This would usually be the kind of film I like, as I tend to love demons and monsters and things whatever film they're in. However this turned out to be a distinctly average, politically correct, teen-orientated horror film and boredom quickly sets in as we are treated to an insight of this boy and his family's life. The film seems a lot similar to POLTERGEIST in this respect. Is there anything more annoying than whining American children? I don't think so. Especially when they're in the form of a young Stephen Dorff (later going on to play the bad guy in BLADE), an incredibly bad child actor who at least grew up to exhibit some acting abilities.
However the boredom is relieved by some good special effects in the form of a number of small demons, who generally try to drag some people into the gate. Things actually get good when a big, tentacled Lovecraftian monster rises out of the hallway and the film becomes entertaining. Unfortunately, as it's a film made for children nothing very scary happens, and there's a real let down at the end when all the people we thought were dead (even the dog) come back to life and live happily ever after. That's right, nobody dies. There's no blood either. Couldn't the film-makers just leave them dead? The acting is nondescript, and the only parts worth watching are those with the monsters in which do make up for the rest of the mundane story. It's just a shame that these good monsters are stuck in such a lame film. If they had been in a real Lovecraftian film, something starring Jeffrey Combs perhaps, or something involving Brian Yuzna, then it all could have been so much better. Oh well. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as they say...
However the boredom is relieved by some good special effects in the form of a number of small demons, who generally try to drag some people into the gate. Things actually get good when a big, tentacled Lovecraftian monster rises out of the hallway and the film becomes entertaining. Unfortunately, as it's a film made for children nothing very scary happens, and there's a real let down at the end when all the people we thought were dead (even the dog) come back to life and live happily ever after. That's right, nobody dies. There's no blood either. Couldn't the film-makers just leave them dead? The acting is nondescript, and the only parts worth watching are those with the monsters in which do make up for the rest of the mundane story. It's just a shame that these good monsters are stuck in such a lame film. If they had been in a real Lovecraftian film, something starring Jeffrey Combs perhaps, or something involving Brian Yuzna, then it all could have been so much better. Oh well. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as they say...