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Hi there, my fellow monsters! In case you didn’t know, I’m obsessed with Satanic ritual movies. I’m always looking for movies like SHE WHO MUST BURN, which I reviewed for Nightmarish Conjurings some time ago. It left such an impact on me that I can feel Satanic ritual films creeping into my list of favorite horror subgenres.
The idea of Satanic rituals has always intrigued me because it is simple and elegant. It shows respect for the religion and the person performing the ritual. It is important to understand that the way these Satanic rituals are enacted in films is very different from how I have attempted to comprehend them. Feel free to correct me on this if I’m mistaken; I would love to chat with someone who engages in these rituals! And truly, it feels as if these reenactments are slightly disrespectful to the actual practitioners of the religion. Regardless, they are interesting to watch as non-practicing people because they provide such insight into a culture that is unknown to most people.
Why not. I was so quick to grab THE SUMMONING as a film on demonic incantation once I discovered it. I have always defined myself as one of the greater enthusiasts of body and occult horror cinema, thus, I will do everything I can to facilitate body horror. I was quite sure of being proved right and policy my thoughts to remain open while watching the film.
The film’s runtime is 1 hour and 20 minutes, hence mildly short, but being an independent film it puts it into a reasonable category. I have mentioned my tough critic persona, and I have to admit, this film series was terrible. Bad acting, bad everything, absent character evolution, simply put: I was left speechless. Allow me to explain.
THE SUMMONING is based on demon participants, focusing on a group of college students who, on their way to a massive party in the woods, get their vehicle failure. Sound familiar? Other people have probably thought this too. To make things worse, out of the six people, two remain in the vehicle and the other four are set for the walk but their primary purpose is to seek assistance. I’m guessing your expectations are in fact completely reasonable.
I was particularly let down by how the film markets itself: as a horror movie or something to do with the occult. It does neither, and in the last fifteen minutes, we are subject to some inexplicable sacrifice scene with the worst VFX possible.
None of this really worked in my favor because I really wanted to enjoy this because it is an independent film, and from all indications, this was done on a shoestring budget. If there was a budget and they were not spent on anything relevant, then why? This explains the logic of a low-budget independent film, but it still doesn’t help us understand why the character development is non-existent, plot twists absent, and the only ‘sacrifices’ to their imagination were made by the audience. I truly think this film had the potential to be great had there been any intention or effort put into the cast.
Is it a little harsh? Perhaps. I mean, after viewing SHE WHO MUST BURN, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that I needed a long shower and I was still uncomfortable. I certainly expected more from other independent, religiously driven films. What makes it worse is if you have anything to do with the satanic church, it is downright offensive.
For a second, let’s address the special effects used: they look like I made them. It appears that I sat in a standard film editing software, threw in a bunch of fire around an image, and sent it out into the world. I would have been more content if they opted for some practical effects. It would have enabled me to think they attempted something. Instead, it resembled an amateur film that was wrecked on the way to completion.
The only good thing about the film was the performance of Amy LoCicero who portrayed Shelley, the lead character required “love interest.” The guy she was paired with was, and I try to be polite here, an odd jerk you usually find in college. Be that as it may, LoCicero was actually able to emote, and she was the only proper character in the film.
Given the opportunity, I could pick this film apart but perhaps none of those reasons are truly worth it. Still, if you want my honest opinion, I feel sorry for the reviewers who were sent the final product because that is a sad day.
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