Review of Devil's Due (2014) by Norman B — 04 May 2014

It's extremely difficult to make a solid horror film nowadays. The movie follows Zach and Samantha McCall as two newlyweds heading to Santa Domingo for their honeymoon. Of course the over sensitive husband wants to document their entire lives as they begin their journey on becoming a family. They are given a gift of an adventure cam so they can continue to document things without the need of holding a handheld camera. After what seems to be a wonderful vacation the two are approached by a taxi driver who leads them for one last hurrah to celebrate their trip. You find out this becomes the biggest mistake of their young marriage. When they return home Samantha finds out she's pregnant and things to start to become a little strange for the two. Not only is the pregnancy itself of concern but Zach feels as if his new family may also be being watched. You soon find out that Samantha's behavior has changed drastically and she has become the vessel to a child no woman would want to carry.

Cinema (and certainly the horror genre) has become over saturated with the cheaper film making process known as 'found-footage. It's a struggle to see how the increasingly convenient camerawork that continues to capture poorly shot scenes and set pieces can still be taken seriously. Scenes that frame a conversation that moves the plot forward with an eye rolling revelation are the most bothersome, especially when wondering, "Why would you be recording this?" Then there is the irritating money shots while characters fight for their lives. Of course we need to see it, but again, in the back of your mind you're always thinking, Surely it'd be easier to survive or escape if they'd only throw the camera. While its first half promises to take an alternative route to what we've become accustomed to in this sub genre while sticking to the rule of an excited, expectant couple wanting treasured memories, it's not long before those aforementioned questions begin to rear their ugly head. It descends into a muddled supernatural mess by throwing in CCTV from supermarkets, car parks, strangers' camcorders, police interviews, and most bizarrely the mysterious cult keeping tabs on the couple to assure another little Satan is delivered safely. Conducive in its linear approach to a narrative we can simply understand, it fails in its delivery significantly. Leaving you to pose another question. Whose supposed to be putting all this crap together???

The two leads give strong, committed performances, Miller in particular. They are the film's only saving grace, but, when the script progresses from their obvious love of one another to wanting to secure jump scares alongside special effects, Devil's Due loses that impressive emotional impact initially built up early on. None more so than, when at a family gathering, the camera is unbelievably given to children running around the house playing hide and seek. From then on, it no longer feels interested in building up to a terrifying tale. This is, or rather supposedly is, a horror film. It becomes increasingly obvious it's more concerned in impressing with stunt work or set pieces, with the pyrotechnic-filled conclusion sign posted well in advance. We're then treated to an unnecessary post credit sequence offering something glaringly obvious. Devil's Due, like most found footage entries, falls flat in its cringe worthy execution and refuses to stand out from the crowd. The only thing it does deliver, aside from disappointment, is predictability.