Tarot is basic. We can’t avoid that when it comes to a movie about young people touching things that they shouldn’t have touched and then ending up cursed because of it. But what it lacks in uniqueness when it comes to the whole horror plot of this movie, it makes up with some of the most stunning production design that I have seen in a movie for a very very long time. And don’t get me wrong, I love a basic horror movie. It’s nice to go into something and know what you’re going to get. But I love the fact that the official trailer for Tarot makes me want to check this movie out in the theaters just for the monsters.
In the official trailer for the movie, a group of friends violates the sacred rule of tarot readings aka never use someone else’s deck. When they find the deck, there isn’t even hesitation from most of them. What harm could it possibly do to read someone’s fortune from a set of cards with a pentagram on it? Right? Wrong! As each of the friends gets their tarot reading, they “unknowingly unleash an unspeakable evil trapped within the curse cards.” And the more that you watch the trailer, the more you come to understand that each card is uniquely tied with a specific monster that will come for the person who the card was dealt for.
This is where it gets good. Because most monsters in the last decade or so have been basic. Same old song and dance with no creativity if I’m being honest. But thanks to Trevor Henderson, the creator of Siren Head, we’ve got eight unique and different monsters in Tarot. Over on X (previously known as Twitter) Henderson confirmed that he was asked to be the sole designer of the monsters you see in the trailer a couple of years ago. And even though we only see a couple of them in the official trailer, you can tell that there was love and intention put into their design. From the high priestess to the jester with his changing face, they are unique and terrifying.
There’s also the actual deck to take into consideration. This is something that fans will absolutely want to own. And I think the care and attention that was put into the monsters that are coming for these dim-witted young souls, will absolutely make Tarot a cult classic even if they’re following the basic horror concept of “don’t touch that thing or you’ll die.” I also wouldn’t be surprised if characters like this inspire cosplayers. You know there are people that love niche and this is niche. I can only hope that the cast of young actors that include Avantika, Jacob Batalon, Harriet Slater, Humberly González, Larsen Thompson, Wolfgang Novogratz, and Adain Bradley let their inner scream queen out and join along for what is truly looking like a unique movie in the official trailer for Tarot.
Watch the trailer for Tarot below:
Tarot hits theaters this May.
