USA, 2014
Review:
JA Kerswell
Another one to file under the who-knew-this-was-a-slasher? Five teenage girls approaching their 18th birthday—who are haunted by a prophecy of devilry—are hunted by someone in robes carrying a hand scythe at a remote Amish-like religious community. Teasing the supernatural, this handsome, shot-for-cinema horror/thriller benefits from some good performances and an intriguing whodunnit mystery—although its effective bait-and-switch ending may divide opinion.
In 1994, six infant girls were born on the “… sixth day of the sixth month” to mothers at the New Bethlehem religious community, where the congregation shuns the modern world. Its leader, Elder Beacon (Colm Meaney), fears a satanic conspiracy unfurling and says the girls must die—as he believes that one of them will survive to become an ambassador of Satan (or the Devil’s Hand of the title). His plans are foiled by the girls' parents, including Jacob (Rufus Sewell). However, terrified, one of the mothers smothers her baby to death before stabbing herself in the neck.
Nearly 18 years later, Elder Beacon still suspects that the stench of sulphur surrounds the surviving five teenage girls—including Jacob’s daughter Mary (Alycia Debnam-Carey), who is plagued by epilepsy and flashes of bloody scenes that may or may not be a foreboding of the future. Otherwise, the girls are seemingly normal and are torn between honouring their community and the lures of the outside world. Mary is especially drawn to the Sherrif’s son Trevor (Thomas McDonell) after he saves her from drowning during one of her epileptic episodes.
However, the community is thrown into turmoil when one of the girls vanishes—she has been chased and killed by someone in long black religious robes and carrying a hand scythe. The surviving teenagers band together to go against the wishes of Elder Beacon to investigate the disappearance in the world outside their community. Mary is further conflicted by her growing feelings for Trevor and the discovery that her mother (Stacy Edwards) is not dead, as she had been told, but was banished from New Bethlehem and is living in the town nearby.
As more of the girls and those in their vicinity fall victim to the mystery killer, will any of them live to see their 18th birthdays?
At times, THE DEVIL’S HAND feels like horror subgenres battling with each other to see which will emerge supreme. This works both for and against the film, as it pulls the rug out from under its audience's expectations. It managed to surprise me with the identity of its killer (plus their satisfying motivation) and its ultimate revelations. Whilst its setting is not especially convincing—New Bethlehem is too picture-box perfect, and the five teenagers look like they just came from a Ford Models casting call—the film benefits from a semblance of gravitas heavy-weight actors such as Meaney bring. Debnam-Carey is also excellent in the multi-faceted role of the main teenage protagonist. Although the usually reliable Sewell and Jennifer Carpenter, his new wife, seem uncharacteristically subdued. Also, Sewell’s absence from the film’s climactic scenes hints that the film went through some reshoots or other post-production tinkering.
In many ways, THE DEVIL’S HAND shares some DNA with Wes Craven’s earlier, slasher-adjacent DEADLY BLESSING (1981), which also features mysterious murders plaguing a religious community. Admittedly, the film occasionally lets its horror elements take the backseat, but the slasher angle is well-handled enough when it appears—although the reliance on candlelight can sometimes make it a little difficult to see what is happening.
THE DEVIL’S HAND originated as a quasi-sequel to the hit 2008 film THE HAUNTING OF MOLLY HARTLEY as far back as the beginning of 2012—and was originally due to co-star Anne Heche. Shot as THE OCCULT in North Carolina in the spring of 2012, the film’s 2.35 : 1 ratio and polished looks—not to mention its reported $7 million budget—suggest that it was destined for wider theatrical distribution than it belatedly received with its very limited release in 2014. It did, however, get some theatrical distribution overseas. The fact that it sat on the shelf for a couple of years (after missing several mooted 2013 release dates) and went through numerous title changes suggests it suffered a troubled post-production and uncertainty about how to market the picture that ultimately left it adrift in the straight-to-video market.
Danish director Christian E. Christiansen had some form with teen thrillers with his earlier THE ROOMMATE (2011). Alycia Debnam-Carey went from this to a long-running lead role in FEAR THE WALKING DEAD (2015-2023). Leah Pipes, who plays one of the five teenage girls, also appeared in slasher movies FINGERPRINTS (2006) and SORORITY ROW (2009).
Whilst THE DEVIL’S HAND ultimately doesn’t quite hold together, its genre-blending approach delivers its share of devilish treats.
BODY COUNT 17:
Female 8 / Male 9
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THE DEVIL'S HAND trailer