Johnny Frank Garett’s Last Word-- My take on the movie with spoilers!

PLOT SUMMARY: After being falsely accused for murder and sentenced to death, Johnny leaves behind a letter that curses everyone who put him behind bars. 

Johnny Frank Garett’s Last Word.

Yes, that’s the title of the movie. Long as it is, I have to admit that the movie was actually decent. It had an old-world vibe, didn’t try to be too flashy or gory. This is not to say that it was a very scary movie. It actually wasn’t at all and I’m glad the movie didn’t rely on jump scares.

The movie wasn’t scary. What was scary, though, was what was happening to the characters of the movie.

A curse can be pretty powerful. When someone is hurt, what comes out of their heart (metaphorically speaking) can cause that bitterness to drill into the lives of someone who has hurt them.

JOHNNY FRANK GARETT'S LAST WORD Movie Plot 

Johnny was a simpleton, a man with an IQ level that was below 70. Someone who had been abused in the past and could hardly read or write. He was hiding away from his abusive home by helping out at the church. He seemed like a decent boy, now doesn’t he?

Except, poor Johnny is accused of murder because a psychic said she saw him murdering a nun in her vision.

Since he was working in the church, it was his fingerprints that were also found at the crime scene. In front of the jury, comprised of scared and devoted churchgoers, Johnny doesn’t stand a chance. The jury claims he is guilty and Johnny is sentenced to death.

There is one jury member- Adam, who isn’t entirely convinced of Johnny’s crimes, but he is pressurized by the other members, and ten years later, he still stays with the guilt.

On the other side, Johnny has gone crazy in the last ten years. Right before he is injected with poison, he writes a long letter at a frantic pace and purges all his hatred toward the ones who put him behind, in that one letter.

Now, Johnny couldn’t write, so how exactly did he write that letter?

JOHNNY FRANK GARETT'S LAST WORD Ending Explained with spoilers

He is seemingly possessed to the point that even the priest is afraid of him. Johnny curses the guards one last time and dies. But his curse lives on through the letter.

One by one, the jury members are haunted by vivid dreams and find unexplained dirt under their nails. They all start dying and so do their families. Adam finds the letter and finds it full of hatred towards him and his soul.

Then all of a sudden, his son collapses and is diagnosed with a heart problem. In the next forty-eight hours, Johnny’s curse will take over and the little boy will die. Adam has just until then to break the curse and absolve Johnny’s name. But getting there is going to be difficult as Adam is haunted by terrifying visions that get in his way.

While giving blood for testing, his visions cause him to break free and accidentally hurt himself. That small wound starts to get infected slowly.

Gradually, Adam learns that the psychic was lying, that the reporter had helped in making up the lies and that everyone was in on it to frame Johnny. The priest wanted to help, but no one would listen to him.

In the end, Adam kills the man responsible for the nun’s murder. However, Johnny still attacks Adam since his name is not cleared in public.

That was the only part of the movie that I didn’t get: Why didn’t Johnny see that Adam was trying to help him? Why was his spirit constantly getting in his way?

Anyway, the infection spreads and Adam dies. His son, on the other hand miraculously survives.

Johnny’s vengeful spirit is not done, however. In the last scene, he goes after the priest who appears to be haunted by malicious visions as well.

Johnny’s revenge is now complete.

This is an interesting movie, one that stays with you long after it is over. The fact that a curse can be so strong that it devours someone’s sanity and then their loves, that was extremely terrifying to watch. It helps that the characters in the movie were likeable. You do end up supporting both Adam and Johnny, even though they are shown to be on opposite sides.

A well-made movie, that should definitely be watched.