Night of the Demons (2009)

Night of the Demons (2009)

A remake of Kevin Tenney’s eponymous film from 1988, which wasn’t great to begin with. The worst part is that it became a trilogy because there is still a small community for whom this film is cult, even if it has been relatively forgotten by the general public despite its two sequels.

A direct-to-DVD film that could have given me a good time in the dark… but only deserves one point. If anything, it’s a B movie, not at all subtle in the British sense, but with crude humour.

Those who devour films all the time will say that the story has been seen and reviewed hundreds of times. But the effects are quite convincing.

But what about this young girl who, looking at a wall covered with drawings and signs, understands the whole legend and how to fight these demons! Quite pathetic.

A very gory and very sexual film. Plunging necklines and fishnet stockings abound on this Halloween night. And once again, I wonder if Halloween is meant to scare people or attract predators?

It’s always a pleasure to see the lovely Diora Baird, but what’s most striking is the physical degeneration of Edward Furlong (American History X, Terminator 2), which is sadly impressive. Furlong has fallen far to be playing in such flops. He is almost unrecognisable in this role, which seems to reflect his own persona.

Shannon Elizabeth (Scary Movie, American Pie) was also added to the cast, as if by chance! She’s not the most annoying, but she’s not a sign of good films either. It’s just nice to see her and she often makes you laugh, but she’s not a great actress. Here, she looks beautiful and is pretty good in her role as a demon.

Monica Keena, a regular in the genre who was in Freddy vs. Jason, is almost the lead actress, but it took me a while to realise this, as it’s not that obvious. She and Edward Furlong starred in another gory and brutal film three years later, Aftermath – Remnants. This film also proved the decline of William Baldwin, who had already lost his status as a sure bet in the 1990s.

As for actress Bobbi Sue Luther, she is also a model, producer and American host of the show Junkyard Mega Wars on TLC.

There are some good songs in this film, if I had to find any positives. We hear quite a bit of Bloodletting (The Vampire Song) by Concrete Blonde. But we also hear the band T.S.O.L.

‘Night of the Demons’ started off rather well with images from the past retold in silent film style, and the scene of the girls in their bedroom getting ready for Halloween night, with a certain humour that set the tone for the film. But the rest of it isn’t up to the same standard. It’s all clichéd and poorly executed. There is little originality, as director Adam Gierash draws heavily on Sam Raimi‘s Evil Dead, with numerous references: the cabin in the woods is replaced by a mansion, demons take possession of people who turn into demonic zombies and sometimes regain their human appearance, the trapdoor scene in the cellar, etc.).

The demons’ make-up is quite successful and is one of the positive points. These creatures are well done, terrifying, and the image is quite pretty, although very bloody.

The script and dialogue, on the other hand, are pretty awful. The aesthetic aspect of the work is well done for a direct-to-video film, and I also liked the Halloween-esque atmosphere overall, even if it’s based more on sex than fear. I didn’t necessarily find the first part of the film boring. However, the further it goes, the more it loses points, between demons that sometimes seem rather weak, actors who are not always convincing (often annoying, like the lead actress) and a final quarter of an hour that is frankly too heavy.

Overall, it remains entertaining and sometimes fun, even if it disappoints with its excessive irony, ultimately making this feature film rather bland and forgettable. Comparing it to Shaun of the Dead is unfortunate and inappropriate, as the latter is genuinely funny. It’s more akin to films like Lesbian Vampire Killers, Zombie Strippers, Black Sheep, Zombies vs. Strippers, Strippers vs. Werewolves, etc., which I consider pointless, but which certainly appeal to fans of B movies.

A big joke that’s meant to be funny, not scary, a film about demons and vampires that is pompous and tedious, even if the images and colours are quite beautiful.