In the 1980s a phenomena known as “satanic panic” took place. Started with the accusations of child molestation in the McMartin preschool in California, the investigation led to more rumors about satanic cults sacrificing children across the country. The allegations in the McMartin case proved to be false as did the fear of ritualistic murders across the country. At one point those talking about the issue went so far as to connect numerous murders from one coast to the other, from the son of Sam to Charles Manson.
The fear was real, the reality was not. There were no mass killing and the connections between murders were debunked. The fear did cause people to respond though. Everything from condemning rock music to books took place. It boosted televangelist to the national level. But as I said, it was all for naught. Here we are some 40 years later and what it has done is inspire movies based on those events. Among them is the new release WE SUMMON THE DARKNESS.
It’s 1988 in Indiana and three young girlfriends, Alexis (Alexandria Daddario), Val (Maddie Hasson) and Beverly (Amy Forsyth), are on their way to a rock concert. On the radio they hear a story about three people nearby who were killed, their murders tied to a satanic group. They stop at a gas station along the way where the owner is watching TV Pastor John Henry Butler (Johnny Knoxville) talking about metal music being the devil’s tunes. Of course this is foreshadowing, what do you expect?
Along the way a van passes tossing out a milkshake out and onto the girl’s window. This same van shows at the concert, the girls toss some firecrackers into it and the passengers of both vehicles make up and become friends. In van held a trio of guys, Mark (Keean Johnson), Ivan (Austin Swift) and Kovacs (Logan Miller), a wanna-be band also there for the show. When the show ends the girls invite the guys to Alexis’ nearby family home, her parents away for the weekend.
The group sits around outside in lawn chairs, drinking, playing “have you ever” when the movie takes a twist. The guys begin to get drowsy only to realize the girls have drugged their drinks. When they wake they find themselves tied to chairs and the girls about to kill them. SPOILER ALERT: It turns out the girls are part of a nationwide Christian group known as the Daughters of the Dawn, killing off people and blaming it on Satanic cults to push their religion.
Ivan presses the girls on their beliefs and is killed for his spouting off. Before the others can be killed they escape and make a run through the house before holing up in a wine closet. If that weren’t enough of a problem Alexis ex-step mother shows up in search of her passport and some cocaine she has stashed away. From there things get even weirder, more twists pop up and a nice dose of dark humor kicks into place.
The humor in the film comes from a combination of the absurdity of the situation, the role reversal of women stalking men and the comedy of errors that follows as the movie progresses. It might not be a movie that everyone will get at first but as it gets further in the moment become funnier and the situations more outlandish. It takes knowing what you’re getting into beforehand to keep you from wondering what in the world you are watching.
The movie itself is quite well made. Director Marc Meyers provides a light touch here with some great choices visually as well as bringing out some great performances from his cast. Perhaps the best performances comes from Daddario as the ringleader of the girls and Hasson for her over the top portrayal of Val who gets far too into what is taking place. Knoxville also shows that he’s more than just the leader of his oddball group from the show JACKASS.
We’ve seen several movies this year tackling the subject matter, most notably SATANIC PANIC with Rebecca Romijn. Most never truly tackle what the subject matter was all about and this one only touches on it from a different perspective. That being said it is the better of the two films and one that those who like their humor twisted will enjoy.
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