The Horror Show
The Diabolical
by Alistair Legrand
Isn’t it just annoying when you’re Googling information about your current financial issues and all of a sudden your entire house starts shuddering while a horrific creature is crawling on the floor?
That’s exactly what The Diabolical’s lead character Madison (Ali Larter) had to deal with in Alistair Legrand’s debut feature. The story, which is not as refreshing as other elements in the movie that I’ll explain below, follows single-mother Madison and her two sons who are constantly terrorized - and apparently ambushed - by really creepy-looking creatures that haunt pretty much every object in their house.
As if her financial troubles were not enough, since the, also widowed, mother is forced to file for bankruptcy - hence the Googling part - Madison finds herself trapped in a house of horror, where ghastly apparitions make their appearance every now and then scaring the hell out of her two boys. Her only hope for salvation lies in the hands of her scientist boyfriend Nikolai (Arjun Gupta), whose character only serves the purpose of adding more suspense and mystery to an unoriginal and rather bland story.
However, there’s something about The Diabolical that’s quite worth mentioning. Writing duo Alistair Legrand and Luke Harvis managed to deliver a visual extravaganza and a strong visual aesthetic that can certainly create a chilling atmosphere. The creatures’ presence as a backdrop provides just the right boost in tension for viewers and takes the attention away from the fact that the story repeats itself in a rather formulaic fashion.
Predictable - yet slightly entertaining - The Diabolical features enough scares to be worthwhile just as a popcorn flick. A few plot holes and unanswered questions reveal that this movie yearns for a heartbeat, as unfortunately its rather bland nature takes a brutal toll on the performances and the final outcome.
Maria Kriva, HMS
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