Demons - Great Horror - Evil Pleasures

Evil Pleasures

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Demons Great Horror - Evil Pleasures

Movie Review: Demon Knight

July 12th 2010 11:14

Plot: A man (William Sadler) is protecting a mystical key, while being hunted by a demon (Billy Zane).

Demon Knight holds a special place in my heart. I remember when I first saw it, sometime in the mid-late 90's, and it scared the crap out of me. As such, I was pretty hesitant to come back to it, seeing as how poorly my other childhood memories had held up to modern scrutiny (case in point: Lost in Space... god that was a shocker). However, I am happy to report that Demon Knight is still a bitchin' movie.

Hi there. Give me your soul, please.

It centres on the story of Frank Brayker (Sadler), a mysterious loner on the run from the cops, and more importantly on the run from a powerful demon called The Collector (Billy Zane). After his car is destroyed, Brayker takes refuge at a hotel, but is soon discovered by the town sheriff, accompanied by the Collector. Realizing that his subterfuge will not secure the key, the Collector kills the sheriff, and then lays siege to the hotel in an attempt to kill (or seduce) it's occupants and obtain the key.

Acting: The cast contains some big-name actors, including Jada Pinkett-Smith (although it was just Pinkett at the time), Dick Miller

Maybe damnation isn't so bad after all

and Thomas Haden Church, as well as the two leads. However, it is Zane who steals the show with his suave portrayal. The Collector not only tries to kill everyone, but also tries to tempt them into surrendering their souls, using their deepest desires against them, and Zane's... well, haminess, is just cast perfectly in this role. Sadler and the rest of the supporting characters offer solid performances, but you will have eyes only for Zane.

Effects: Being made in the 90's, the CGI looks very dated

All right Mr. De Mille, I'm ready for my close-up

. Thankfully it's use is kept to a bare minimum, and the vast majority is done with some awesome make-up effects. The Collector's demon henchmen look suitably hiddeous, but it is the posessed humans that look truely horrendous. While the prosthetics aren't groundbreaking, they are more than enough to disgust and entertain.

Script: Probably the weakest part of the movie... but then again, it is a Tales From The Crypt movie, complete with intro and epilogue from the Crypt Keeper himself. There are a few plot holes, and some of the dialogue is a little cheesy, but it shouldn't be anywhere near enough to put you off seeing the movie.

Overall, crap CGI aside, this movie has aged well. A dramatic classic it surely ain't, but if you're in the mood for a bit of fun, then this should be right up your alley.

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