A Demon Within

Blue Fox Entertainment | Release Date: January 12, 2018

7.9	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 19 Ratings

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AGeekNamedBobJan 13, 2018

Well here it is, folks. The first truly bad movie of the year. Insidious: The Last Key was underwhelming, and Day of the Dead: Bloodline was a generic version of the best zombie movie. But, A Demon Within, the first feature from co-directorsWell here it is, folks. The first truly bad movie of the year. Insidious: The Last Key was underwhelming, and Day of the Dead: Bloodline was a generic version of the best zombie movie. But, A Demon Within, the first feature from co-directors Ayush Banker and Justin LaReau, is a film where no part of it works. The script is often stilted and buries much of it’s story. This is an exorcism movie, of which we all know there are only 2 great films - both of which have the word Exorcist in the title. But they all cover the same grounds - a competition of science and faith. These facets are represented by the most bored, bland lead character since Birdemic: Shock and Terror, Dr. Jeremy and priest Father Daniel. Dr. Jeremy is presented as the lead, but he really has nothing to do with the plot. He’s an emotionless alcoholic (his favorite brand “Tony’s Finest Bourbon” is as front and center as JB’s in The Thing); later we find out why he doesn't emote - when he has to it’s very silly. How it goes would be just about the same with or without him. His daughter was previously possessed by the demon who takes teenager (I think ?) Charlotte; but this is buried until the final act, makin the audience to wonder “why is he here?” Charlotte and her mom Julia just moved to town. Why? Who knows,they just did. But props to them for having their house fully unpacked and set up within 24 hours. Why wouldn’t really matter for the plot, but it would for the characters. But we know nothing, so we don’t care. Patricia Ashley is given an “and introducing” credit, and likely a “goodbye to” based on her performance. Pre-possession, no line readings work, feeling one-take-and-done. It gets worse (or better if you feel like laughing) upon possession. No step-by-step Regan possession, no - she’s now fully possessed and decides to speak as bored and mechanical as she can. Too bad her mother Julia barely notices as she tries to bone Dr. Jeremy. That’s the thing. No one really contributes to furthering the film. Charlotte is possessed and no one notices so the film just limps along until the last fifteen minutes when it’s realized “oh hey, something's wrong with Charlotte.” Thus, there is no build, no rising action. We’re told “the house is evil” but never does it feel like the house is a threat. I don’t expect it exude wrongness like the Overlook, but there is never any real indication of it. It doesn’t help that there is no tension in the handful of scare sequences. I blame the camera work. The cinematography is downright awful, changing it’s manner between shots - steady medium shot with heads cut off cuts to handheld bouncy camera (mixed in are POV shots of the demon that even more found-footage). It’s very distracting of the fuzz around lights and windows that blur out everything around them. It just looks amateur; same goes with the “at businesses and the church” scenes - like they just dropped in a camera and did the scene without letting anyone else know, including the employees leading to very awkward exchanges. A Demon Within is a mess, through and through. Some of the awkward exchanges almost hit a Room level of incompetence, but doesn’t sustain enough to make for a “let’s drink and laugh” viewing. It’s a series of “why did they make this choice?” And “how the hell did 4 writers and 2 directors come up with something so bland?”
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