Movie Review: Devil

Devil (2010)

Directed by John Erick Dowdle

Written by Brian Nelson

Starring Jacob Vargas, Matt Craven, Bokeem Woodbine Geoffrey Arend

Release Date September 17th, 2010 

Published September 17th, 2010

 A month ago as I sat patiently awaiting the start of a movie that I barely remember and the trailer for “Devil” popped up. Near the end of the trailer a line showed up on the screen 'from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan' and the previously indifferent audience suddenly burst out in laughter, boos and insulting catcalls.

This was in the wake of Shyamalan's box office success with “The Last Airbender” which made plenty of cash but was mostly despised by audiences, as evidenced by the laughter, boos and catcalls at his name. “Devil” has now arrived in theaters and while it may have sprung from same mind that thought “The Last Airbender” was a good idea, “Devil” is a far better and more satisfying thrill ride than that kid flick debacle.

”Devil” stars Chris Messina as a cop fresh from 60 days sobriety and a meeting with his sponsor. Called to the site of a suicide; the handsome Detective Bowden has actually stumbled on a case that will change his life. While Bowman and his partner Markowitz (Joshua Peace, Cube Zero) are investigating the suicide a situation is unfolding inside the building from which the suicide, literally, sprang.

Five strangers have entered elevator number 6 and find themselves trapped. While security guards Ramirez (Jacob Vargas) and Lustig (Matt Craven) look on these five strangers face blackouts that lead to violence and eventually death. With detectives and security foiled in trying to get the elevator moving, Ramirez begins pitching an idea that there is nothing that can be done; the Devil has chosen these five and only accepting their fate can bring an end to the torture.

”Devil” is said to be part of a trilogy thought up by Producer M. Night Shyamalan in concert with directors Drew and Erick Dowdle, the minds behind “Quarantine” and the cult hit “The Poughkeepsie Tapes” and writer Bryan Nelson, best known for the terrific script for the not so great vampire flick “30 Days of Night.” Indeed, “Devil” does set some stakes for a small scale biblical battle to come yet, on its own manages to be entertaining without cheating ahead for sequels.

The Dowdle Brothers are the ideal directors for “Devil.” Both “Quarantine” and “The Poughkeepsie Tapes” are clever, small scale thrillers that make use of clever camera tricks and low watt effects to sell their scares. With a slightly bigger budget, the Dowdle's have the best cast they've had so far in their careers and make terrific use of their horrified glares, terror filled eyes and abundant sweat glands.

The Dowdle's often keep the camera uncomfortably in the face of their subjects and the move aids the audience in feeling the heated, claustrophobia and paranoia that slowly consumes the five strangers that include actors Geoffrey Arends, Bokeem Woodbine and Logan Marshall-Green and actresses Jenny O'Hara and Bojana Novakovic.

As strong as the strangers are, Chris Messina is twice as good as Detective Bowman. In a number of tiny supporting roles, in movies like the wonderful “Away We Go” and the likable “Julie and Julia” -as Amy Adams put upon husband- Messina has made a good impression in underserved roles. In “Devil” Messina gets to show what he's really got and one can only hope he gets more big roles, the guy has got It.

Messina's performance in “Devil” stands right next to another breakout character actor's performance in a low budget, low watt horror/thriller, Patrick Fabian in “The Last Exorcism.” Both performances underplay their genre, draw the audience to them through charm and competence and both are actors of unexpected force and charisma.

”Devil” isn't quite as ingenious as “The Last Exorcism” but it's along the same line, a horror/thriller that smartly tweaks the horror formula to deliver something that seems fresh amid the flotsam of the genre.

Well cast and cleverly directed, “Devil” is a welcome surprise in a month when Hollywood tends to be taking it easy. Sure, the name M. Night Shyamalan isn't likely to earn cheers again anytime soon, especially if he's still planning another ‘Airbender’ movie, but he's on to something with the so called “Night Chronicles.” Here's hoping he and his collaborators can capitalize on the promise of “Devil.”

Movie Review Quarantine

Quarantine (2008) 

Directed by John Erick Dowdle

Written by John Erick Dowdle, Drew Dowdle 

Starring Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez, Columbus Short, Steve Harris, Dania Ramirez 

Release Date October 10th, 2008

Published October 10th, 2008 

Yawn! Another horror remake. Ah, but there is a twist this time. Quarantine isn't a Japanese or Chinese ripoff but rather a trashing of a Spanish horror movie. At least the film has one innovation.

Jennifer Carpenter stars in Quarantine as a reality TV host whose assignment this week is to follow the Los Angeles fire department on a 911 call. First though we are introduced to her assigned fire fighters. Jay Hernandez and Jonathan Schaech are the firefighters and they are a couple of likable sorts. Hernandez is knowledgeable and respectful. Schaech is boorish and flirty. Carpenter takes to them both quickly and in another movie this would be quite a love triangle. In Quarantine however, these attractive actors are merely bait.

Finally getting a call, Jennifer jumps aboard a fire engine with her fighters and soon arrives at the scene of a medical emergency in an old apartment building. Inside one of the apartments an old woman has been screaming in pain and not responding to the knocks and calls of neighbors and super. The firefighters arrive with the police and eventually break down the door. Inside the old woman has a crazed look on her face and soon she has attacked and bitten a cop so badly that he bleeds to death. As Hernandez and a cop played by Columbus Short tend to the injured cop, they and the rest of the building's tenants find themselves locked inside the building by the CDC.

Someone or something is infecting the residents and the CDC is not about to let anyone carry it to the outside. This sets up a cat and mouse game between the infected, flesh eating zombie types and the trapped tenants, cop, firefighters, our intrepid reporter and her loyal cameraman (Steve Harris). The film is shot entirely from the cameraman's perspective, as if we are watching the documentary in progress. Yes, for those who suffer from shaky cam-itis aka motion sickness, Quarantine is one of those movies. Like Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project, Quarantine operates on the guise that these events took place and we are watching after the fact.

If only being unoriginal and a cause of mass projectile vomiting and dizziness were Quarantine's only issue. Sadly, star Jennifer Carpenter's performance rivals the remake and motion sickness issues by being the least believable TV personality since Angelina Jolie's dopey reporter in Life of Something Like It. Acting more like a spoiled teenager than a TV reporter, Carpenter giggles and flirts and exploits her access to the firemen for no other purpose than she thinks they're cute. She tells the camera that she has always wanted to be a fireman but I find it hard to believe she wanted to be anything other than a magnet for cute boys.

Things devolve further as we get into crisis mode in the apartment building. Now, no one would ever assume when they are responding to an emergency that you might end up dealing with cannibalistic, rabies ridden zombies. However, after the old woman has killed the cop and a firefighter someone should become a little more suspicious and cautious. But no. Instead characters still wander into dark areas throughout the building, fail to stick together and are picked off one by one as they remain heavily in denial about their situation.

I didn't buy a second of it. Carpenter breaks the believability with her ditz reporter and everyone else puts off because the plot requires them to be tools. As one after another is picked off our involvement with the story and the characters becomes less and less until we get to the inevitable end that we absolutely know is coming.

The style gives away the ending, not that there was much suspense involved anyway. The point and purpose to a movie like Quarantine is to try and frighten with atmosphere and camera tricks. That it fails is a function of poor craftsmanship and a lack of deeper ideas than a scary noise off camera that suddenly becomes something on camera.