Review by Chris Rennirt
Yes! It’s another demonic possession movie! But, what a damn good one it is…again! At the Devil’s Door (2014) is written and directed by Nicholas McCarthy —writer/director of The Pact, featured in another review/article here on Space Jockey Reviews—and what a solid, straight-from-Hell entry in the demonic-possession horror genre it is!
What’s it all about? The story begins with a teenaged girl, Hannah, selling her soul to The Devil for a measly $500 as an encouraging boyfriend looks on. (How cheap the human soul is…or how easily The Devil knows we are bought.) Of course, since Hannah doesn’t really believe in such things, any money for the soul is good, especially for the boy who loves her. (Yeah, right!) All Hannah must do is go to where the roads meet, and say her name…”so he knows her names when he calls for her.” And thus begins a tale of demonic possession spanning the movie’s length, told through the experiences of its many hapless victims.
Ashley Rickards (as Hannah) in At the Devil’s Door
Uniquely so, At the Devil’s Door is a movie with not one, not two, but three main characters! As the demon moves from one female victim to another, the movie’s protagonist changes, mostly changing the plot with it. As the story begins, we have the teenaged Hannah (Ashley Rickards) tricked into making deals with the Devil. Next we have, (Catalina Sandino Moreno), the ambitious real-estate agent exposed to Satan through her career, ambition…and curiosity. Finally, we have Vera (Naya Rivera) a victim via love for her sister and, yes, more curiosity.
An opportunity to calmly contemplate the horror is not wasted in At the Devil’s Door.
Speaking of Naya Rivera, this is the first movie or production I’ve seen with her as a featured actress. (No, I never saw a single episode of Glee.) News of her tragic death in July of 2020 came before I had even heard of her at all. But finally, I can speak from experience seeing her at work. Finally, I can say what a loss she was to the acting world, as much as to all of those who loved her otherwise. What talent was lost…and what a beautiful person she was as well! In a behind-the-scenes featurette on the movie’s bluray, Rivera talks about her experience on the set of At the Devil’s Door, with it being her first role in a horror film; she expresses how much she enjoyed the new experience. I only wish she had lived to experience more.
Naya Rivera (as Vera)
Columbian-born actress Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace, 2004; American Gothic, 2016) is perfectly cast as Leigh, Vera’s older sister. Moreno plays Leigh as a fashionable, confident, career-minded contrast to her more insecure, cautious, less-ambitious sister. While Moreno has limited time on screen as the protagonist, she creates, in less time, a three-dimensional character with layers of complexity. Moreno, in little time, also makes Leigh a character we care about, exactly because she is so well and efficiently portrayed and brought to life. Moreno develops Leigh with such ease that we get the idea, true or not, that Moreno is much like Leigh in life. And, with Leigh’s qualities, that’s quite a compliment to Moreno as well!
Catalina Sandino Moreno (right) having a sister-to sister talk with Vera (Naya Rivera)
Ava Acres (only 10 years old in 2014) delivers a captivating performance, well beyond her years, as Vera’s ominous, Hell-spawned daughter. And director Nicholas McCarthy talks about how he chose Acres, out of many child actresses he interviewed, because of her mature, adult presence—exactly what was required for the role. Acres’ unflinching, unblinking stares create the perfect “evil child” persona, all the creepier with the perception of danger and unpredictability she exudes. While seemingly emotionless and motiveless, she is a blank screen for the projected fears we imagine and predict…all the more terrifying, as a result. The combination of child innocence and lurking danger is unsettling, tapping into our innermost anxieties. Acres’ character, named only as “Girl” in the movie’s credits, is, thanks to Acres, anything but so generic, and more like the star of the movie’s finale.
Ava Acres (known only as “Girl” in the credits) offers herself up to the knife, in At the Devil’s Door!
At the Devil’s Door includes a memorable (and striking) homage to one of the horror genre’s original cult classics, Don’t Look Now (1973). Complete with an ominous ghoul in a red “slicker” (with the hood even covering the face), there’s no doubt about it. Even the movie’s posters and bluray covers feature the raincoat-wearing image dead center. There’s also an obvious allusion to Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and an homage to another Armageddon-heralding tale of evil children, The Omen (1976). Yes! If ever there was another sequel-worthy story (or prequel to an end-of-times trilogy), this is it! But, with less fanfare and eight years since its release, an At the Devil’s Door follow-up are, I’d say, as unlikely as Satan himself telling the truth…as he steals your soul. Fire and brimstone be damned, I’ll keep my fingers crossed anyway!
A sinister Ashley Rickards in a red slicker scene worth a replay!
Finally (and I have to mention this), I couldn’t help but notice the lack of bare feet in At the Devil’s Door. Before you say “WTF! Why would you expect bare feet in this movie?” read my earlier article (The Pact: A Short Film to Feature Film Comparison and Review) and you’ll know why. The Pact (also written and directed by Nicholas McCarthy) was, without a doubt, a Tarantino-inspired, foot-lover’s dream, with all manner of contrived, barefoot scenarios (even close ups). But, with ample, no-doubt-beautiful feet available (those of Naya Rivera, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and Ashley Rickards), director McCarthy included not a single shoeless sole. Considering the gratuitous, foot-heavy content in The Pact, it’s surprisingly more than inconsistent…more like uncanny!
Indeed! It is always best to keep a knife in hand, when going after The Devil himself!
At the Devil’s Door, while borrowing heavily from other movies of its kind (also as welcome tributes), is a fun ride to familiar but time-tested, scary places. On par with the director’s companion piece, The Pact, it stands alone as a solid entry in evil-child horror, well worth its 91-minute running time. Even if you forget it after the credits roll, its demonically-delicious ride still satisfies!
Rocket Rating – 6.5
Chris Rennirt (the author of this review) is a movie critic and writer in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as editor in chief at Space Jockey Reviews. He has been a judge at many film festivals, including Macabre Faire Film Festival and Crimson Screen Film Fest, and he attends horror and sci-fi conventions often. Chris’ movie reviews, articles, and interviews appear in Effective Magazine and are published regularly on Space Jockey Reviews. His mission statement (describing his goals as a movie critic and philosophy for review writing) can be found on the “Mission” page, here at SJR. For more information about Chris Rennirt (including contact details, publicity photos, and more), click here.
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Awesome movie!