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Saturday, October 2, 2010

Devil

This week has been abnormally cold.  Ten days ago I was wearing short sleeves, now I’m in a jacket.  Remember when we had all that snow last year, how many times did you say, “Christ I can’t wait ‘til it’s warm out.”  Or this summer, one of the hottest in recorded history for our region, you probably prayed for cold.

So, why don’t I mind that the weather has so suddenly shifted?  Because without these cold days, I wouldn’t appreciate the hot, and visa versa.

Horrible films, namely horrible horror films, are just like that.  To see a movie like Devil is to appreciate nearly every other film in the genre.  A movie like Devil serves no purpose; not only does it teach or show us nothing new, but by watching it, we may actually become dumber.

Remember M. Night Shyamalan’s disaster of a film, The Happening.  No?  You’re better off.  But there’s a scene about halfway through, when some whacked out botanist blankly predicts why people are killing themselves all across the country.  The man’s reasoning is lame (plants are doing it) and we aren’t meant to believe it.  However, as the movie nears its end, we realize that is EXACTLY why people are killing themselves.  Plants?  Really?  Dude, didn’t you make The Sixth Sense?

Devil is the exact same way. Although Shyamalan isn’t the director (he’s credited with producing and coming up with the film’s story) it’s got his washed-up name all over it.  Oh and how original: five people get stuck in an elevator and everytime the lights go out, someone dies!  Yikes!  And it’s PG-13!  How scary!

About halfway into the film’s excruciating 80 minutes, a Hispanic security guard explains to a police officer what may be going on in the elevator.  God-fearing or not, it is ridiculous.  And, of course, it all turns out to be true.

Did you see the trailer for this movie?  It was actually pretty good, until Shyamalan’s name appeared.  Then you knew you were in for shit.  Sorry, Night, you’re not a viable marketing ploy.  However, you do make me appreciate other horror films.  So... thanks?  D-

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