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Starring Jonathan Stoddard, Daniela Palavecino, Eileen Dietz, Vernon Wells, Robert LaSardo, Roslyn Gentle, Vicki Gunvalson, Robi Austin, Annabel Barrett, Brennen Bunn, Clint Carney, Heidi Carney, Otis Johnson, Dekland Jones, Kelton Jones, Zeke Jones, Colin Koth, Lauren Louis
Following the diagnosis of their son Alex (Lucas Sequeira), Ben and Norma (Jonathan Stoddard and Daniela Palavecino), go to extreme lengths in order to provide for him. The medical field fails them, so the family decides to travel to Mexico in order to receive more radical treatment. The methods used by the witch doctor (Robert Lasardo) seem to be killing Alex instead. He latest seems fine on the flight back home, but begins acting strangely, as if possessed by some sort of evil force. This, along with other paranormal events leads Ben and Norma to take Alex to a priest (Vernon Wells) in the hopes to save his soul.
OF THE DEVIL definitely has a few unexpected elements, but for the most part, it fits nicely into the “possession” category. Everyone involved with the film, both in front of and behind the camera, seems dedicated to their craft, but as is the problem with possession films, there’s the Herculean challenge of trying to separate oneself from THE EXORCIST, widely accepted as the greatest horror movie ever made. OF THE DEVIL does this too, and is not very subtle about it since it even has Eileen Dietz, the actress that played the Exorcist demon. Nonetheless, the narrative goes in some unusual directions and there are some genuinely electrifying sequences.
I have some level of admiration for what Bressack accomplished with the script, as he produced an interesting narrative. He does one peculiar thing after another, and even includes a startling moment in which the parents’ suspicions are validated when Alex performs a mass ritual murder in the backyard. Actors Jonathan Stoddard and Daniela Palavecino Manage to fetch some sympathy from the audience as the parents of a child with a tumor, and later, a child with a stolen soul. It is also nice to spot Robert Lasardo and Vernon Wells, but their appearances are more like publicity stunts. Lucas Segueira is adequate as the boy who is possessed.
Still, the movie saves itself from hitting THE wall when it’s climax arrives. The film’s twist was to feature a certain horned angelic figure, but that comes across as rather silly. Instead of appearing seamless, OF THE DEVIL looks like an incoherent collage of good ideas that were stamped together haphazardly. To make an impact in a genre that’s already saturated with posession films is pretty astonishing, yet OF THE DEVIL fails to do so.
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