Wednesday 29 January 2014

Devil's Due - The scoop and digest

I’ve come to the conclusion that found footage is addictive.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillet contributed to horror anthology V/H/S and now the stage is set for their supernatural socks to shine like new born stars.

Plot details and/or spoilers will be experienced behind the camera.

Living through the course of labour pain include:

Zach Gilford – Zach McCall
Allison Miller – Sam McCall
Vanessa Ray – Suzie
Sam Anderson – Father Thomas

“Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come...”
1 John: 2:18

In 2013, a man covered in blood is being interviewed by the police for presumably a murder.

Reverting back to 2012, (and not that terrible disaster movie), newlyweds Zach and Sam honeymoon in Santo Domingo and after Sam has her palm read by a fortune teller, ‘they've been waiting for you’.

Confused and somewhat slightly dazed by this revelation, they are driven to an underground bar in the middle of nowhere in particular by a charming taxi driver.

Of course you’d be so easily led, I mean it’s totally realistic.

Anyway, the booze is flowing, the music is booming and it’s all going rather well until the camera fades to black.

When we’re back online, Sam is party to a ceremonial ritual and light is soon shed.

Like any good night out, they have no previous recollection and head home.

Despite religiously taking the pill, Sam reveals she's got one in the oven and shock turns to elation.

Her first ultrasound suggests there’s no immediate issue and Later... When The TV Turns to Static, the midwife informs she’s due in March.

At home, they get the feeling like they’re been watched.

One night, Sam is fast asleep but awakes in a trance like state.  She then swiftly returns to dozy land and is dismissed as a bad dream.

When our Sam experiences a sudden nosebleed, all manner of odd things are practised.

She unofficially samples raw meat at a supermarket, her very presence causes pain for other expectant mothers at an antenatal class, gains the ability to move objects purely by the power of the mind and vandalises a reversing car with her bare hands.

Yeah well, the idiot should have been looking...

Communion arrives and at church, Father Thomas experiences a coughing fit.

Struggling to conduct the ceremony, the priest should blame Mansun and not Sam because after all, She Makes My Nose Bleed.

Getting increasingly freaked out, Zach searches for answers so plays back the honeymoon footage finding evidence of the symbol and confirms the taxi driver’s presence at communion.

At the hospital, Father is shown drawings of the symbol which prompts his heart rate monitor to rapidly increase and visiting time’s over.

During a gathering, Sam at some point receives an unmarked gift.

Who knows?  This knife might be used to perform a ceremonial ritual.

This helps her to carve the symbol on the floor of their home and when disturbed by gutting deer, teenagers take flying lessons - free of charge.

Hubby visits an abandoned House at the End of the Street and discovers CCTV footage of their home.

Suzie (who I think is Zack’s sister), confronts Sam and is eventually killed.

Several cult members surround in the pouring rain and the power of Sam proceeds to destroy the house.

Zack watches in horror as she opens up her stomach and another discharge of light ensues.

After Sam dies, the baby is removed by the cult and Zack is powerless to prevent the kidnap.

An extended scene at the police station follows and we close in gay Paris, as the taxi driver entices another couple to begin the whole cycle again.

While not abysmal, this was at best watchable.

Aside from the obvious Rosemary’s Baby similarities, that isn't really the problem.

The fake scares, sudden shouts, sporadic shit hitting the fan moments and a brief climatic set piece in the last 10 minutes or so remind of something.

Oh man, I can’t put my Paranormal finger on it but I sense an area bustling with Activity.

It even sets up video cameras stolen from the fourth and best entry.

Brown trouser tactics and general moments of unease completely fail and are about as effective as freezing meat in a lit oven.

Oh, we feel the force and whiff of Chronicle (again).

The premise behind the pregnancy itself is moderately original but the inference of global escalation spirals off the silly scale.

Using the nearest principle, The Last Exorcism is probably the best example.

Yes, not the sequel...

Despite all the criticism, your attention is held and amidst the banality, the leads deliver decent performances.

From my own trivia bank, which far more visceral horror also ends in Paris?

28 Weeks Later.

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