‘He will slither into your soul’
The Devil’s Candy is a 2015 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Sean Byrne (The Loved Ones).
The movie stars Ethan Embry, Shiri Appleby, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Kiara Glasco.
Buy: Amazon.com
Plot:
A struggling painter is possessed by satanic forces after he and his family move into their dream home…
Reviews:
” … it’s the deeply felt affection for metal that really makes The Devil’s Candy sing. Too often the butt of movie humour, metal remains an enduringly misunderstood world, which is odd when you consider its natural thematic links to horror … It’s a treat, then, to see metal fans and the music they love depicted with care, complete with a stonking soundtrack.” The Guardian
“What’s here is entertaining, bloody and gleefully macabre enough while maintaining a soft family-first center. But the pic really could have used more of an evolutionary arc for Jesse (Embry is too often stuck on a single level of anticipatory intensity that never quite arrives at a payoff), more exploitation of the house as malevolent entity, and perhaps a fully developed subplot or two.” Variety
“Before things descend into pure chaos, the film is flooded with stunning foreboding imagery. There’s this red cross on the front door that occasionally changes from red to black when the door opens and closes, and a particularly stunning shot of Embry’s silhouette against a blank canvas. These types of visuals never feel like heavy-handed devices.” Collider
“The Devil’s Candy is oddly too restrained, as there aren’t nearly as many set pieces as one might expect given the premise and filmmaker. Yet the film somehow manages to be simultaneously too over-the-top, with Vince’s performance in particular getting annoying fast and his presence in the movie doesn’t shrink as the running time inches on.” Fangoria
“The energy of The Devil’s Candy is more semi-hard rock than heavy metal, powered by a pace that would make Ti West proud and a sleepily hypnotic aesthetic reminiscent of The Witch in a contemporary setting. This smoldering style works well for stoking slow-burn suspense, though lingering substance is another story.” Culture Crypt
“Great horror films come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties, but sometimes the best ones leave you feeling as if you’ve barely survived the terror alongside the character(s)… or at least come close. The Devil’s Candy gets that and plunges viewers into the abyss with little chance of escape but an abundance of hope.” Film School Rejects
“As the film rolls on, each scene more unsettling than the last, the deeply embedded tension mounts quickly, melding together the raw power of heavy metal, shocking violence, and satanic rituals to create a raw, ferocious, gritty, limitless power that makes this one of the most metal movies ever made.” Daily Dead
“Underneath, it’s a simple story – or, rather, two simple stories overlaid, as it blends the family-buy-a-haunted-house premise (Something Evil, The Amityville Horror) with a family-menaced-by-a-former-resident-of-their-new-house (Bad Ronald, Cold Creek Manor) premise – but Byrne’s character-based approach (even the traditionally wet blanket Mom character is vivid and interesting) plays well and it runs to some decent scares between the slower-burning creepiness.” The Kim Newman Web Site
“The restrained approach allows the audience to become more invested in the characters, with the sweet, atypical father-daughter relationship particularly benefiting from reinforcement. The last act is unpredictable and emotionally draining, even if some of the big finale’s impact is lessened by CG fire.” Broke Horror Fan
Cast and characters:
- Ethan Embry … Jesse Hellman
- Shiri Appleby … Astrid Hellman
- Pruitt Taylor Vince … Ray Smilie
- Kiara Glasco … Zooey Hellman
- Tony Amendola … Leonard – Nightmare Shark; Annabelle
- Leland Orser … Preacher
- Craig Nigh … Realtor
- Jeremy West [as Orion West] … Deputy Hernandez
- Richard Rollin … Walter Smilie
- Shiela Bailey Lucas … Pamela Smilie
- Marco Perella … Sgt. Investigator Davis
- Mylinda Royer … Deputy Winnie
- Ash Thapliyal … Gas Station Clerk
- Jamie Tisdale … Mara
- Jose Villarreal … Desk Clerk
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