Dust Devil is one of those films where most critics either loved it or hated it. Almost every review I read was either for or against the film. But there were also many people who we’re mixed about it. I for one agree with most of them that the film is a bit on the slow side. However I appreciated the sheer brilliance of the great cinematography and the awesome visuals this film has. the film is also filled with some great biblical references as well, that are hard for the human eye to catch, however if you notice them you’ll appreciate the more artistic value that this film has.
The film is about a drifter whom more or less is a demon trapped in a mans body trying to get back to what is referred to as “The Other Side of the Mirror” in the film. The film takes place in South Africa right after the abolishment of the apartheid. This serial killer, the demon man, does not really reveal much of an identity thought out the film as to what his name is. All we really know is in order for him to get back to the other side he needs to collect souls of people who have given up on life, or for lack of a better term have nothing to live for. Then enters Wendy into the picture, a women who seems to dislike her life. She runs off after her and her somewhat of an abusive husband get into an agreement which gets a bit psychical. Wendy feeling she has nothing to live for, jumps in her car and begins to drive towards the shore. She later finds herself picking up the drifter on the side of the road in a small abandon town known as Bethany. Her and our drifter fall in love, and start having sex and all that great stuff, however he does not kill her after making love to her like he has with his previous victims. Instead he falls for her, because he still feels the emotions of being human. But Wendy decides to be nosy and goes though his bag where she finds photos of all his victims as well as some of their fingers in a box. The story then becomes a game of cat and mouse in the South African desert. Meanwhile there is a police officer whom knows about the drifter and who he really is. And only he has the right weapons to stop this crazed killer demon from taking more souls.
What I really enjoyed overall about this picture was the style and artistic matter in which it was shot and edited. Now I’m not really into artistic films, but this one works well enough where you can actually understand the story. The film kind of reminds me of several films with the visualization one might get from reading Stephen King’s The Gun Slinger. I felt the film also had a western style similar to that of The Devil’s Rejects, a real gritty western type feel. Mad Max, Warlock and Near Dark are other films that came to mind. The use of effects and trick photography are mind-blowing.
The acting in the film is not half bad either. I do however think that the drifter could of been played by a more menacing looking actor in terms of appearance, however Robert John Burke did a dam good job at playing the role. I felt the script could of been a bit tighter, and the film does tend to drag a bit at the beginning, I’m not sure if it would effect much of the story if the film was cut a bit tighter, but nonetheless it was still an overall good film. The special make-up and animatronics effects were pretty good, as well as the awesome looking set design, which one scene involve a movie theater full of sand. I really liked the set design in that scene.
Overall, I think die hard horror fans with a taste for great cinematic artistic horror pictures will love this film. I think that the normal horror fans might have a mixed feeling, based on the pacing of the film, but overall I really enjoyed this picture. I highly recommend buying this DVD if your into what I like to refer to as “smart horror”.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
