3 Short Paragraphs: We Summon the Darkness

2019, Marc Meyers (My Friend Dahmer) -- download

This just showed up on Netflix, which is where I would expect it would eventually show up, assuming its not already on Shudder, where horror movies for horror movie fans should be, and what this is. What does that mean? Well, some movies are made for general appeal, and some are only made for the fans of the genre. Whether its intent or quality or style, you can easily see they won't appeal to anyone outside the genre fans. Well, as generalizations go.

Alexandra Daddario's blue eyes (San Andreas) star as Alexis, one of a trio of heavy metal fans on attending heavy metal concerts, partying with other fans. The radio tells them of the continued spree killings by a Satanic Cult, and since this is a heavy metal movie, we put two and two together pretty quickly. Afterall, this is the 80s when heavy metal and Satanic Panic were at their height, so how are the girls and the killings going to connect?

One such post-show party leads back to Alexis's house where the twist turns the knife. If you didn't see it coming, Alexis and her friends ARE the killers!! (dramatic turn of events music!) Her father, a fiery radio/TV preacher, has orchestrated the whole thing to draw more to his flock, to further fill the mattress with money taken from those seeking protection from Satan(!). If "horror" can be light hearted without being straight comedy, this is the path this one takes. Written by the same guy (Alan Trezza) as Burying the Ex, it doesn't have the same amount of flair, and would have fit well into the era it is set, when you would swing by the video store, grab a handful of B-grade flicks and one New Release, a large bag of chips and a large bottle of pop, to shout and laugh at the screen with your friends.