Heir of the Witch begins with a deliciously rich premise. Ana (Victoria U Bell) is a lowly seamstress with a nasty curse looming over her. Having left her home country of Moldova, Ana has relocated to the U.S. and made a new life for herself while caring for her dying aunt Rosie (Vanessa Neff). However, despite every effort to shake a painful family history that includes a battered mom, an abusive father, and an evil witch for a grandmother who continues to haunt her. Worst of all, nightmarish visions demand she continues the family tradition of dark magic. All of this is very promising. Unfortunately, the film becomes weighed down with melodrama and a reveal that is far more confusing than it is interesting.

As the movie begins we are introduced to Moldovian folklore explaining that if a woman dies a horrible death, she returns as a witch to pass the curse on to her female heirs. We then get to know mild-mannered Ana. Donning her mother’s modest clothes, Ana supports her and her ailing maternal aunt as a sought-after tailor. Ana works her way into the higher end of society with her talent by befriending her rich client Chloe (Deanna Rashell) and Chloe’s husband Nicholas (Ben Holtzmuller). Soon enough rich Chloe hires Ana as a personal assistant of sorts to help with “things” and Ana becomes even more familiar with Chloe’s husband Nicholas. Despite the apparent success,  a mysterious Witch (Lorayn DeLuca) continues to haunt. Will Ana ever be able to escape her family’s dark legacy of pain to find true happiness? We get that answer and much more.

Victoria U Bell, writes, directs, and stars in Heir of the Witch. Her efforts are on full display as she juggles multiple disciplines admirably. Her turn as Ana is a solid one. She shows an impressive range throughout the film that keeps you engaged. I do have to say, though, that the writing and directing aren’t as consistent. Bell has a rather sophisticated story to tell about breaking the chain of inherited abuse enrobed in a witch movie. That is the utility of horror, after all, to process the unthinkable through a fantastic lens. The problem is that the elements don’t marry. We have a great story about an evil witch that represents a haunting past. Then we have a confusing melodrama between Chloe, Nicholas, and Ana that muddles the tone of the film and alienates us from the protagonist.

That said, there are some truly savage moments of horror that make the movie worth a look. The design of the titular witch and her slithering tongue is the stuff of nightmares. There is also copious gore when called for and a final scene that left this viewer with a wonderfully uneasy feeling. Bell has talent and an obvious drive to create. She also knows how to pull a fantastic team together to get a film made. But with Heir of the Witch, Bell gets lost in the weeds of a supporting plot that doesn’t support the narrative. Heir of the Witch is an admirable effort whose spell doesn’t quite work.