31 Days of Halloween - Bonus Post - Demonic (2005)

The cover art; the best thing about the movie.

Filmed as Forest of the Damned by any name, it is an ineptly made snoozefest. It has an interesting premise - that a forest in England is inhabited by angels cast out of Heaven for having sexual feelings - but that's it. I saw the cover art on Netflix - a nasty looking demon face with huge fangs - and thought "why not, it's Netflix." Well, this movie answers that question. Why not? Because some films are so bad, they shouldn't be seen.

The film is populated with one-note, stereotypical characters, not out of place in an early '80s slasher movie. The story meanders about, with no coherency beyond the initial setup (mini-van full of unappealing twenty-somethings stranded in woods with monsters). The conclusion, with the only survivor now helping the angels get victims, has no rational; it just happens because, as everyone knows, movies are better with a twist ending....right?

The uninspired camera work drifts between dull static shots and spastic cutting, with a few night vision scenes tossed in at random. There is a wasted appearance by Tom Savini. Usually, Savini seems to be having fun when he's on screen; here, he just seems to be waiting for his paycheck. The film crew manages to make the fallen angels - all women, who are naked throughout the movie - look completely unappealing. It is clear they are not supposed to be and that the actresses are attractive; they are just filmed so poorly that they look pale and anorexic. The film does have a few decent gore sequences, so I will give the effects team a nod; but it is not enough to counteract the tedium.

Avoid at all costs.