[Satanic Panic]
Plot:In 1980 ten-year-old twins Toby and Cindy Richards were abducted by a group of demented satanic cult members. Cindy managed to escape, but Toby was never found. Twenty-five years later, a group of six friends take a canoe trip to re-kindle their friendship, only to find themselves in trouble with crazy, small town locals and the same satanic cult that took Toby years ago. Can the friends make it out of the town of Thornwood alive and in one piece, or will they become victims of sacrifice?

Cast:Nikki Taylor Melton, Steve Christopher, Tom Lodewyck, Bob Handegan, Holly Ilyne Sari, Patricia Melone, Karl Sundstrom, Arnold Lamb, Mark Edwards, Andy Schatner, Jamie Newell.

My Thoughts:Gritty satanic horror flick.

Review:"Satanic Panic" just by it's title alone, may sound like an indie horror picture to avoid at all costs. But looks can be decieving. The pic, while not altogether perfect, does get much of it's formula correct. The movie is inspired by the true story of a child abduction at the hands of reputed satanists back in the 1980's. The film takes it's base, core story arc from that incident, and then goes in it's own original direction. The picture boasts a rural america setting, and the usual quiet, ominous, and desolate overtones of any horror movies set in the deep heartland U.S.A.

The overall feel of the movie does draw some comparisons to the original "Friday The 13th" in that it's a very quiet film when it comes to scoring, and music. The picture plays music during the appropriate kill scene or action sequences, but for the most part, it lets the reality of the story just sink in to the viewers psyche. Which makes it creepy in it's own right. The film also makes it's villains, a local satanic cult, into true monsters within the context of the film.

These aren't cheesy one-liner spouting satanists. Although the film does use some elements of accidental humor during the opening scene where a satanist is being interviewed about his "religion". The movie really doesn't go out of it's way to be funny, or humorous. In fact, it keeps things quite dark, twisted, hopeless, and somber throughout it's 85 minute run. But these satanists are serious and violent people. And of course for good measure, the cliche of "the locals are all in on it", is thrown into the mix as well.

Although such a cliche usually becomes a weakness and a blight on most horror movies, in this movie, it worked well because everything else surrounding it was solid. We pretty much get a lot of victimization of innocent and random people throughout the first act. As well as a lot of media circus stuff such as press birages, protestors, etc. But the second to third act then gives us the movies main characters. A group of people who are going camping in the woods.

Now I'm sure right now you're hanging your head after that sentence, but these people actually have a modestly sensible reason to be in the woods. The lead female of the movie, who isn't introed or established as the lead female until the middle of act two, has terminal cancer. And she thinks getting some of her friends together, along with her husband, would set the perfect tone to let those who don't already know about her illness, in on the fact that she's terminally sick.

Sure, in horror films, going into the woods is a bad idea, but atleast writer/director Marc Selz was able to turn up a good reason for this campgrounds-gathering. Beyond the usual excuses of smoking dope, having sex, or just wanting to see where all those people were killed. And related nonsense. Of course though, it isn't long before the group become the satanists next target. And you feel an extra bit of pity and empathy for the lead female since she is after all, terminally ill, and as if that isn't bad enough, satanists want her and her friends dead.

The pic also boasts some really graphic and realistic scenes of torture, murder, and sacrifice. Which are pretty well-filmed, well-written, and well-done. As well as graphic, bloody, and gory. "Panic" isn't perfect though. The pic's characters can sometimes be too one-dimensional, and the movie could've really used another good guy or two to offeset the semeing abundance of villains it throws at it's protagonists. At some point, it all seems a bit too unfair for so litle protags to have to battle so many antags. But beyong those few issues, "Satanic Panic" delivers a dark and disturbing story, while keeping alive the grit, realism, and in-your-face brutality indie horror is well-known for.

Positives:Strong story, very graphic and realistic scenes of harm done to the good guys, nice blood and gore levels, a very dark and sinister feel which is perfect grounds for a satanism or satanic cult movie. The lead female in the movie was an interesting character, and the film turned a few cliches upside down, which is always appreciated.

Negatives:Like I said in the review, the film could've used one or two more good guys to offset the seemingly endless supply of villains.

Overall:Three out of four stars.





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