Demonic

Description

Demonic is one of those films that initially seems strange, confusing, and disappointing. After three massive, big-budget sci-fi films with social commentary—District 9 (which I consider the greatest film in human history), Elysium, and Chappie—this feels like a real downgrade for Neill Blomkamp.

But there’s a catch. You know the difference between a good pop hit and a brilliant, complex non-commercial track? The latter rarely hits you on the first listen. Its structure is more intricate. You have to listen to it a few times to get it. And to realize the composition is truly mind-blowing, you need some time and a dozen replays.

No, you don’t need to watch Demonic 10 times to like it. But the realization that the film is actually cool comes after the viewing, once you push past that initial stage of disappointment. I felt the exact same way about Alien: Covenant, which I now possibly like even more than Prometheus.

Unlike Blomkamp’s other feature films, Demonic can be considered a 100% auteur project. If his name weren’t in the credits, it would never cross my mind that he directed it. And that’s just awesome when directors are this versatile and can shoot in completely different styles. Obviously, the modest budget imposed some limitations, but paradoxically, it also granted him complete creative freedom.

I assume that if he wanted to, the director could have made a perfectly mainstream, easily digestible sci-fi film. But no, he chose a different path. Hence the 4.7/10 rating on popular platforms.

I recommend Demonic to anyone who loves non-standard horror films and bold auteur sci-fi.