PLOT: Three girls (Alexandra Daddario, Maddie Hasson & Amy Forsyth) meet up with three guys (Logan Miller, Austin Swift & Keean Johnson) at a heavy metal concert and invite them back to their place to party – only for the night to quickly take a deadly turn.
REVIEW: A few weeks ago, I gave a positive review to Marc Myers’ HUMAN CAPITAL, a high-pedigree drama that came out under-the-radar despite it’s TIFF 2019 bow. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the director segued immediately from that drama into WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS, a horror-comedy satire that’s as light as the other film is heavy. That’s some serious versatility, and like its predecessor – it’s another VOD entry that’s way above-average and worth a look both for genre fans and anyone with a certain sense of nostalgia for the eighties.
Set in 1987, WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS satirizes the so-called “Satanic Panic”, a real phenomenon where die-hard Christian fundamentalists had large swaths of the American public convinced that heavy metal music was the work of the devil and that ritual killings were going to be the inevitable result. While this all sounds kind of hilarious, the truth is this phenom ruined a lot of lives, notably the West Memphis 3 and the McMartin Family (whose story was turned into a solid HBO film, INDICTMENT: THE MCMARTIN TRIAL starring a pre-crazy James Woods).
Here, our young protagonists are looking to party at a heavy metal concert although Satanic ritual slayings have been rocking their area for months. Much of the film relies on a second act twist that, while easy to see coming, thoroughly changes the kind of film WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS was shaping up to be. Most reviews have revealed the twist to give the film a proper review but I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Suffice to say, it’s a breezy, fun ninety-minute ride and a surprisingly edgy take-down of the hypocrisy of the eighties “Moral Majority” styled crusades.
Myers has a great sense of style and fun, with the eighties setting used effectively but not in an overbearing, jokey way. The cast is top shelf, with the first half-hour devoting more time than usual to establish the two groups of friends, all of whom prove to be a likable bunch. Alexandra Daddario is listed as one of the producers, and sure enough, this is one of her better roles, with her chewing the scenery with aplomb as she’s being given the chance to play against type for much of the running time. She’s having a lot of fun, as is Maddie Hasson as her more vampish friend, whose manic energy is far removed from her star turn on YouTube’s “Impulse”. WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS is a great showcase for both of them.
By contrast, Amy Forsyth has to be a little more down to earth as the third wheel in their gang, a teen runaway they’ve taken under their wing. She’s very good although it’s Hasson and Daddario who get to have all the fun here. The three guys are also effectively cast, with none of them playing stereotypical rocker dudes. Sure, they’re pretty keen to be picked up by these three gorgeous gals, but who wouldn’t? They’re pretty nuanced, with Keean Johnson especially sympathetic as the wannabe rocker bad boy (he reminded me a bit of Jason Patric circa THE LOST BOYS). The fact that you get so invested in everyone’s fates here proves just how effective WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS is, with a late appearance by Johnny Knoxville as a preacher being the icing on the cake (in a nice departure – he’s allowed to underplay the part rather than go all fire and brimstone).
While not especially scary (not that I think it was necessarily intended to be), WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS is a fun little eighties genre throwback. I think at this point we could all use a little escapism and Marc Myers’ movie fits the bill nicely. Check it out!