MOVIE REVIEW: Does “Devil’s Due” deliver?
Davis Entertainment, 20th Century Fox
Starring Allison Miller and Zach Gilford
Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett
Philippine Release Date: March 19, 2013
Runtime: 89 minutes (1 hour 29 minutes)
MTRCB Rating: R-13
“Scary” isn’t exactly the best word to describe Devil’s Due. In fact, it’s not so much a terrifying horror story as it is a collection of quiet moments and shocking scenes spliced together to create a chilling and creepy atmosphere.
The plot is relatively simple and straightforward – it’s the typical “demonic pregnancy” story we’ve seen before in other productions under the horror genre, told through the splicing of “footage” from a number of video recording devices (handheld camera, grocery security cam, police station cam, and so on).
If the filmmakers’ intent was to make audiences feel uncomfortable or just plain creeped out, then they succeeded with flying colors. There’s something about the way they sequenced and presented the film that leaves you with a strong sense of “something’s not right here” during crucial scenes.
Unfortunately, the movie as a whole is a bit lackluster, being brought down by a lack of genuinely terrifying or engaging elements. There’s quite a bit of gore in this film, plus the obligatory reference to religion (mainly to establish just how bad things are going to get come delivery day).
The ending also leaves the door open for a sequel, as movies under this genre usually do.
Despite lacking in originality and suffering from too many peaceful scenes that hamper the overall momentum, Devil’s Due slowly builds up to a solid, if not unique, horror movie experience.
To be honest, there’s really not much to be said here – you’ll probably enjoy this one if you enjoy reading horror fiction novels. Also, if you’re a fan of “found footage” films, you might want to give this one a shot.
VERDICT: 7 out of 10 devil babies
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A warm “thank you” goes out to 20th Century Fox (Like their FB page here!) and SM Cinemas for the special screening of Devil’s Due.
