Director: Bryan Coyne
Cast: Andy Ostroff, Heather Adair, Alyssa Koerner and Jose Rosete.
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 99 Minutes
“So, The Omen crossed with found footage” is what I said sarcastically as I read the plot to Infernal with my next thought being “Will it be anything like the original The Omen which is a classic, or that re-make nobody watched or talks about, starring Liev Shreiber?”. Surprisingly it’s neither. This is because instead of adopting The Antichrist, Infernal tells us that conceiving a child before marriage, apparently gives you a demon baby. Better start saving up for those wedding rings guys!
The plot centres around a couple who like to film themselves a lot talking rubbish to one another – then the boyfriend proposes. All hell breaks loose in the form of Jesus on a cross, on the wall spinning around behind them. As they embrace each other there seems to be an earthquake while Jesus does his thing. I must admit I burst out laughing, all it needed was Morgan Freeman to do a voice over and it would have worked. We see some of their wedding later that’s filmed by the world’s worst camera man, the husband’s best friend. It’s so bad that he forgot to film the actual ceremony (obviously the director didn’t think this part was important). Moving on through time, as their child gets older, their happy lives turn to fear as they realise she’s acting strange and weird things start happening.
I am not saying Paranormal Activity is perfect but the acting in Infernal in comparison is pretty awful. It felt continually unnatural and staged for a found footage film, which is important… unless aiming for a comedy! Speaking of that, I’m not sure if the film was trying to be funny or not as some scenes are truly bizarre. For example; the Psychologist the parents visit only realises by the fourth meeting that she’s being filmed on camera and when they find a dog’s faeces in the kitchen, they overact as it’s revealed on camera to just be the size of a peach! It is these moments that undermine everything else and especially when the little girl gets possessed and when the demon shows up in her bedroom.
Fans of the horror genre shouldn’t expect anything new but for some of the special effects in the film it might keep your interest. If not for the effects, just watch it for that Jesus on the cross incident in the opening scene. Comedy gold.
Infernal is out on DVD in UK 24th August.
