|
Devil
is the first film in the Night Chronicles, a trilogy of films based on
M. Night Shyamalan’s creepy story ideas. Finally, Shyamalan has decided
to hire some fresh, young writers and directors to realise his vision as
he steps back into the producer role. Directed by John Erick Dowdle (Quarantine,
The Poughkeepsie Tapes) and penned by the talented Brian Nelson (Hard
Candy, 30 Days of Night) Devil tells the story of a group of five
strangers who become trapped in a malfunctioning lift in a high-rise
office in Philadelphia. A mildly annoying situation soon turns sinister,
as the group realise that one of the people among them is not who they
seem and will stop at nothing until they are all dead.
Accusations fly as the threat becomes more real.
The decision to stage this supernatural
tale in the confines of an elevator was a brave one – and certainly pays
off. All five actors deliver solid performances and convey their terror
and suspicion convincingly. As they try to figure out who is responsible
for the strange and increasingly violent occurrences, the finger of
blame moves swiftly from one person to the next. Many may find it easy
to work out who is indeed the ‘devil’, but I found myself
second-guessing throughout the course of the film. Dowdle frequently
builds up an obvious character as the culprit only to pull the rug out
from underneath you just when you think you’ve figured it all out.
Devil is
an entertaining and often unsettling thriller that uses its modest
budget and limited scope to a creepy effect. However, unlike Buried
earlier in the year, Dowdle intercuts the claustrophobic elevator events
with a more unoriginal detective thriller plot line, as skeptical
homicide Detective Bowden (Chris Messina) makes every effort to free the
trapped individuals. The more impressive parts of the film occur when
the audience is left trapped in the elevator with these five shady
individuals. The sound design is so rich and textured – as soon as the
lights go out you can expect some disturbing sounds to paint a picture
for you.
Detective Bowden (Chris Messina) must channel his inner Scully to solve
this supernatural crime
Devil
certainly has its shortcomings. The conclusion is less than satisfying
and though the concept is very promising, the film seems to tread some
very clichéd ground more often than it should. The film could have been
much more interesting had the entirety of the story taken place within
the confines of the elevator. Despite this, the film is an engrossing
and often chilling supernatural tale. The next installment of The Night
Chronicles is Reincarnate, to be written by Chris Sparling (Buried)
and directed by John Stamm (The Last Exorcism). I can only hope
that this pairing will result in an even stronger entry in the
supernatural thriller genre. |
