Brad Parker's “THE DEVIL BELOW”
Movie review by Dennis D. McDonald
I’m not a big fan of horror movies but I enjoyed this one despite its many faults.
The Bad:
shallow plot
generic characters
inconsistent editing
just OK monsters
The Good:
Spooky settings
Great photography and color despite much darkness
Lots of movement
Realistic stunts
The story: a paid guide leads a group of explorers to an abandoned Appalachian coal mine that has all but disappeared since a mining disaster and the subsequent perpetually burning underground fire. Naturally the explorers find more than they bargained for. They’re vicious and the explorers begin to succumb to their attacks.
Serious horror fans will probably be bored but I enjoyed the settings and the overall production. I’m also not a big fan of caves and being underground but the use of lighting and shadow and the framing of scenes both above and below ground are quite impressive for what is probably a very modestly budgeted film.
Review copyright (c) 2021 by Dennis D. McDonald