The story of Abigail Proctor and her alleged black magic practices has been a topic of fascination and speculation for centuries. Abigail Proctor was a woman born in Salem, Massachusetts in the late 17th century, during a time when witchcraft and the supernatural were subjects of great fear and paranoia. Reports of Abigail's involvement in black magic began to circulate shortly after several mysterious deaths occurred in the village. People claimed to have seen her engaged in strange rituals, casting spells, and communicating with the devil himself. Rumors quickly spread, and Abigail became a figure of immense terror and suspicion within the community. Many believe that Abigail's alleged black magic powers were the cause of the deaths and misfortunes that befell the village.
Humor is called upon to mask the action-lacking moments of the film, but the jokes are contrived softballs aimed at winning over and relating to a young demographic. Examples include jokes based on Dolan XXXVI (Michael Caine), a member of an order of priests tasked with advising Kaulder, refusing to give up pen and paper for an iPad and relating to Kaulder’s sexual escapades because, get ready for it, he wasn’t always a priest … L-O-L!
No, friend, you re not tripping, but if this film were indeed the sort of experience induced by a bad trip, psychedelic drug use would be lower than The Last Witch Hunter s pending Rotten Tomatoes rating. The best thing the film has going for it may very well be the fact that it doesn t feel the need to pander or talk down to its audience when it comes to explaining or portraying aspects of its world.
Many believe that Abigail's alleged black magic powers were the cause of the deaths and misfortunes that befell the village. In a time when people were desperate for answers and explanations to the inexplicable, blaming a person like Abigail seemed logical. The fear and hysteria surrounding witchcraft became so intense that the Salem Witch Trials were conducted, resulting in the execution of several individuals accused of practicing witchcraft, including Abigail Proctor.
REVIEW: ‘The Last Witch Hunter’ is hilariously unwatchable
In Breck Eisner’s The Last Witch Hunter, the only way to end the tyrannical reign of the Witch Queen is to destroy her 800-plus-year-old preserved heart, a task Kaulder (Vin Diesel) attempts to accomplish with his uber-creatively named flame-coated sword, the “Witch Slayer” (and no, this film is not a comedy). Now, I feel it is my journalistic duty, with a MacBook keyboard as my sword and Starbucks house blend coffee as the fuel to its flames, to puncture right through any possible merit this film has as the genesis of a series.
To say the film is a disappointment isn’t quite fair, as I question the sanity of any person whose hopes were raised by a film centered around Diesel playing an immortal witch hunter who begrudgingly protects modern-day New York City from black magic. However, it’s additionally inconsiderate for me to send such venomous diction in the film’s direction without breaking down what exactly made The Last Witch Hunter an unequivocal waste of 106 minutes. So let’s begin.
While many movie franchises are based off already best-selling works (Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings), The Last Witch Hunter’s entire script, believe it or not, is inspired by Diesel’s own Dungeons & Dragons character, Melkor, who is, you guessed it, a witch hunter. It’s a concept that no one besides Diesel and writer Cory Goodman asked for, and one that fails to warrant the $90 million budget Lionsgate allocated. Even with the relatively short run time, the film drags on, with a sleep-inducing middle section that could only be fended off by my own constant blinking and occasional face-slapping.
Humor is called upon to mask the action-lacking moments of the film, but the jokes are contrived softballs aimed at winning over and relating to a young demographic. Examples include jokes based on Dolan XXXVI (Michael Caine), a member of an order of priests tasked with advising Kaulder, refusing to give up pen and paper for an iPad and relating to Kaulder’s sexual escapades because, get ready for it, he wasn’t always a priest … L-O-L!
However, it’s not like the action itself is anything to be praised, filled with predictably gory battles between Kaulder and various witches and warlocks, and driven by underwhelming CGI. The visuals are jarring instead of stimulating, turning what should be terrific, triumphant battle scenes into headache-inducing, unclear sequences that caused my friend to turn to me and whisper, “Am I tripping right now?” No, friend, you’re not tripping, but if this film were indeed the sort of experience induced by a bad trip, psychedelic drug use would be lower than The Last Witch Hunter’s pending Rotten Tomatoes rating.
Perhaps most unsatisfactory is Diesel’s performance as the titular character. At times, Diesel’s acting seems like that of a friend you cast at the last minute in your high school film project. While on a crashing plane, Kaulder engages in a robotic dialogue with a witch who possesses an item necessary for him to save the plane and carries the conversation with the passion of a corpse. Equally painful is his need to insert one-line catchphrases, which causes him to inexcusably miss an opportunity to kill the Witch Queen because, before striking her with his “Witch Slayer” sword, he must utter a phrase about how the best part of him living for 800 years is that he gets to kill her twice. In terms of doing things twice, I’d rather face the mighty Kaulder and his glorious sword with no more than my scrawny 5-foot-10, 140-pound frame and a stick than rewatch The Last Witch Hunter.
The film’s ending insinuates that those involved with the making of The Last Witch Hunter expect a sequel and perhaps an entire series revolving around Kaulder’s Dungeons & Dragons-inspired universe. In reality, not even the Illuminati-powered black magic of Hollywood’s higher-ups could save The Last Witch Hunter from being the first, last and only installment of a franchise that is dead on arrival.
However, it’s not like the action itself is anything to be praised, filled with predictably gory battles between Kaulder and various witches and warlocks, and driven by underwhelming CGI. The visuals are jarring instead of stimulating, turning what should be terrific, triumphant battle scenes into headache-inducing, unclear sequences that caused my friend to turn to me and whisper, “Am I tripping right now?” No, friend, you’re not tripping, but if this film were indeed the sort of experience induced by a bad trip, psychedelic drug use would be lower than The Last Witch Hunter’s pending Rotten Tomatoes rating.
However, there is no concrete evidence to substantiate the claims of Abigail's black magic practices. The accusations were based on hearsay, paranoia, and the general fear of the unknown. It is possible that Abigail was simply a misunderstood woman, targeted by a community gripped by fear. The story of Abigail Proctor serves as a cautionary tale of how fear and superstition can lead to dangerous consequences. It highlights the dangers of mob mentality and the devastating effects it can have on innocent individuals. In conclusion, the black magic of Abigail Proctor is a tale shrouded in mystery and speculation. While there is no evidence to support the claims of her involvement in dark arts, her story serves as a reminder of the dangers of fear and hysteria..
Reviews for "The Unseen World of Abigail Proctor's Black Magic"
1. Sarah - 1 star - The Black Magic of Abigail Proctor was a total disappointment. The story was predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional and their motivations felt forced. The writing style was tedious and repetitive, making it difficult to stay engaged. Overall, I found this book to be a waste of time and would not recommend it to others.
2. John - 2 stars - I had high hopes for The Black Magic of Abigail Proctor, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The plot had potential, but it was poorly executed. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of boredom interrupted by rushed and unconvincing action scenes. The dialogue felt unnatural and cliché, making it difficult to connect with the characters. Although there were some interesting ideas presented, they were overshadowed by the overall mediocrity of the book.
3. Emily - 2 stars - The Black Magic of Abigail Proctor had an intriguing premise, but it failed to deliver a satisfying story. The writing was filled with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing, which made it difficult to immerse myself in the narrative. The plot was convoluted and confusing, and the twists felt forced and predictable. The characters lacked development and depth, making it hard to care about their fates. Overall, I found this book to be a disappointing read and cannot recommend it.