No demon movie is complete anymore without someone sleuthing around lookin’ for trouble.  Taryn kills demons in hopes of coming across Falstaff, the demon she is meant to destroy. It’s a bummer when Taryn gets busted for decapitating someone with a sword. But it brings her back into contact with a detective she once met. Learning our heroine’s driving force for pursuing Falstaff is intriguing writing by director,  Zoe Kavanagh and Tony Flynn. It was tough to find any loose ends in this action and horror movie. It paces brilliantly between memories of Taryn and Beckett and I felt those entwined the framework of the plot. Once Taryn confronts Falstaff, there is a satisfaction that bubbles because the action sequences are well edited – and she kicks his unholy ass.

The makeup artistry is realistic with old age stipple, scars, blood pools, creatures, and bruises. The CGI that was in this film is so subtle, it borders on subversive!  I loved that the costumes weren’t over the top until necessary at the end, and the cinematography was dark and depressing, as it should be.

CULPRITS:   I usually try to single out one or two performers. This was an even performance by all cast members: Niamh Hogan as Taryn, Alan Talbot as Beckett, Kevin O’Malley as Ethan are stand-outs, but this film is more an ensemble cast once it is revealed why disparate threads are working together.

THE HAPS:  Filmed in Ireland.  The cinematography of the film with mostly night shots, there is no way to really tell it’s set in Ireland. Fantastic if they want Dublin to pass for any place on the planet, but yet there’s that darn Irish accent! Regardless, it’s a cool film that drops you into the action in scene one so where it’s set really did not make the difference to me.

DIALOGUE:  I try to pick a line or two that land sucker punches in my brain. The writing, although, cool for pacing and plot, did not really sell me on anything memorable for its characters.

This is an impressive effort by director, Zoe Kavanaugh. It’s got brilliant makeup, serious story line, solid editing, and just a gritty quality to its look and our heroine that is easy to love! It’s worth watching more than once in a single sitting. Check it out gothy gem!