Repeating the Past with Devil Seed: A Movie Review

Director: Greg A. Sager.

Writers: Geoff Hart and Greg A. Sager.

Cast: Michelle Argyris, Shantelle Canzanese, Vanessa Broze, Kevin Jake Walker and Wayne Conroy.

There have been a number of possession styled thrillers released since 1973's groundbreaking The Exorcist. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Drag Me to Hell (2009), The Last Exorcism (2010) and recently The Devil Inside (2012) come to mind. Devil Seed does nothing to improve this genre. Devil Seed, much like its former name The Devil Inside Me, does not set itself apart from exorcism films of the past. Worse, this supposed horror tale does little to create tension nor scares.

The story has been written many times before. A young woman enters a haunted locale. Here, she is raped by a demonic figure, possibly Satan. She becomes pregnant with the unclean while tormenting her two roommates: Breanne (Vanessa Broze) and Jessica (Shantelle Canzanese). Even her boyfriend, Brian (Kevin Jake Walker), is scared off when Alex (Michelle Argyris) does her best Regan (The Exorcist) impression. Her support dwindles until a priest enters the picture. Is he too late to save her?

A glare is not creepy enough

By the middle of this film, this reviewer was too bored to search for an answer. It is strange that nothing really happens during Act II when the film is supposed to be building tension. There are a few dark hallways, a noise here or there, but the film seems to be stretching its run time through this middle section. Where were the thrills? Where were the scares? Devil Seed seems unmotivated, or inadequately financed to deliver a chilling time. Instead, actress Argyris is forced to struggle through an undeveloped script. Devil Seed has this incomplete feeling to it much of which comes the transition between Act I and Act III.

There is very little to like in this exorcism styled thriller. The music is repetitive, the acting falters in key moments, characters are few and pacing is absent. The finale finally brings some excitement. However, the journey getting to this point feels uneventful. Vacuuming is more entertaining than this feature. Even a subplot involving a cheating boyfriend adds little to the story. Perhaps a prayer (a Hail Mary) was needed to help this film along.

Devil Seed is certainly deserving of a Worst Film of 2012 nomination here on 28DLA. There is very little that is recommendable in this feature, which recently released on video-on-demand. The cast has little to clash up against. The story is flimsy and the film is uninterested in setting itself apart from a glut of possession styled films. This title can easily be forgotten in the bargain movie bin where this film will be found, shortly.

Overall: 5.5 (unexciting, the story is weak, no twists, the antagonist's presence is given little explanation, one primary setting, few characters, few subplots).

*filmed in London, Ontario.

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Posted in: 2012,exorcism,exorcism movie review,haunted house,movie review,possessed,possession,supernatural