. With everything that happens in this movie and his faith being tested, Shawn only has one goal and will stop at nothing to get the love of his life back. But my favorite character in this movie had to be Gabriel as he could be an angel, or just a normal man, but will do everything in his power to protect Shawn from the evil that awaits him, all while offering up some moments of levity that will leave you laughing as the story plays out. When you look to the heavens above, do you see the stars and planets that surround the earth, or do you see something else? Stay Scared.

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