Devil (2010)
Certified: 16
Duration: 80 minutes
Directed by: John Eric Dowdle
Starring: Chris Messina, Bojana Novakoic, Bokeem Woodbine, Logan Marshall-Green, Jenny O’Hara, Geoffrey Arend
KRS release

Since The Village (2004), any M. Night Shyamalan film has courted controversy and left critics divided. While Devil is not directed by Mr Shyamalan, it is however produced by him. In fact, it is quite evident from the overall feel and look of the film that he is the one pulling the strings.

Police detectives Bowden (Chris Messina) and Markowitz (Joshua Peace) are summoned to a suicide scene in Philadelphia where it appears that a person has jumped from a skyscraper. Meanwhile, five people are trapped in a lift in the same building.

The five people inside the elevator are: Vince (Geoffrey Arend), a salesman who is also a con man; an old woman (Jenny O’Hara) who is a pickpocket; Tony (Logan Marshall-Green), an Afghan War veteran with a secret burdening him; Sarah (Bojana Novakovic), an enticing woman who seems to be making a career out of extorting wealthy men; and Ben (Bokeem Woodbine), a violent security officer. Meanwhile, security officer Ramirez (Jacob Vargas) starts to believe that the devil is the reason behind what is happening and that one of the persons trapped is the devil himself.

Soon the race is on to try to open the elevator as death starts to harvest one passenger after another. Meanwhile, Bowden, who is still reeling over his wife’s and son’s death, is literally caught in a crossroad. The tension in the elevator is palpable.

The film originated from a Shyamalan idea scripted by Brian Nelson who tackled the genre with the thrilling 30 Days of Night (2007). Mr Nelson’s script is lean, calls for tight direction and has no padding or excess baggage, unlike a Shyamalan film. John Eric Dowdle’s direction is very effective.

Interestingly, while the characters all seem to be villains, the film manages to make us care about who gets to die or not. As for the cast, Chris Messina puts in a very convincing turn; Bojana Novakovic is quite attractive while Geoffrey Arend goes out of his way to be as irritating as can be.

The film is the first in a trilogy titled The Night Chronicles. The elevator setting, with that annoying music and claustrophobic atmosphere, is a good way to start off proceedings.