In the chilling corridors of the supernatural, few spiritual items evoke as much eerie curiosity as tarot cards. They are at the heart of the new horror movie Tarot. The film stars Spider-Man's Jacob Batalon, who's best known for his role as Ned Leeds in that series. The creative minds behind this new scary flick, Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, weave a tale of a group of friends who unwittingly release a malevolent force hidden within these cursed cards. Batalon brings a dash of humor to the thriller and, in a recent interview with CinemaBlend, he opened up about not being superstitious but revealed two things he is particularly wary of.
Cinemablend's Mike Reyes had the pleasure of speaking with Jacob Batalon, who offered insights into his perspective on the eerie themes of Tarot. Directed by Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg, known for their work on the fictional podcast series Classified, this film marks their directorial debut and heavily incorporates tarot symbolism. But, as mentioned, Batalon revealed that he has no superstitions about the tarot cards. He also discussed whether any of his fellow cast members felt any apprehensions about the film's supernatural elements:
Yeah, it's all real stuff. Luckily, tarot in and of itself is not inherently like dangerous in terms of spiritual connection. But, you know, I feel like the cast really loved, especially the girls, really enjoyed the whole tarot and all those things. And I think someone wanted to play with a Ouija board. And I immediately was like, ‘Do not bring that thing anywhere near me or the set or just please put that idea down or wait till you get home.’ Because I know like spirits attach themselves to like dark, sad energy. I’m afraid of ghosts. So, I would bring one home for sure.
So, while the cards don't exactly send a chill down his spine, Ouija boards are something he's not too keen on. The same is true for ghosts as well. And, honestly, I can understand that. Our own Mike Reyes humorously reminded the young actor of the importance of closure when dealing with one of those boards. The Lift star then added:
Always, always. But sometimes people just leave the board, and it’s just like… why? All you have to do is say bye, and it’s done like I don’t… yeah, but [laughs].
Fair enough, Mr. Batalon. I wouldn’t want to mess with an Ouija board, whether it was to say only hi or bye! You can keep ‘em away from me as well.
Critic reactions to Tarot have not been kind, so it's unlikely it will join the ranks of best horror movies of all time. The movie is currently sitting at 12% on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes, with many pointing out that the story is very cliche. In CB's own review of Tarot, Eric Eisenberg shared this sentiment, calling it a “cliché-ridden supernatural slasher operating with a broken premise.”
The film -- previously titled Horrorscope (which is more interesting) -- is based on a 1992 novel by Nicholas Adams. The book centers on a serial killer who selects his victims based on their zodiac signs. However, Spenser Cohen and Anna Halberg have opted for a narrative that echoes the suspense and structure of the Final Destination franchise. This shift isn't inherently good or bad but doesn't necessarily offer more originality than Adams' concept. Moreover, fans of the book may find little familiarity in the film's plot.
Although the reception has been mixed, Jacob Batalon is a standout in the movie, and it's interesting to hear his thoughts on the supernatural. It'd be great to see the star in more horror far and to get his take on other supernatural objects or entities that may or may not spark creepy moments.
If you want to see his latest performance, Tarot is part of the 2024 movie schedule and is currently showing in theaters near you. Alternatively, if you're in the mood to see more of Jacob Batalon, you can watch him as Spidey’s “Man in the Chair” in the beloved Spider-Man series, as two of the films are available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription.
