Social Bookmarking
[Devil]
Plot:A group of people are trapped in a elevator. After a while, they will discover that among them is present the devil itself.
Cast:Geoffrey Arend,
Bojana Novakovic,
Chris Messina,
Logan Marshall-Green,
Jacob Vargas,
Caroline Dhavernas,
Matt Craven,
Bokeem Woodbine,
Jenny O'Hara,
Kim Roberts,
Joshua Peace,
Aaron Berg,
Jay Hunter.
My Thoughts:Another cautionary tale.
Review:"Devil" is the latest product from M. Night Shayamalan. While he didn't direct the movie, he had a heavy influence over it's story, writing, and everything else. You can really see his influences in the movie also. Like for example, when the ending comes and falls flat on it's face like a clumsy girl running down a flight of stairs. But, more on that later. ''Devil" starts off with a guy apparently leaping from atop a tall building. Upon later investigation, the guy is found to have been clutching his rosary on the way down.
And the officers and detective on the scene, believe he was pushed or possibly thrown from the roof. Meanwhile, a group of the buildings employees all step into an elevator at the same time. And once the doors close, they never open again. The lights begin to go out periodically, and strange noises fill the area. This coming after the elevator just comes to a screeching halt. Now, the detectives on the outside, are investigating the strange occurances inside.
And it soon becomes known that the earlier homicide, and the now trapped elevator patrons, are both connected. But how? Why? And by who or what? If you've seen the TV Spots, the film as you already know presents an intriguing premise and story. People trapped in a dark elevator, with some creature, possibly the devil him/itself...among them. Picking them off one by one is the game here, and it all happens when the lights go out. Seems that everytime that happens, one member of the group turns up all mangled and torn to pieces. This of course sends paranoia through the group because the still-living trapped people, all believe one of them is the killer.
Are they right? Well, the movie of course waits until the end to give us this answer. But while we wait for the answer, the question...which at first starts off very strong, and rich in possibilities and potential...soon falls apart and enters a doldrumic tone. I put myself in this movie, and I'm thinking if that were me in there. I'd want some damn answers real quick as to why one guy just got murdered when the lgihts were off. Yet these people, who at times get afraid and panicky...don't do it enough.
In a film where people are trapped inside an elevator, and being picked off by an unseen force, you'd think they'd be beside themselves with fright. But this bunch were just too calm for me to take this film seriously. I mean to be honest, I saw more fear, terror, and fright...from those Umbreall Corporation employees who got trapped in that elevator at the beginning of "Resident Evil". And that scene only lasted about 5 minutes or less. Yet that carried more suspense in under 10 minutes, than a 90 minute film about people trapped inside an elevator, "Devil"...did.
This is why "Devil" fails at most of what it tries to accomplish. The film doesn't push the envelope enough. And it's a habit with M. Night movies. Always being on the edge, the cusp...of sheer terror and scares. And then pulling back for more calm and natural reactions and storylines. So, so...sad. The deaths in the film are pretty gory, but aren't seen much as they take place with the lights off. And when they occur, they lose steam. When the first death happens, you're on the edge of your seat because the way the movie plays it out is very strong.
But when you notice this constant, unrelenting pattern, of "lights out, somebody new dies"...it begins to become repetitive and boring. And at some point, you just begin to become less and less interested. And this is even after one of the films characters, who is watching this madness unfold on the elevator...begins telling stories about how the devil takes human form sometimes, and comes to earth to torment the living. However, can this film still be worth seeing despite all of these problems? Well, yeah. It does present something new to the genre.
And my motto is, bad or good, anything new and never done before, anything refreshing, is always a positive sign. So I'd say this one, ''Devil"...is worth seeing if you're tired of the same old stuff like "Resident Evil:Afterlife" where you know already going in, what you're gonna get. A loud soundtrack, lots of slow-mo and flashy fight scenes, and cool one-liners. "Devil"...for all of it's failures, including the ending...which carries some bite, but not enough to have made the whole 90 minutes worth it...atleast brings a new story to the big screen. Nice try, and I mean that. However...far from getting a cigar for it's efforts.
Positives:Nice idea for a story, decent directing, and decent casting with Vargas and Woodbine.
Negatives:"Devil" should've been far scarier than it was. There were so many opportunities to make this movie absolutely terrifying...but instead, it wusses out too often to succeed in this.
Overall:Two stars out of four.
(
Talk about it in the Forums!)
(
Back to the main page)
