Film Filter: Off - Devil So this is the first film I reviewed that received the highest rating, and a lot of that has to do with my preference. I have developed a category of film that I have become enthralled with entitled "theological thrillers", of which this film is a part. I find that movies that have some sort of satanic, apocalyptic, or possessed theme tend to be more successful in frightening me, so pardon me if I may be a little partial toward them.
Pros: So when I described this movie to many people who haven't seen it, I heard a lot of "Oh, it's M. Night Shyamalan, so I'm not really interested." I can't say I completely disagree with this sentiment, but I would like to reassure you that this film does not have an overt Shyamalan stamp on it. Yes, you can see similarities in style if you look closely enough, but I think most people have a preconcieved notion of what the film will be like because his name is on it. If the viewer was not aware of Shyamalan as director, I don't think they would be pressed to think it reminded them of his work or that it followed themes and conviluted twists that other movies he has directed contain.
That being said, he does an excellent job of setting up the story, from beginning to end. He also does a great job of not making the few twists that occur in the storyline too far out in left field. It is a predictable enough film to be able to see where it is headed, but it leaves enough gaps in the story line to leave you wondering. Those gaps end up being resolved, however, leaving no loose ends hanging. One of the things that irks me the most in complex horror movies (which is why Insidious did not receive my star rating) is the mentioning of background story information that the viewer is not aware of...that never gets mentioned again. I tend to be very prone to details, so if I hear even the slightest mention of something not occurring right in front of me, I want to know more about it. A good story, be it horror or other genre, does not leave loose ends and this film does a good job of fitting all of that goodness into one, tight 80 minute package. It's about quality, not quantity people.
I don't really have too many cons for this movie. Yes, I could nit-pick about the acting ability of some of the characters- and I will say that you need a strong cast if you are working with a small core of main characters stuck in a central location- but it's not really worth it to me. No one did a poor job, and at the end of the day he cast the film well by using lesser known actors. Perhaps they didn't portray a character as well as some of Hollywood's more experienced, but because of this they all fell to roughly the same level of ability, allowing them not to become overshadowed by each other. This story was not made to (at least in the elevator cast) have a distinct hero, villain, or stand-out in any way. The less attetntion that gets drawn to them, the less apt the audience is to successfully discover the possessed individual. So, the con ultimately becomes a pro, and the world is right again.
I would highly recommend this movie if you, like I, enjoy a good theological thriller.
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