Synopsis
A team of paranormal investigators head for the highlands of Fraser's Hill, Malaysia, to probe a series of alleged disturbances at a house with a dark past. Starring: Harris Dickinson (The King's Man) , Fiona Dourif (The Purge, TV Series)
Review
Isn't it interesting that humans tend on doing the very thing they've been told not to? God told us not to steal and kill, yet it happened. Somehow the restrictions spark our inner curiosity to find out why.
Would we know what is the sin of adultery if we weren't told about it in religious classes when we were 7 years old? Would Macbeth be the King of Scotland if the witches didn't reveal to him the prophecy?
How about a film title that says 'Don't look at the demon'?
Who is the demon? In Mamat Khalid's '18 Puasa', the appearance of satan and the angel of the character Barkoba (Nasrizal Ngasri) looks exactly like him. In 'Little Buddha', the character Siddhartha (Keanu Reeves) while on meditation on his path towards Nirvana, is visited by a devil called Mara that looks exactly like him too. Also, Keanu in 'The Devil's Advocate', at the ending where the devil character played by Al-Pacino turned into a winged angel that looks like Keanu.
So, who is the demon? It is personally intriguing to me to delve into the questions when watching films. Most of the time it has substance over the spectacle. Talking about spectacle, 'Don't look at the demon' has it. The execution is on the level of what you see in Hollywood films. I have no complaints. It wouldn't be as good though, without the lead played by the American, Fiona Dourif of 'Tenet' and 'Cult of Chucky'.
I have read some comments about the in-car driving scenes where the exterior of the shot is obviously from backplates. Probably it is a technical or a budget issue. But to me, it contributes to my take on the subtext of the film. For example, in 'Tokyo Sonata' the wife character who seems to be kidnapped, drove herself out. In the driving scenes, the exteriors are obviously backplates. This is to symbolize that the kidnappings are all happening in her head. So what does it mean in 'Don't look at the demon'?
It is interesting indeed. A team of film crew experiencing horror in Malaysia and its apt release during Halloween in a scene where having your film showing in theaters in the US is like a driving scene with a backplate. But it is now a reality. Brando Lee and the gang have done it.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu says, "Cinema is a mirror by which we often see ourselves", thus how you talk about film says a lot about yourself. Thus the breaking of the fourth wall gives a big hint. 'Who is the demon?'
Currently showing in the theaters near you.
