‘His time has come’
Demigod is a 2021 American horror film about a woman who travels to Germany to claim her inheritance only to discover a deadly family secret. The plot is apparently a “macabre riff on the Cernunnos myth.”
Directed by Miles Doleac (The Dinner Party; Hallowed Ground; Demons) from a screenplay co-written with Michael Donovan Horn. Produced by James Victor Bulian, Miles Doleac, Lisa O’Mary and Lindsay Anne Williams.
The Historia Films production stars Rachel Nichols (Breach; P2; The Amityville Horror; The Woods), Jeremy London, Lindsay Anne Williams, Elena Sanchez, Yohance Myles and Miles Doleac himself.
Plot:
Upon learning that her huntsman grandfather has died and left her all his worldly possessions, Robin (Rachel Nichols) travels to the Black Forest in Germany with her husband (Yohance Myles).
Upon arrival, a terrifying secret forces her to reckon with her family’s past and a mysterious ritual she thought was the stuff of fairy tales…
Reviews:
“Demigod is an excellent addition to the folk horror sub-genre and a remarkable example of what small productions can pull off these days. It’s effectively creepy, well-acted, and thoroughly engaging…” Film Threat
“The film’s concept is okay but was not very well executed. Leaving an almost sour taste in the viewer’s mouth. What’s the point of watching a horror flick if it doesn’t leave you with goosebumps or chills down your spine. Perhaps with some much darker scenes, some creepier aesthetics and a little more gore this would have worked.” Gh Movie Freak
“When it comes to the cast, the leading lady, Rachel Nichols did a great job as did Doleac who seems at home in the forest, making his role feel very authentic. I do wish that the three witches made more of an impact […] Overall, Demigod is a solid indie horror that has a good story, a lot of actions, great use of effects…” Horror Fuel
” …a disappointingly underwhelming movie and can’t recommend seeking it out. I wouldn’t call it flat-out bad, but I didn’t enjoy the time I spent with it. I couldn’t connect with the story or the characters, I didn’t care about anything that was happening, the presentation was off-putting to me, and the action wasn’t exciting enough to be worth slogging through the scenes around it.” JoBlo
“Director Doleac himself makes the biggest impression as German woodsman, Arthur. It’s a well-written character that allows Doleac to dance back and forth from a good guy to a bad guy to every gray area in between. Demigod doesn’t have a lot of narrative surprises up its sleeve. However, what it lacks in story twists and turns, it more than makes up for with exciting, bloody carnage.” MaddWolf
“Every act of violence against the group of strangers tied up in the woods is met with an awful under-reaction by one and all. Every line is worse than the one before, with those deigning to speak German-sounding as if they’re not quite finished with Hooked on Der Phonics. Demigod is awful, so bad that I grow weary of mocking it. Approach at your own peril.” Movie Nation
“Demigod is a creepy horror filled with beautiful shots, but a thin story holds it back from true greatness.” Movies Review 101
“The setup of people being stalked through the woods by a horned man-beast somehow seems rather dull when brought to the screen and filled with shrug-inducing characters, and the vision of a man-beast. with horns wearing a cape is more comical than scary.” News Primer
” …it’s much more the story itself that matters here, and the action resulting from it, than any backstories, and the film sure is fast-paced enough to keep one engaged throughout, while actual care is taken to make the key characters into more than just cannon fodder, all resulting in a pretty cool piece of genre entertainment.” Search My Trash
“Demigod is at its best when dealing with the folk horror aspects. It manages to convey a mood that is immersive and palpable. It does get bogged down with its own mythology along the way, though […] It’s clichéd as hell, but Demigod is an entertaining low budget shocker that’s worth a look.” 3/5 Starburst
“The scenes of the hunt through the dark woods are nicely shot even if who lives and dies is no big surprise […] While not a great film, Demigod has its moments and is the best thing I’ve seen from the director. There are a couple of actual surprises in the way events play out after the hunt itself. Most of the time the plot moves along fast enough that you don’t notice the plot holes.” Voices from the Balcony
Release date:
In the USA, Gravitas Ventures will release Demigod theatrically and On-Demand on October 15, 2021.
In the UK, Demigod will be available to rent or own on Digital HD via Bulldog Film Distribution on 21st February 2022.
Bloody Disgusting has quoted Tony Piantedosi, Vice President of Acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures, saying: “Miles has crafted a terrifying horror film with an atmospheric setting that is a natural fit for the Halloween crowd. We look forward to presenting it to North American audiences.”
Actress Rachel Nichols commented: “Demigod was my first ‘pandemic’ project. I was definitely apprehensive about returning to work, but I read the script and I was intrigued, so I decided that it was time to get back on set. I’ve never worked with a director who was also acting in the film, but I was amazed by how easily Miles handled wearing those two hats (and many other hats) throughout filming. It was very impressive and also showed me that I was in very good hands.”
Cast and characters:
Rachel Nichols … Robin
Jeremy London … Karl
Elena Sanchez … Latara
Sherri Eakin … Pregnant Woman
Miles Doleac … Arthur
Mike Mayhall … Rudy
Lindsay Anne Williams … Hettica
Yohance Myles … Leo
Sarah Fisher … Fell
Christian Stokes … Grimur
Manon Pages … Tabitha
Chukwuma Onwuchekwa … The Hunter
Rachel Ryals … Amalia
Tatiana Piper … Katya
Wesley O’Mary … Hunter 1
Technical details:
95 minutes
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Fun facts:
Cernunnos (“Horned One”) is a powerful deity worshipped as the “lord of wild things” in ancient Celtic religion.
Trailer:
Interview with Miles Doleac:
