We begin in a club full of sweaty bodies dancing and grinding away. The night is young and so are they. That’s when the descent begins, down into the depths below the club. Members of a cult are gathered and there is a young woman strapped across a table. She is begging to be released, but they are doing the will of something beyond this world. So they start digging into her skin . . .
. . . and pull out a fingernail-shaped egg of somesort.
The weirdness is just beginning as director Kelton Jones’ Of The Devil, featuring The Exorcist’s Eileen Deitz, takes flight upon the wings of a blue butterfly which has hatched from what was pulled out of the girl’s stomach.
And the effects OF THE DEVIL will soon spread to a little boy, playing in his yard as he dares touch the butterfly now free from the cocoon. Like so many before him, Alex (Lucas Sequeira, In the Death Room) knows not what he’s done. But the effects leave him with the lasting effects of brain cancer. And it is advanced, surprising everyone, including his parents Ben (Jonathan Stoddard, Await the Dawn, Last Night on Earth) and Norma (Daniela Palavecino, The Fighter, Toro Loco: Bloodthirsty) who are struggling to keep the spark in their own marriage going.
Soon enough, Alex is talking to people only he can see! Uh oh. It is in these moments where the film absolutely POPS, coming alive with dark intentions. The visuals - which include a Christ figure mimicking wounds received on a cross - are what keeps this possession movie pushing the edges of its genre. Because, without them, much of this low budget horror flick - including the themes of family and faith - feels like a retread of what we’ve seen before.
Thankfully, we have some advice from an overly friendly neighbor (Eileen Dietz, Final Caller, The Exorcist) who suggests they take him to a Mexican surgeon (Robert LaSardo, Project Skyquake, Death Count) who might be able to treat him in a manner that the western world won’t.
Ancient demons be damned. Now, Ben must return to his ways as priest in order to prepare for the ultimate battle. While not as strong as Jones’ other films, Of The Devil certainly has its moments where the payoff in the genre comes through. It can be riveting at times, overcoming some of the limitations in the budget and in the acting, but - while the visuals are strong - the CGI blood does the movie no favors.
Of The Devil will be released August 9th via Uncork'd Entertainment. The film, penned by Jones and based on a story by James Cullen Bressack, features a cast that also includes Vernon Wells (The Road Warrior), Devanny Pinn (Crossbreed), and Robert LaSardo (The Mule).
This is an evil which should NEVER be unleashed!
MPAA Rating: Unrated.
Runtime:
Director: Kelton Jones
Writer: Kelton Jones
Cast: Jonathan Stoddard; Daniela Palavecino; Eileen Dietz
Genre: Horror
Tagline: Evil Comes in All Sizes.
Memorable Movie Quote: "You Wanted My Daddy To Die So You Could Fuck My Mommy"
Distributor: Uncork'd Entertainment
Official Site: https://www.uncorkedentertainment.com/film/of-the-devil/
Release Date: August 9, 2022
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
Synopsis: A family's attempt to cure their young son's brain tumor, results in him being possessed by an ancient demon. His father must return to his role as a former priest to save his son's soul and protect humanity from the evil that he has unleashed.
