“OF THE DEVIL” (2022) GIVES US A FRESH LOOK AT POSSESSION THIS HALLOWEEN SEASON
Devil and possession have been a huge part of the horror movie industry for years. We love a good story of this genre. The devil and demons are these hidden things lurking in the shadows we can’t see. We sometimes feel their presence but at the same time are totally ignorant of the fact they may be all around us. Knowing this adds an extra thrill to what devil possession and any type of possession movies offer. They also offer a great way for horror movie actors to show range as they switch back and forth between the character or the possessed version of the character.
Such movies as “The Exorcist” franchise, “The Exorcism of Emily Rose”, and many more movies have been fan favorites throughout the years. Many people re-watch these to experience the horror they felt when they saw it for the first time or really just enjoy the storyline so much, they have to see it again. We horror fans find so much we love in movies like this and really in any horror movie we see. We are bound to find a gem or two within every horror movie that we watch. No matter the genre, no matter who is in the movies, we will jump on the bandwagon for it, depending on the storyline or what mood we are in.
This week I got the chance to watch “Of the Devil” from Kelton Jones and Uncork’d Entertainment. This movie stars Vernon Wells, Devanny Pinn, Robert LaSardo, Jonathan Stoddard, Daniela Palavecino, and includes “The Exorcist” star Eileen Deitz. The story is unique and finds a way to show that parents will do anything they can to save their child, despite the cost. The premise and summary of this movie is as follows:
“A desperate mother and father attempt to cure their eight-year-old son’s brain tumor by enlisting the help of a shamanistic healer; when the ritual results in the child being possessed by an ancient demon, the father must now face his own demons and return to his role as a former priest in order to save his son’s soul and to protect humanity from the evil that he has unleashed.”
There are a lot of build-ups to this movie when it comes to the frights, thrills and some may even say chills. The story focuses the first third on the movie getting to know our main characters Ben Cortez (portrayed by Jonathan Stoddard) and Norma Cortez (portrayed by Daniela Palvecino) and how their marriage seems to be crumbling due to the illness that their son is currently struggling with. Not only that but Ben’s sick and dying mother is also staying with them, adding more stress on top of what they are already experiencing with Alex.
No matter how many doctors they see, they are told the same thing about Alex’s condition. Nothing can be done to save him, and brain surgery will most likely cause him to die faster. Ben and Norma continue to fight over whether they should keep pursuing it or give up and let nature take its course while they enjoy their time with their son while he is still alive. All this commotion over them fighting over their son and even fighting over keeping Ben’s mother there causes their neighbor June Summers (portrayed by Eileen Deitz). She and Norma sit down to talk about what is going on with Alex when June suggests that she see a shamanistic healer she knows (portrayed by Robert LaSardo) that could be helpful in curing Alex. With no other choices left for them, Ben and Norma decide this may be what is best for Alex and decide to pursue June’s advice.
What follows when they get back from Alex’s bizarre treatment is a good hour or more worth of insanity, devil worship, and possession. Alex starts to show signs of being possessed by torturing the family, his ailing grandmother, and even their neighbor June. The type of horror in this movie reminds me a bit of what it would be like if “The Omen” and “The Exorcist” had a baby, then decided to put it on the big screen. Now, I am not saying that is a bad thing, but the way the movie portrays everything very much feels that way in the best possible way. There are jump scares that even made a veteran horror fan like me jump by being caught off guard. I pride myself on knowing when a jump scare is about to happen, but there are a couple that totally threw me off.
Even the last 45 minutes of the film felt insane, scary, and oddly weird with how they were executed. The cinematography was done well, the cast seemed to clearly work well off each other, and I will say the plot provided its own unique way of tying in a possession/devil worshiping wasn’t the typical portrayal that we have seen in countless movies before this one. If you haven’t noticed already, my recommendation for watching this movie is obvious. I would definitely suggest checking this movie out.
The great thing about horror movies and Halloween is that you are going to want to consume as many movies as you can to keep those dark and tortured need for entertainment feeling fed. October is not only a great time for you to re-watch some of the classic horror movies that you have seen in the past, but to give ones you have never seen a chance. There are so many great horror gems out there within the last year that have surprised me and surpassed my expectations. My philosophy (as I have mentioned in many articles in the past) is that every movie (especially horror) deserves at least one watch. Considering the spooky season has already started, you can add this one to your mix or collection. This is also one I would highly suggest watching in the dark, as that provided a great ambiance for my viewing experience.
“Of the Devil” from Kelton Jones and Uncork’d Entertainment is now available on VOD. Be sure to add it to your roster of horror movies to watch this Halloween season.
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