I have to admit that I do understand why some people have issues with the movie. This is not a masterpiece, I wouldn't even call it the best horror movie or close to it of the year it was made. Add to that the director, from whom we come to expect so much ... and you understand the dissapointment.

This movie tries something interesting visually, when it comes to a different world. Not sure if I would say it works. But it sure looks different - also the acting is more than rock solid. Some fine scares round the picture - but again do not expect too much. Especially when you think about the director.

A decade ago I loved South African director Neill Blomkamp for his wonderful sci-fi movie DISTRICT 9, and I thought ELYSIUM was pretty good too (although CHAPPIE not so much). The last I heard of him was of his thwarted idea for an ALIENS sequel with not only Ripley but Hicks and Newt returning alive and well too; I thought that sounded like a great idea, but alas, it wasn't meant to be. So out of nowhere comes DEMONIC (2021),Blomkamp's newest movie as director, but watching this very ordinary possession movie you wouldn't notice his presence.

The first thing apparent is that this was shot on a very low budget during the pandemic, so expect closed sets and a small cast. The second thing is that it simply isn't very good. Possession flicks are ten-a-penny these days and all kind of roll into one, and this one goes through the same motions with contorting bodies and histrionics. I found it very tiresome, and to try to make it different they add in a load of CGI effect "dreamscape" stuff, but that bored me too. Let's hope Blomkamp bounces back from this misfire and gets some of the old magic back.

The title is a plot spoiler, so I will spoil a little more. Carly (Carly Pope) hates her crazy mother who is in prison and recently entered a coma. She is located at Therapol, a medical imagery company which we later find out is run by a group of heavily armed exorcists who work for the Catholic Church. Carly communicates with her mother at Therapol by having them both enter a CG world that looks like SIMS. Things go bad, i.e. The title enters the film.

This was a middle of the road demonic possession film. The actors didn't add any character to the film, keeping things rather bland.

Guide: F-word. No sex or nudity.