We Summon the Darkness

source: We Summon the Darkness

The only good thing about this movie is the 80's ambiance. On the other hand extremely bad acting and predictable script makes this movie feels like you're watching a bad theatre play. All the turns are predictable and the characters decisions are unbelievable. To add, no empathy for any of the characters. Lastly, the ending is a joke. So, just make yourself a favor and choose to fix something at home during the lockdown you don't need this.

If you're a horror/thriller buff, you can see the twist coming a mile away, but the performances are done well enough that the film is still enjoyable. Daddario really sells her performance, especially with her eyes, and even Johnny Knoxville's good in his role. I'd say this is worth the watch

So the big twist of the movie is that the three girls we think that are just on their way to a rock concert are really killers behind some satanic ritualistic killings. However, there's a number of moments leading up to the reveal that don't make sense to me. The first is when they stop at a gas station and Beverly is reading a newspaper about article about the recent ritualistic murders. Alexis grabs the paper from Beverly looks at it and says "this is supposed to scare other people, not us." I mean I suppose she's not wrong. It will scare others and not them, only because they're the ones responsible. But why would she need to say this to Beverly? The second is when they're driving and a report about murders going on comes onto the radio. Beverly doesn't want to listen it. Obviously before knowing the twist we think she doesn't want to listen because it scares her. I know we later find out Beverly is apprehensive about going through with everything and changes sides but Alexis and Val don't know this. That should've seen to weird to them. Not wanting to listening to a report about murders on the radio when you're about to commit murders yourself seems odd. Another is when Beverly is so shook that Mark had a knife on him. You brought them there to be murdered. They're your victims. Why are you concerned he has a knife? Last thing I'll say about the twist. They gave it away too early. There's a scene where Beverly and Alexis are alone getting the drinks. Beverly says "I've never done anything like this before." She's never done what? Had some drinks and hung out with guys? Then Alexis proceeds to say "you're new to our group" and "this is a big step for you." i suppose the writes want to leave it ambiguous as to what all this means but I think it becomes very clear here that it's really the girls here who are bad. Now imagine this scene weren't in the movie and we're at the part they are playing Never Have I Ever and Alexis says "never have I ever drugged someone's drink." Then you start to realize the girls drugged the guys drinks and they're really the killers. Would've made for a great moment had it not for the prior scene already giving away the twist.

Some of the worst acting ive ever seen thats all that needs to be said

I really wanted to like this film (I absolutely love Alexandra Daddario), but this was yet another film with a disappointing twist. Alexis, Val and Beverly meet Mark, Kovacs and Ivan at a gig and bond over their love of rock and metal. They all head back to Alexis' house, where the three boys are drugged. When they come to, they find themselves tied up in a room that looks like it's the lair of a satanic cult (satanic cult murders had been reported on the news). Alexis, Val and Beverly reveal that they actually hate rock/metal and are deeply religious and have been murdering people in a satanic ritualistic way in the hopes that it'll drive people to God, more specifically to Alexis' father's church. What follows is a bog-standard thriller, where the boys fight for survival and the crazy girls try and finish what they started. None of it is particularly new or exciting. The holier-than-thou attitudes and arrogant and ignorant beliefs of Alexis and Val are annoying and make the film a chore to get through. This film perfectly portrays people who give religion a bad name - those who use it as an excuse to do heinous things. Alexis and Val (encouraged by Alexis' father) believe that breaking one of the commandments is okay as long as you're doing it in God's name. They are narrowminded and judgemental and are the sort of people who genuinely think that rock/metal is satanic. They're the sort of people who actually believe that are hidden messages in metal songs that you can hear if you play them backwards. They are intolerant of anyone who does not share their religious views. This film would have been more interesting if the girls were part of a satanic cult. Better yet, if the 3 religious girls had been faking the satanic murders, but had actually, accidentally 'Summoned the Darkness'.

Wow. I was genuinely surprised at how bad this movie was. I have seen other reviews crediting Alexandra Daddario's performance but I genuinely thought that was one of the worst parts. Without giving anything away, she over acts her heart out and made me cringe multiple times. This on top of a mediocre script, uninspiring plot, and uninteresting characters with no sort of backstory, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Stay away from this one unless you really have nothing better to do.

Suddenly even VOD releases are now coveted and sought out with the current insanity, but don't fall for this lowest common denominator cliche nonsense of a film. It's marketed as yet another 80's themed nostalgia trip with a slasher horror Genre focus. Well to be honest it's neither and truly an embarrassing low budget production. It's really just a bunch of cliches around every corner intertwined in a really shallow story with extremely unlikable characters. There's a few references to Metallica and some leather/chains and they think that's enough to make it (80s fare). The attempted slasher aspects come off as cheap dark comedy and the big twist was pretty lackluster. Knoxville was really the only thing worth anything as it was interesting seeing him in this type of role. I'd go into more detail but it's really not even worth the time even though I have plenty right now . Thats how ridiculous this effort is. Bad cliche story attempting twists and turns that really falls into near unwatchable territory.

One of those movies you watch until the end because you're convinced it must get better.... But it doesn't.

Don't get me wrong, Alexandra Daddarios performance is great, but wtf is this storyline? Or rather, the lack there of.