Demons

Demons is a relentlessly gory and high-octane horror action film that starts off by teasing a fascinating narrative device: the "movie within a movie." This storytelling technique blurs the line between the film we are watching and the film within it, a concept explored effectively in other horror films such as Wes Craven's New Nightmare and Scream 3. However, Demons abandons this intriguing idea quite abruptly after the first act. Despite this, the film cleverly plays with the concept by having the action from the movie within the movie seem to bleed into reality.

The film kicks off with Cheryl (Natasha Hovey) and her friend getting tickets from a mysterious, cyborg-like masked man in the Berlin subway. They head to the Metropol theater, a venue shrouded in mystery. In the theater’s lobby, we see a sleek motorcycle and a bizarre mask on display—details that later become crucial to the plot. The film revels in its Italian Giallo influences, with lingering shots on sensual and stylish imagery, including a woman’s leg. This visual fetishism aligns with the Giallo genre's preoccupation with beauty, violence, and the psychopathic mindset. It's a nod to Marinetti’s Futurist manifesto, which celebrated the hyperviolent and futuristic. However, delving into such highbrow analysis might seem out of place in a straightforward horror movie review.

The narrative within the film follows a group of teenagers who disturb Nostradamus's grave. They unearth a cursed book and a mysterious mask, leading one of them to become a demon. Meanwhile, in the "real world" of the theater, a prostitute attending the screening with her pimp and another sex worker becomes demonically possessed after scratching herself with the mask from the lobby. Her transformation into a foul, razor-toothed, and strangely-eyed demon marks the beginning of a violent rampage. The film effectively shatters the fourth wall as bodies come crashing through the screen, merging the nightmarish world of the film with the reality of the theater.

What follows is an unrelenting sequence of demon-possessed murders and visceral gore. The theater’s audience, now trapped inside, desperately attempts to barricade themselves against the demonic onslaught. Cheryl and her new boyfriend George (Urbano Barberini) discover the motorcycle from the lobby and put it, along with a ceremonial sword, to gruesome use. The survivors face off against hordes of demons, including Tony the pimp (played by Bobby Rhodes, who channels a Seventies Blaxploitation vibe), amidst a chaotic backdrop of gore, slime, and mutant births. The film’s mid-Eighties soundtrack, featuring bands like Motley Crue, Accept, and Billy Idol, adds to the high-energy atmosphere, although it sometimes drowns out the film’s already frenetic pace with its blaring tunes. The soundtrack also includes the typical Eighties synth music, adding to the film’s nostalgic feel.

While the soundtrack is undeniably energetic and fitting for the era, it occasionally detracts from the film’s ability to build and maintain tension. The film introduces a large cast of characters early on, but none are developed sufficiently to evoke real concern for their fates. This lack of character depth makes it difficult for the audience to invest in their survival when they are ultimately torn apart by demons. The film’s conclusion mirrors the endings of classics like Dawn of the Dead and Night of the Living Dead, but with demons replacing zombies in the mutilation scenes.

Demons is a rollercoaster of gore and high-energy action that delivers a fun, if not particularly frightening, experience. Produced by the legendary Dario Argento, the film features impressive cinematography, music, and special effects for its time. Directed by Lamberto Bava, who chose to focus on this single story from an originally conceived trilogy, the film offers a blend of exhilarating thrills and equal parts disappointment. Despite its shortcomings, Demons remains a memorable ride through horror excess. Just remember: digging up any dead prophets is a bad idea.

Demons | Full Slasher Horror Movie | Horror Central

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