PLOT: A cult steals the Shroud of Turin for wicked purposes.
REVIEW: The Devil Conspiracy almost feels like someone saw Rosemary’s Baby and said “I can make that considerably more European.” The idea of a cult coming together to ensure the birth of the anti-christ isn’t exactly a groundbreaking concept. But they flip that on its head in an interesting way and I can’t say enough good things about how they pull it off. The film constantly knows its place, never trying to do too much. This is a cheese-fest with a fresh coat of paint. And that’s not really a bad thing.
The film is brimming with religion but even as a non-religious man, I never felt overwhelmed by it. They take every aspect in such a “Hollywood” way that even the most devout Atheist should be able to watch with ease. In fact, it actually feels more high fantasy than anything else, especially with some of the more Clash of the Titans-style bookends. I mean, the church essentially looks like some kind of Superhero cult, complete with an indestructible Priest. The pacing is a little all over the place, with some fun action followed by long stretches of nothing too exciting happening.
The acting is one of the more inconsistent parts, but it’s never distracting. The times it’s not good, it’s at least fun. Our two leads, Joe Doyle and Alice Orr-Ewing do a good job and I found myself rooting for them. And we get a ton of hammy-acting from all of the cult members. But Peter Mensah as Michael the Archangel stood out the most. His scenes are visually striking and his performance feels like that of a Greek God (I know, he’s an Angel). I could have spent considerably more time in that world. Although, that could just be my love of Jason X talking.
I was really hoping The Devil Conspiracy would do a little more with the cult. The first half of the movie really sets up this interesting group, who clearly will do terrible things for the sake of their God. But it’s really all for naught because they don’t account for much other than babysitters for the would-be mothers. Liz (Evelyn Hall) is essentially the only character in the cult that actually matters or that is even memorable. Which I suppose makes sense as she’s the only that’s given any semblance of a personality. Even if she is still pretty stereotypically evil.
The cinematography here is absolutely beautiful in a way I really didn’t expect. The shots are always interesting and filmed with such wonderful usage of contrast. A few shots are a little bit “videogamey” in their execution but, for the most part, they’re very smart with their use of Special Effects. Director Nathan Frankowski is sure to get a more high profile gig after showing how far he could stretch a buck here. There’s a beautifully violent scene towards the end that just feels like carnage on top of carnage. Given how bloodless the film is otherwise, that scene really will help satiate the gore crowd.
I had low expectations going into this and was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. There’s a cheesiness that not everyone is going to like but I beg you to at least appreciate its competency. Because what they did with a limited budget is nothing short of extraordinary. But definitely don’t go into this expecting some kind of slow-burn horror film. This is an action film that uses a Devil Cult as its bad guys. So buckle up for some religious cheese and enjoy the ride. I know I did.
The Devil Conspiracy is IN THEATERS ON JANUARY 13TH, 2023.
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