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| Images Courtesy of Epic Pictures |
Scott B.
Hansen's Devour is a beautiful contradiction. Using its
meager budget, Hansen and his effects team manage to deliver some genuinely
masterful practical effects throughout this Halloween, Monster Mayhem romp,
however, this goodwill is frequently squandered by an over reliance on AI
generated images. The premise and campy script would have been
enough to raise this to the coveted cult movie status, so the use of AI is a
bewildering choice that ultimately dooms the experience and wastes a
ridiculously fun premise.
An ancient vampire spends his time as a roadie for a heavy metal band
named The Virginia Bitches. When their truck breaks down in an abandoned
town, they are soon drawn into a conflict featuring not only bloodsuckers, but
werewolves, minotaurs, warlocks, and an ultra-cool Van “Rip” Helsing.
Hansen co-wrote the script with his wife Desiree Connell. The dialogue is
cheesy and stilted, perfect for a picture such as this. Despite
this flaw, the central cast, specifically vampire Jerry and the band are fun to
watch, with their ludicrous antics sending the narrative towards its absolutely
insane climax.
As stated earlier, there are some mind-blowing amazing practical effects. Wayne Anderson's monster suits are terrifying to behold while Tara DePetrillo's makeup is a grotesquerie for the modern age. There is a sequence of werewolf carnage that has to be seen to be believed, if only for it’s over the top body count. It is this kind of mayhem that allows the film to shine, when it focuses on the tangible. Still, despite the talent on display, it is lost in the absolute deluge of AI. There are so many generated images and effects that one would lose count trying to track all of them, which ultimately yields a gluttonous sludge of bullets, gore, and oddities that ruin the entire vibe.
Opening in theaters today and coming to video on demand next Friday, Devour is a great example of why AI should be anathema when it comes to filmmaking. From the title card to the credits, its inclusion is so abundant that the actual gem of b-movie glory that is Devour is buried in detritus, almost as if the director found a new and interesting toy that they simply couldn't help from using at every possible turn. Still, despite this, the practical effects are some of the best low-budget work in recent memory. AI is a divisive topic, so each viewer will have to decide if it is a dealbreaker or not.
--Kyle
Jonathan