Sometimes you can enter a film with no expectations of seeing a good movie, and walk out surprisingly satisfied with what you’ve just experienced more than you would if you had you entered with high hopes. It’s an odd way to look at things, as it doesn’t necessarily mean the film you’ve just witnessed is great, but it does mean that it was at least worthwhile. That’s the case with the movie Devil, as this film that could easily be dismissed is actually quite entertaining.
The premise of Devil is straightforward: five unknowing people are chosen by the devil to be in the same place at the same time – in this case, an elevator in a high-rise in Philadelphia – so their souls can be collected; however, what they soon realize is that not everyone is who they seem, and that one of them may in fact be the devil in human form.
While the main part of the film is the group trapped in the elevator, it also branches out to the security inside the building, as well as a couple of detectives who are assigned to the case after things turn violent inside the elevator. While a single location works in certain films, feeding off of the raw energy and emotions of those trapped in the situation (see my review of Frozen for an example of that) Devil actually feels like a film that needs to leave the enclosed area and expand to the outside world, if not just to show the sheer power and influence the devil has over everything in the surrounding area when coming to claim the souls of the living.
The story idea came from the mind of M. Night Shyamalan, and with his recent efforts failing to garner the acclaim of his earlier works, Devil seems like a break from his usual deep, emotional thrillers, and a less serious take on the world and the supernatural. Granted, the film was neither written nor directed by him, which may also be a reason for the change in tone as well.
The acting in the film is as good as it needs to be, in that this won’t be a breakout performance by anyone, but it’s also good enough to keep you in the moment, and never causes the suspense to falter, or leave you groaning like they just grabbed someone off the street to play a part. Devil isn’t really a film where you expect to find top-notch actors, and it isn’t really one that needs any, as part of the charm of these productions – or a Jedi mind trick used by the studio, depending on how you look at it – is that unknown actors lead to lowered expectations, and thus, a greater chance the film will be taken in with a different, more forgiving mindset than it would if the film starred A-list stars.
If that’s the case then consider me tricked, as Devil is a surprisingly entertaining film that will keep you intrigued and guessing throughout. It isn’t anything incredibly memorable, and it does have its flaws, but with a run-time of only 80 minutes (which may be a flaw to some with how pricey films are to see these days) it’s actually paced quite well, and unlike some of those involved, you don’t feel as though you’ve lost a piece of your soul once all is said and done.
Director: John Erick Dowdle
Notable Cast: Chris Messina, Caroline Dhavernas, Bokeem Woodbine, Logan Marshall-Green
Writer(s): Brian Nelson, based on a story by M. Night Shyamalan
