FrightFest UK 2024: "THE DAEMON" (2024) Awakens Something Amazing And Terrifying (REVIEW)
Bodies of water are oddly underutilized in the horror genre these days. We aren’t talking about the 23rd entry of the Sharknado series or the many iterations, but rather horror movies that take place on more remote and local bodies of water like lakes or rivers. Sure, they may not be as menacing as the vastness of an ocean, but therein also lies the intrigue. What if something is below these seemingly innocuous watering holes, and what if that something is far worse than anything you can imagine in the ocean? In “The Daemon” from Co-Writers/Directors Matt Devino and David Michael Yohe, we get to find out what lurks below. But is it worth seeking out or is it a journey better not taken?
WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
Haunted by the aftermath of his father's suicide, Tom abandons his wife and seeks refuge at the lakeside cottage where his father met his tragic end. There, his tormented memories from childhood resurface, all intricately connected to an ancient, mystifying force lurking beneath the lake's depths, driving Tom inexorably toward madness. As Tom's communication dwindles into eerie silence, Kathy, desperate to rescue her husband, enlists the help of her brother Mark, a struggling entrepreneur, and Mark's compassionate yet inexperienced wife, Jess, a trauma and grief counselor. Unaware of the sinister malevolence seeping from the lake, Tom becomes a willing vessel for the same evil that claimed his parents and now threatens all who dare draw near.
HOW IS IT?
Many movies and fans will throw around the term “Lovecraftian” with almost reckless abandon simply because a film dabbles in cosmic horror. What those loosely adjacent comparisons miss is that what makes something “Lovecraftian” isn’t just the cosmic, it is how the cosmic shows up in even the most mundane of circumstances. Like in “The Colour Out of Space”, the effect of this otherworldly occurrence happens to a family living in the middle of nowhere, isolated from the bigger and more populous world around them. It is pitting the fear of armageddon against the least ready and likely of folks to see how this affects them. This is what makes “The Daemon” one of only a handful of films in recent memory that can truly be bestowed the title of “Lovecraftian”. It takes a slow-burn approach to haunting and eerie material and delivers a third act that doesn’t just satisfy, it blows expectations right out of its cursed lake waters.
A slightly jarring opening becomes more coherent as we begin to learn that Tom (Tyler Q Rosen) has recently lost his father causing him to drop everything, including his wife, Kathy (Sara Fletcher) with nothing more than a message to stay away. From there, Kathy recruits her brother Mark (Oscar Wilson) and his partner Jess (Adriana Isabel) to go after Tom at the childhood lakeside home where he returned to. That setup leads to a series of weird and unfortunate occurrences involving the lake and why people seem to be mystically attracted to it. That’s about where we stop because anything further would venture into spoiler territory and “The Daemon” deserves to be experienced. The first standout is the technical aspects of the filmmaking. “The Daemon” looks amazing, with sweeping establishing shots and long takes that demonstrate a skillful eye for using the camera to enhance mood and tension rather than just report it. Credit to Cinematographer J.R. Kraus and Co-Directors /Co-Writers Matt Devino and David Michael Yohe for perfectly capturing the misty and moody atmosphere that the isolated and ominous lake setting evokes. This helps a lot to keep one interested as this is most certainly a slower-burn affair, but done effectively through interesting character tensions, subtle humor, and again some outstanding camerawork. All of which serves up one of the best third acts we’ve seen in a long time.
The problem so many independent and slow-burn genre films have is that they either don’t give the payoff soon enough or hard enough. For slow-burn films, the payoff is essential and can drag down an otherwise great production if not nailed correctly. “The Daemon” knows this and seems to be clued into the same kind of thinking because it doesn’t just deliver, it over-exceeds. From massive set pieces to intimate and shocking moments of brutality and hallucinogenic mind-trips “The Daemon” gives it all and then some to round out the last 20 minutes and leave you with your cosmic jaw on the floor. It brings back to mind flashes of the late Stuart Gordon’s “Dagon”, only in reference not in style as “The Daemon” is smaller in scope, but not lacking in dread. The performances are also pitch-perfect for the respective characters and their various arcs. Without the overuse of exposition, we still become familiar and friendly with these people without having to belabor too much on backstories that don’t serve a purpose. Everything in “The Daemon” is intentional and efficient, which is something a lot of modern horror films could learn from.
LAST RITES
“The Daemon” is a shoo-in for one of our favorite horror films of 2024. It captures the tone, looks, and grandness of “Lovecraftian” cosmic horror while avoiding the trappings of an underwhelming third act with killer practical effects and masterful tension.
THE GORY DETAILS
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Where can you watch it?
The Daemon premiered at FrightFest UK 2024 on August 25, 2024. Future wide release TBD.
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