In Don’t Look at the Demon director Brando Lee explores the popular horror tropes of demon possession, psychic phenomena, and vengeful spirits. Unfortunately, his film adds little to well-worn topics.
Jules (Fiona Dourif) spent her childhood conjuring dead souls until one of them murdered her sister, which caused her to cut off all direct communication with spirits. As an adult, she uses her psychic abilities to find authentic hauntings for The Skeleton Crew, a group of filmmakers who investigate and document paranormal phenomena.
Jules’ intuition leads her to the home of Martha (Malin Crépin) and Ian (William Miller), who claim they are being tormented by a ghost in their home. Shortly after The Skeleton Crew arrives at the supposed haunted house, all hell breaks loose. A spirit grabs Jules, another hoists Martha into the air and slams her head into walls, and one investigator, Ben (Harris Dickinson), becomes possessed by an evil entity.
Like other haunted house flicks, Don’t Look at the Demon includes tortured homeowners, vengeful spirits, and paranormal investigators, but it provides little originality or uniqueness to those common ideas. Despite their engaging performances, Dourif, Dickinson, and Crépin's work are undermined by the lack of originality and cliche nature of the material. Even Ben's possession, which should provide some excitement, relies on pedestrian gimmicks like a gravelly voice and cursing instead of genuine creepiness.
The performances, special effects work, and makeup are very impressive for a low-budget film, but their execution falls flat when paired with stereotypical, underdeveloped characters and a cliche plot.
What kind of film collection would this title be suitable for?
Public librarians that focus on indie and/or low-budget horror movies, as well as the subgenre of demonic possession films, should include this title on their library shelves.
What ages would this children’s film be suitable for?
This film includes some disturbing images, so it is best suited for audiences over 17.
What type of college/university professors would find this title valuable?
Film professors whose course focuses on indie or low-budget horror films should include this title on their syllabus.