The Power
The Power

Movie spotlight

The Power

1984
Movie
84 min
English

A man comes into possession of an ancient Aztec doll. However, the doll is possessed by an evil spirit, which takes over his body.

Insights

IMDb5.5/10
Director: Robert L. StevensonGenres: Sci-Fi, Thriller

Plot Summary

A young girl with latent psychic abilities is targeted by a shadowy government organization that wants to weaponize her powers. As they hunt her, she must learn to control her growing abilities to survive and expose their sinister agenda. She finds an unlikely ally in a disillusioned scientist who believes in her potential.

Critical Reception

The film received mixed to negative reviews upon its release, with critics often citing its convoluted plot and underdeveloped characters. However, some found its premise intriguing and praised the performances of its younger cast members. It gained a cult following over time for its ambitious, albeit flawed, exploration of psychic phenomena in a Cold War context.

What Reviewers Say

  • The film struggles with pacing and a predictable narrative.

  • The concept of latent psychic powers is interesting but not fully realized.

  • Performances, particularly from the younger cast, are a highlight.

Google audience: Audience reviews are scarce, but those available generally point to a film that was ambitious for its time but ultimately fell short in execution, with some viewers appreciating its sci-fi elements and others finding it dated and unconvincing.

Fun Fact

Director Robert L. Stevenson, known for his Disney films like 'Mary Poppins' and 'The Love Bug', took a departure from his usual family-friendly fare with this darker, more adult-oriented sci-fi thriller.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
ZenosParadox

ZenosParadox

Hi, so this started out well enough; same as a dozen other evil idol dolls, but they made the possession/death interesting. About 1/2 way through, and the reason I went out of my way to come write this, either something happened post releas...

Wuchak

Wuchak

**_Enjoyable, but unexceptional mystery/horror about a potent Mesoamerican relic_** An Aztec idol, Destacatyl, ends up in the hands of three high School students on the coast near Los Angeles. After an unexpected death, the trio seeks th...