Director Sean Byrne
Genre Horror
Cast Ethan Embry, Shiri Appleby, Kiara Glasco, Pruitt Taylor Vince
Rating Unrated
Release Date March 17th, 2017 (Limited & On-Demand)
“A struggling painter is possessed by satanic forces after he and his young family move into their dream home in rural Texas, in this creepy haunted-house tale.”
Written and directed by Sean Byrne, The Devil's Candy is an indie haunted house style horror film involving satanic forces. Byrne’s first feature-film, The Loves Ones, which released in 2009, received widespread acclaim on the international film festival circuit. The Devil’s Candy made its premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which was also very well received by critics, and was subsequently officially released on a limited basis and On-Demand March 17th, 2017. The cast includes Ethan Embry, Shiri Appleby, Kiara Glasco, and Pruitt Taylor Vince.
The Devil's Candy is a frighteningly fast-paced horror gem fueled by an earth shattering heavy metal soundtrack. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when The Devil's Candy arrived On-Demand, but after overwhelmingly positive early feedback from critics, I knew it was worth checking out. And I’m glad I did! I love horror films, but rarely are they capable of making me anxiously uneasy, and it pleases me to say The Devil's Candy managed to do that with relative ease. Right away it's clear this is a horror film with style and substance, and the last thing it lets you do is relax. As each moment passes, you just know something is very, very wrong. The score, soundtrack, and the cinematography, blend together in such a way that every single shot seems to somehow have an even deeper meaning. The script is simple yet immensely effective in a very real and very scary sort of way. I am still trying to figure out how they were able to create such a vile character that you can’t help but feel sympathy towards. I watched it twice and I picked up on a few subtle things that I somehow missed the first time through. You will be hard pressed to point out a flaw that justifies the limited release. Only his second feature film as a writer and director, Sean Byrne truly has an eye for horror and I can’t wait to see what he cooks up next. The combination of an extremely talented director and a superb cast pave the way for what is sure to become a horror classic. I'm not one to have nightmares, but if I was at all susceptible to a traumatic late night wake up, The Devil's Candy would surely make that a reality.
Rarely is acting a focal point for a horror film in general, nonetheless an indie horror, but The Devil's Candy turns that on its face. As a whole, this is the best acting I've experienced for a horror film since Lights Out. Lead Ethan Embry, best known for his role in the late 90's cult classic Can't Hardly Wait, is absolutely fantastic in his role. He has been working his butt off on the acting front but has had mostly supporting roles and brief stints on various T.V. shows, but he has legitimate talent. His portrayal of a struggling painter and committed family man is spot on, especially his ability to develop a strong and believably unbreakable bond with his wife and daughter. His wife is played by another Hollywood vet yet relatively unknown actress, the very cute Shiri Appleby, who has also made her career in T.V. for the most part. Most recently she has found success in the LifeTime Network drama series UnREAL. Appleby has great chemistry with her co-stars and delivers a solid performance. The daughter is played by young actress Kiara Glasco, and she delivers a more than effective performance as well. Now on to the meat and potatoes of this very sturdy cast, Pruitt Taylor Vince, who has an impressive 100 credits on his resume as an actor, dating back to 1986. He is very much a character actor who finds himself playing a less than savory role the majority of the time. Vince is remarkable in this sadistic role, rarely even uttering a word, and his character made my skin crawl. That is a feat not easily achieved, so kudos to him.
The Devil's Candy is the cream of the crop for indie horror films, and easily one of the best IFC Midnight releases I've seen in quite some time. It's no secret that direct to On-Demand films can be hit or miss, mostly miss, but this is an instance where the film more than deserved a theatrical release. To take it one step further, it is a travesty that this is a limited release. The Devil's Candy will have the hair on the back of your neck standing up in no time, and thanks to a director sure to turn some heads in the horror industry, this one is more than worth your time. Highly recommended.
