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[REVIEW] Demon Knight (1995) Is A Delightful Character Actor and Special Effects Extravaganza

The film follows a transient named Brayker, who after being run down by a mysterious cowboy, ends up at a church-turned-boarding house with seven strangers. It’s soon revealed that Brayker and his pursuer, The Collector, have been in a game of cat and mouse for decades: The Collector is an immortal demon, who wants to take a holy artifact from Brayker for himself. Destiny itself has brought these people together, and if it means killing everyone in the boarding house to get the relic back, The Collector won’t shy from that method.

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Despite being a massive horror fan, I have to admit that I don’t really have comfort horror films. I have a catalog a mile long of horror films I admire greatly, films I would consider the best of all time. But the ones I specifically rewatch because they make me feel outright comfortable or lift my spirits are few and far between.

I don’t have many outside of Demon Knight, at least.

It’s got everything I like in a horror movie: wild effects, lots of intricate supernatural lore, a whip-smart pace, and an insane amount of character actors reading off of a very fun script. It feels a lot like a campier version of Legion, but if I really had to sell someone on Demon Knight quickly, I would say that above all else it feels like the Raimi movie Sam Raimi never actually made. It’s gooey, goofy, fun in that distinct style few directors can emulate.

The film follows a transient named Brayker, who after being run down by a mysterious cowboy, ends up at a church-turned-boarding house with seven strangers. It’s soon revealed that Brayker and his pursuer, The Collector, have been in a game of cat and mouse for decades: The Collector is an immortal demon, who wants to take a holy artifact from Brayker for himself. Destiny itself has brought these people together, and if it means killing everyone in the boarding house to get the relic back, The Collector won’t shy from that method.

Demon Knight was the first full-length Tales from the Crypt film, and the first in an intended trilogy that was being planned out by Universal Pictures. After the abysmal sequel Bordello of Blood bombed both critically and financially, Tales from the Crypt has been on the backburner ever since. It might be a bit dramatic to say that Bordello was so bad it killed the franchise, but it certainly didn’t help the legacy of the series. Which is a shame because Demon Knight is a really enjoyable film, and it deserves sequels like it in that irreverent, slightly immature style of horror that Tales from the Crypt is known for. It’s got the energy of Tales from the Crypt’s very origins, the feel of an old-timey horror comic book; this is something the film plays up to and even acknowledges in its most stylized sequence.

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The cast, led by William Sadler (playing Brayker) and Jada Pinkett Smith (playing criminally underrated final girl Jeryline) are phenomenal. It’s the aforementioned character actor Olympics here, as everyone is bringing the full force of their “‘isms” to the table. By which I mean, the little acting quirks they’re known for; for instance, the most notable Saddler-ism being William Sadler’s very breathy and dramatic acting breaks out when it’s time to get dire. Pinkett Smith spends the entire runtime giving her signature “Are you serious?” stare, Dick Miller doing his iconic little laugh that makes you feel like you’re talking to your grandpa who just pulled a quarter from behind your ear. And of course, it wouldn’t be CCH Pounder if she wasn’t being a Terminator-level hard-ass on the people around her, even when her whole arm has been ripped off and she shouldn’t be able to talk let alone walk. It’s very endearing to watch if you’re familiar with them from other films, and it’s a little cozy in its familiarity, which I can appreciate. It’s in these little quirks you start to really enjoy their characters and begin rooting for them, as they become unwitting pawns in a chess game between heaven and hell.

The cream of the crop here, though, is Billy Zane, who is genuinely explosively charming and violently funny as The Collector. He’s a human cartoon in his physical performance, with the appeal of Him from Powerpuff Girls wrapped into the physique of a 90’s fashion model. He’s an eldritch abomination you don’t trust at all but can’t help but find charming because of how charismatic he is. He just makes you want to smile a little with each of his quips. The Collector is an all-time villain trapped in a mostly forgotten movie; like the lineage of demons he’s supposed to be spawned from, trapped in darkness, there’s a stupendous character hidden in this film that not many people have seen, and that’s the true crime of Demon Knight’s general obscurity. Free Billy!

Regarding the film’s special effects, Demon Knight spared no expense in creating The Collector’s cohorts of slimy little hellspawn. The film has some impressive work for the reported time and budget constraints they had between sudden rewrites, and it’s mostly thanks to Todd Masters, an SFX maven who’s worked on everything from James Gunn’s Slither to Denis Villenueve’s Dune (he rescued the film’s Pumpkinhead-inspired creatures from being replaced with guys in suits, a version of the demons he jokingly called ‘the Blues Brothers’). Outside of some sparing digital effects and glowy rotoscopes for exploding demon eyes and magical blood, the film is 99% practical, and it’s top-tier stuff. Ernest Dickinson’s directing of not just the actors, but of these effects and the creatures make for an exciting film that reminded me of Raimi’s work heavily in the visual energy it packs.

I struggled quite a bit to find things I don’t like about Demon Knight. It’s hard to critique something in my usual mode when all you have to say is positive. Maybe it’s the comfort film bias, or maybe it’s because it’s actually a real hidden gem. Maybe it’s because it has one of the craziest heavy metal compilation albums for a soundtrack. Regardless of the reason, you should take this rundown of the film’s strengths as a full-throated endorsement of Demon Knight and watch it as soon as possible.

Happy watching horror fans!

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Luis Pomales-Diaz is a freelance writer and lover of fantasy, sci-fi, and of course, horror. When he isn't working on a new article or short story, he can usually be found watching schlocky movies and forgotten television shows.

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‘The Innkeepers’ (2011) Review: Ti West’s Horror Gem

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A little over a year ago, I had the opportunity to catch a new film that reminded me of one of the films that sparked my interest in analyzing films in the first place. Sweet Relief was a fun and well-crafted modern mumblegore film that brought Ti West’s The Innkeepers back into my mind. I first watched The Innkeepers shortly before leaving for college, and I was stunned by how incredibly effective it was. To celebrate Dark Sky Select’s 4K steelbook release of The Innkeepers, I decided to give the film a well-deserved rewatch.

The Innkeepers: A Haunting Ghost Story

The Innkeepers follows Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy), the last two employees of The Yankee Pedlar Inn. Claire and Luke find themselves working during the hotel’s last week in operation. They also happen to be amateur ghost hunters. Due to the small number of guests, Claire and Luke have some time to put their ghost hunting tools to good use. As the hunting begins, the terror checks in. Is there more to this ghost story than meets the eye?

Before his flashy slasher trilogy, Ti West’s films had a darker, more personal feel to them. After wowing audiences with his satanic panic masterpiece The House of the Devil, Ti West tackled the true terrors of the supernatural. As much as I adore Ti West, this would be his last film that perfectly balances style and substance. Obviously, the goal of an artist is to grow and transform as a filmmaker, but this feels like West’s last intimate film.

Mumblegore Dialogue: Natural and Grounded

The Innkeepers keeps with the mumblegore-like dialogue West was so great at creating. There’s still that improvisational, but naturalistic, feel to their words. And while the situation becomes extraordinary, the dialogue still feels grounded in reality. Somehow, for a 2011 film, West finds a way to competently direct actors in saying the words “epic” and “failblog”. It’s the exposition of the film that truly sets it apart from others like it. While talking with a child in the lobby, Claire reveals the backstory of Madeline O’Malley and her untimely suicide in the hotel. It’s a small moment that could easily be a throwaway detail to provide the audience with the necessary backstory. But it’s Sara Paxton’s performance that sells the scene.

Speaking of, both Sara Paxton and indie darling Pat Healy absolutely tear it up on screen. Sara Paxton’s performance is reserved and lived in. She carries herself awkwardly, with little self-confidence, but still finds a way to be charming. Indie darling Pat Healy chews up the scenery with his Tintin-like faux hawk and a Red Bull-infused high energy. Not only do they steal their respective scenes alone, but they also play off each other like a fast-paced tennis volley.

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Supernatural Horror Done Right

Ti West’s magnum opus handles the supernatural element in a much cleaner, fascinating way than most ghost films. The slow pace highlights the mundanity of working-class life that quickly becomes tense through the creeping terror of Madeline O’Malley and her growing cohorts of terror. There’s a certain unbalanced feel to the film’s three-act structure that lends an air of authenticity to it. Whereas most supernatural films feel the need to do more, The Innkeepers understands that it’s okay to do less. It’s how the scares are delivered that sets this film apart.

If you haven’t seen The Innkeepers, then you’re truly missing out on one of the subgenre’s greatest hits. That being said, I don’t think this film is for everyone. Ti West asks a lot from his audience, and I can understand that some people won’t want to go with him on this ride. It’s talky and demands full attention. But if you’re willing to sit with the film and let it work its magic, you won’t be disappointed.

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[REVIEW] Fantastic Fest 2025: ‘Primate’ Is the Animal-Attack-Meets-Slasher Movie You Didn’t Know You Needed

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If that one scene in Nope (you know the one) wasn’t enough to convince you that owning a chimpanzee is a bad idea, Primate is here to remind you that these animals can literally rip you limb from limb. Directed by Johannes Roberts, who also co-wrote the script with Ernest Riera, the film is scheduled to release in January—and if it wasn’t on your radar before, allow me to firmly add it.

PSA: Primate Proves That Chimps Are Not Pets (But They Are Great Slasher Killers)

Primate begins with a pre-credits scene introducing us to the danger: a vet has been called to check in on a chimp named Ben that isn’t feeling so hot, only to discover the hard way that the super-strong animal has gone rabid. It’s an evocative opening, though it does create a little timeline confusion when we jump back in time a few days to follow Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) as she returns home to Hawaii to see her family and their unusual pet.

Her late mother, we learn, worked with Ben for years before her death, and he remains a beloved member of the family, able to communicate most basic needs via the use of sign language and a special tablet. Ben is acting a little off, though, so Lucy’s father (Academy Award-winner Troy Kotsur, in a stand-out role) calls in the vet we’ve already seen die before heading out for the night.

Of course, we know that Ben has rabies, so it’s only a matter of time before he goes bananas. In the meantime, Lucy, her sister, and their friends get to living it up while they have the place to themselves. The family owns a gorgeous secluded mansion complete with a cliffside infinity pool, and if you’ve seen The Strangers: Prey at Night, you’ll know Roberts loves a pool. He quickly finds a reason to drive the young people into it and trap them there—but just because chimps can’t swim, that doesn’t mean they’re safe.

Blending Animal Attack Horror with Slasher Thrills in Primate

One of the biggest things going for Primate is its ability to blend classic animal attack horror with slasher elements. The film draws clear inspiration from Cujo, but where the Trentons were largely safe from the beast’s foaming maw (if not the sun) so long as they stayed inside their vehicle, Lucy and friends aren’t so lucky. As the tagline for Primate warns, Ben is “dangerously close to human,” which means he understands how to use tools and constantly finds creative ways to take a swipe at his prey whenever they and the audience let their guard down. The sicker the chimp gets, the more he seems to radiate a savage, all-too-human glee.

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At the same time, Roberts and Riera’s script leverages the communication gap between Ben and the family to devastating effect. Ben is so close to being able to tell them what’s wrong before his rabies progresses to the point of no return, but he doesn’t quite have the language. The fact that Lucy’s father is deaf adds an additional layer to the tragedy: we see how expressive the family is able to be through non-verbal communication, yet Ben is still isolated in his misery.

Toward the climax, however, even this form of communication starts to break down as the girls’ screams go unheard. While it feels like there’s more material that could have been wrung from this theme, it’s notable that Ben goes for the mouth more than once during his rampage, including in the film’s most memorable kill. In the end, maybe all communication is meaningless when nature decides to play a cruel prank.

Miguel Torres Umba’s Incredible Performance as Rabid Chimp Ben

This tragic aspect of the story doesn’t dampen the scares or thrills. Movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba, who portrays Ben, initially imbues the chimp with lovable warmth that makes his feverish, trembling intensity all the more frightening as the sickness takes hold. It’s a remarkable performance, one that lulls the audience into a similar state of wishful thinking to Lucy as she repeatedly reaches out to Ben in the hope that some part of the pet she loved is still in there. Primate rewards that desperate desire with brutal bites, bludgeonings, and beyond.

Primate Is a Lean, Mean, Face-Ripping Machine

Animal attack horror movies have trended hard toward sharks in the last decade (a world Roberts is no stranger to, having helmed 47 Meters Down and its sequel). It’s exciting to see a new addition to this subgenre focusing on a lesser-seen aggressor, especially one that doesn’t frame its killer creature as inherently evil, but rather a victim of both a natural blight and human foolishness. Ben should never have been put in the position he’s in—but now he’s here, it’s pulse-poundingly fun to see the damage that 100+ pounds of pure muscle can do when its brain is on fire.

Primate attacks theaters on January 9.

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