Struggling painter Jesse (Ethan Embry) and his wife (Shiri Appleby) and daughter (Kiara Glasco) move into a haunted farmhouse (stop me if you've heard this one before). Eventually, Jesse slips into a troubling trance and his paintings get creepier and creepier. Oh yeah, and a crazy kidnapper (Pruitt Taylor Vince) with lingering ties to the cursed home is on the loose. The situation smells more peculiar than an unwashed Metallica t-shirt.
As Sean Byrne's (The Loved Ones) film progresses, things grow increasingly fiery and grim. Brutal intercuts blur the lines between paint and blood. Views of darkened and forbidding rooms might have you reaching for a night light. Disturbing kidnapping scenes raise an alarming amount of terror. And when the abrasive soundtrack isn't shredding, it morphs into something effectively distorted and doomy, summoning a constant sense of dread 'til the very end.
An interesting aspect about the film is that we don't actually see any ghosties, demons, or furniture flying across the room. Instead, we witness Satan's evil grasp solely through the possessed characters' actions. It's a scary thing--Jesse's descent into personal hell and how it negatively impacts his family. Not to mention, the kidnapper's utterly monstrous crimes. The film runs at a slim 75 minutes, and while it lacks some background explanation and depth for the supporting characters, I appreciated its straight-to-the-point aim. The Devil's Candy is one of the better horror films of the year so far, and it's definitely worth seeking out on VOD... if you dare. *cue the frantic guitar riffs*
( 7.5/10 )
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The review has me interested in this movie! Hadn't heard about it before!
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