Attack of the Demons (2019) Review
Direct from a notably well-received festival run, and arriving in theatres this Halloween, the frighteningly-fun animated horror treat just for adults! ATTACK OF THE DEMONS is in Virtual Cinemas October 30 AND ON DVD/Digital 3rd November
SOUTH PARK meets THE EVIL DEAD in Eric Power’s “grisly and gorgeous mix of Fulci and puppetry” (The Austin Chronicle) ATTACK OF THE DEMONS in virtual theatres October 30 and On Demand and DVD November 3 from Dark Star Pictures. The year is 1994 – For centuries, a demonic cult has been plotting the destruction of mankind. When a small Colorado town is overrun by a legion of mutating demons, three non-demon hunter friends must use every skill their minds can fathom to stave off the demon apocalypse.
Written by Andreas Petersen and directed by Eric Power ATTACK OF THE DEMONS is an animated throwback to the Nineties that also affectionately leans towards classic Eighties horrors such as Raimi’s THE EVIL DEAD, Carpenter’s THE THING and Bava’s DEMONS. It’s a far cry from the likes of PARANORMAN, HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA and MONSTER HOUSE, a kid’s animated horror-based flick this is not, and in that respect it’s a welcome breath of fresh air.
Before I go further I have to confess that aside from being a big horror genre fan I also have a weakness for animation. I’m not so much talking about the polished moral-lesson-spewing output of Disney/Pixar but more about the cinematic output of Ralph Balski or Aardman’s output and, more recently Gints Zilbalodis’s AWAY (2019). Each of those examples illustrated how flexible the genre was and pushed to do something different, something dazzling with the form. Eric Power’s ATTACK OF THE DEMONS is of the same ilk; for starters the animation has been painstakingly produced with craft paper, that’s right, craft paper!
Evidently a labour of love for the director (it took a good couple of years to put together) ATTACK OF THE DEMONS is like nothing else out there. It’s unique not only visually but also in its laid-back, chilled delivery. Even if the pacing occasionally drags there’s plenty to keep you visually enthralled. It’s the kind of flick that will likely bypass mainstream success but achieve a deserved cult following over the years ahead. For those amongst you that warm to ‘unique’ rather than ‘tried and tested’ then this animated delight is definitely for you.
OFFICIAL TRAILER
