June, unlike most of these low-budget horror films that we regularly get in our cinemas, at least looks kind of okay. There are a couple of shots that belie its low-budget roots, the camera at times capturing images that wouldn’t feel out of place in a higher caliber production. Unfortunately, that’s where its merits end. It tells a story that in spite of its simplicity, never really makes any sense. It squanders a simple premise that had the potential for something worthwhile, and ends up really suffering in comparison to much better films with similar elements.
At the start of the movie nine-year-old June (Kennedy Brice) is in the care of a terrible rural family. Her foster family treats her terribly, but what they don't know is that there is something dangerous in June. When she is emotional distress, she unleashes a destructive power that she has little control over. She is taken to another family following one of these episodes. She finds herself in the home of the Andersons (Casper Van Dien and Victoria Pratt), who offer a much more loving environment. But what is inside June will not be denied, and the couple is forced to reckon with dangerous forces as they struggle to care for their adoptive daughter.
Early on it is established that there is some kind of cult tending to the development of June and her powers. It's clear that their goal is to see June fully realize her potential. Their method to achieve this goal is pretty dubious. They seem to have full control of where she ends up. It is strange that they don't just take her in themselves, and that they involve outsiders at all. The movie continues on in this way, with the cult apparently risking discovery and failure as they allow June to function outside of their control.
Putting aside the logical lapse at the center of this story, it still isn't very compelling. There just isn't a whole lot that happens. The evil force from which June draws her dangerous power doesn't really seem all that formidable. It doesn't really do a whole lot for long stretches of the movie. It doesn't feel like the constant threatening presence that it ought to be. The movie also can’t decide if this is a movie about June, or about her parents. A late twist teases a character arc that doesn’t get played in the movie, mainly because it’s been hidden rather than dramatized.
The movie doesn’t look as terrible as similar films. One can at least say that this movie has a defined look, that the people behind actually spent some time thinking about putting together an aesthetic. Given that, it all feels kind of wasted on this story. One imagines how this visual approach might have really come to the fore if the story made any sense, or was the least bit scary. The acting is not very good. The actors are certainly trying, but with so little to work with they’re mostly left to yell out empty emotion.
June draws comparisons to Carrie, at least one of its pivotal scenes almost certainly directly inspired by some of imagery from the earlier film. It’s not a comparison that does the movie any real good. One must give this film credit for trying a little harder on the production side than your average direct-to-video horror feature. But the script is just put together really badly, and the story never really turns into something worth considering.
My Rating:
