countchocula
09-29-2002, 12:23 AM
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000IBRK.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg
SPOILERS
A movie theater is besieged by bloodthirsty demons. There’s your synopsis. Yeah, subplots do exist, but they may as well be absent from this film. More on that later. Demons is a lopsided affair. On one hand, you have inane plot holes, incoherent storytelling, and putrid acting; on the other hand, you have creative gore, stylish, kinetic directing, and a fun, b-movie atmosphere. As lopsided as it is, the cons are almost completely obscured by the pros. I’ll never be able to figure out what was going through Lamberto Bava’s head when he helmed this demonic escapade. He was obviously shooting for style over substance, but what isn’t clear, is how he could let certain gaping plot holes fester on the celluloid. Shit, where do I begin? How about the fickle usher? During the first act, she appears to be in cahoots with the “dark forces,” but as the flick progresses, she acts no differently from any other victim. It’s almost as if Argento and Bava simply changed their minds halfway through production. Another subplot that is left dangling is…The Adventures of Four Irrelevant Cokeheads. For quite some time, the film cuts between the action in the theater to a group of “rebels” riding in their car, and snorting coke from a can of Coke. We’re led to believe that these characters will play a crucial role in the closing stages. Why else would we be spending so much time with them? Well, we’re proven wrong. They’re all eventually dispatched, and their collective screen time feels a bit negligible. But the cokeheads are fun to watch. One is a Sylvester Stallone knockoff, one is a slut who has “snow in the valley,” and the other two are interchangeable. Their dialogue is a riot. Sure, my IQ dropped a few points just from watching them, but losing brain cells has never felt any better! There’s also some guy in a mask whose purpose is indecipherable. During the climax, a helicopter crashes through the roof. Where in the fuck did this thing come from??? I was dumbfounded at this point, which is when I realized that none of these idiocies mattered much. I rented/later bought this film for senseless violence and mindless entertainment. In that department, Demons delivered…
We’re treated to some mighty fine bloodshed here. Eye gouging, throat ripping, scalp removing; you name it, it’s present. The special effects are exceptional. We get a nifty transformation scene that would hold up even in today’s climate of excessive CGI. However, the characters are outdated. The entire cast is painfully stereotypical, and I could barely warm up to anyone. Thankfully, Tony the pimp is in attendance. His “no bullshit” attitude livened up the proceedings, and gave me someone to root for. I’m assuming that Bava took note of his charisma. Seeing as how likeable characters are frowned upon in this flick, Tony is offed within the first hour. Sadness. Who does this leave us with? Annoying couples, the guy in the mask, and a slew of faceless extras. The third act was destined to be uneventful. The pace slows to a crawl, melodrama takes center stage (“You have to kill me! I’m turning into a demon!” “No, I can’t do it!”), and the violence…becomes implied? What happened? A guy on a motorcycle is slicing up demons with a sword. This sequence has splatter written all over it, but the camera evades the carnage. Disappointing, since extravagant gore kept the first hour slick and impulsive.
This review has consisted mainly of griping, but don’t misconstrue my bloodlust. I love Demons. It manages to remain fresh with repeated viewings, and allows me to deflate my brain for 90 minutes. For me, this film solidified that Italian genre filmmakers are not stable individuals.
My rating-3.5/5
SPOILERS
A movie theater is besieged by bloodthirsty demons. There’s your synopsis. Yeah, subplots do exist, but they may as well be absent from this film. More on that later. Demons is a lopsided affair. On one hand, you have inane plot holes, incoherent storytelling, and putrid acting; on the other hand, you have creative gore, stylish, kinetic directing, and a fun, b-movie atmosphere. As lopsided as it is, the cons are almost completely obscured by the pros. I’ll never be able to figure out what was going through Lamberto Bava’s head when he helmed this demonic escapade. He was obviously shooting for style over substance, but what isn’t clear, is how he could let certain gaping plot holes fester on the celluloid. Shit, where do I begin? How about the fickle usher? During the first act, she appears to be in cahoots with the “dark forces,” but as the flick progresses, she acts no differently from any other victim. It’s almost as if Argento and Bava simply changed their minds halfway through production. Another subplot that is left dangling is…The Adventures of Four Irrelevant Cokeheads. For quite some time, the film cuts between the action in the theater to a group of “rebels” riding in their car, and snorting coke from a can of Coke. We’re led to believe that these characters will play a crucial role in the closing stages. Why else would we be spending so much time with them? Well, we’re proven wrong. They’re all eventually dispatched, and their collective screen time feels a bit negligible. But the cokeheads are fun to watch. One is a Sylvester Stallone knockoff, one is a slut who has “snow in the valley,” and the other two are interchangeable. Their dialogue is a riot. Sure, my IQ dropped a few points just from watching them, but losing brain cells has never felt any better! There’s also some guy in a mask whose purpose is indecipherable. During the climax, a helicopter crashes through the roof. Where in the fuck did this thing come from??? I was dumbfounded at this point, which is when I realized that none of these idiocies mattered much. I rented/later bought this film for senseless violence and mindless entertainment. In that department, Demons delivered…
We’re treated to some mighty fine bloodshed here. Eye gouging, throat ripping, scalp removing; you name it, it’s present. The special effects are exceptional. We get a nifty transformation scene that would hold up even in today’s climate of excessive CGI. However, the characters are outdated. The entire cast is painfully stereotypical, and I could barely warm up to anyone. Thankfully, Tony the pimp is in attendance. His “no bullshit” attitude livened up the proceedings, and gave me someone to root for. I’m assuming that Bava took note of his charisma. Seeing as how likeable characters are frowned upon in this flick, Tony is offed within the first hour. Sadness. Who does this leave us with? Annoying couples, the guy in the mask, and a slew of faceless extras. The third act was destined to be uneventful. The pace slows to a crawl, melodrama takes center stage (“You have to kill me! I’m turning into a demon!” “No, I can’t do it!”), and the violence…becomes implied? What happened? A guy on a motorcycle is slicing up demons with a sword. This sequence has splatter written all over it, but the camera evades the carnage. Disappointing, since extravagant gore kept the first hour slick and impulsive.
This review has consisted mainly of griping, but don’t misconstrue my bloodlust. I love Demons. It manages to remain fresh with repeated viewings, and allows me to deflate my brain for 90 minutes. For me, this film solidified that Italian genre filmmakers are not stable individuals.
My rating-3.5/5