This is an extremely entertaining claymation film with a heavy focus on snappily-paced comedy. It parodies a number of horror classics, primarily The Exorcist: you have your priest suffering from a crisis of faith, and a demon child picking off hapless adults in hilariously over-the-top and gory ways. It's an "anything for a joke" film, and the comedy really shines.
Most of this film focuses on one comedic setpiece after another: a satirical montage of celebrity-obsessed media; slapstick death scenes full of cartoon gore; a terrific otherworldly seance; the list goes on, while the movie does a good job building the tension and showing the demon child's family growing more and more desperate. There isn't a lot to explain here because it's easy to understand what works, and the creators did a great job on these aspects!
On a technical level, there's a lot to appreciate. The use of color, creative camera angles, and strong shot composition are excellent throughout the film! They give the whole thing a surreal atmosphere that can be playful or intense when the film needs. The creators are clearly excellent craftsmen who brought their A-game visually. It's honestly an excellent example of the bold art direction you can only achieve in stop-motion, and I think there's a lot of inspiration here for aspiring animators to learn from.
Unfortunately, the story fizzles out at the end. Way too late in the movie, we're introduced to a generic demon so the film can do a CG finale sequence. The shift from fantastic claymation to janky CG is a huge step down, and the sequence drags on without being very funny or dramatic. I wish they had 1-upped the entire joke of the movie by revealing that there was no demon, and this kid really was just a rotten brat with psychic powers. In a goofy "anything for a joke" movie, a sardonic twist would've been way more appropriate than a clumsy CG showdown.
The awkward ending makes the other flaws stand out. (The priest's complex personal crises, as well as the boy's mother mourning her husband, both get a ton of buildup but are resolved like the flip of a switch. The film spends a lot of time making us hate a corrupt bishop character, then it just gets rid of him in a hasty anticlimax.) It's unfortunate that the film ends on a letdown, because for most of its run, this movie is an extremely well-crafted laugh riot, filled with excellent visuals, top-notch claymation, and extremely creative slapstick gags.
Still, overall this movie is an extremely fun ride. Its one real goal is to entertain you, and it does an admirable job! The finale is a sore spot, but even with that flaw, the film is still a solid 8/10. I highly recommended it to anyone looking for a madcap horror parody or fans of stop-motion animation!
Most of this film focuses on one comedic setpiece after another: a satirical montage of celebrity-obsessed media; slapstick death scenes full of cartoon gore; a terrific otherworldly seance; the list goes on, while the movie does a good job building the tension and showing the demon child's family growing more and more desperate. There isn't a lot to explain here because it's easy to understand what works, and the creators did a great job on these aspects!
On a technical level, there's a lot to appreciate. The use of color, creative camera angles, and strong shot composition are excellent throughout the film! They give the whole thing a surreal atmosphere that can be playful or intense when the film needs. The creators are clearly excellent craftsmen who brought their A-game visually. It's honestly an excellent example of the bold art direction you can only achieve in stop-motion, and I think there's a lot of inspiration here for aspiring animators to learn from.
Unfortunately, the story fizzles out at the end. Way too late in the movie, we're introduced to a generic demon so the film can do a CG finale sequence. The shift from fantastic claymation to janky CG is a huge step down, and the sequence drags on without being very funny or dramatic. I wish they had 1-upped the entire joke of the movie by revealing that there was no demon, and this kid really was just a rotten brat with psychic powers. In a goofy "anything for a joke" movie, a sardonic twist would've been way more appropriate than a clumsy CG showdown.
The awkward ending makes the other flaws stand out. (The priest's complex personal crises, as well as the boy's mother mourning her husband, both get a ton of buildup but are resolved like the flip of a switch. The film spends a lot of time making us hate a corrupt bishop character, then it just gets rid of him in a hasty anticlimax.) It's unfortunate that the film ends on a letdown, because for most of its run, this movie is an extremely well-crafted laugh riot, filled with excellent visuals, top-notch claymation, and extremely creative slapstick gags.
Still, overall this movie is an extremely fun ride. Its one real goal is to entertain you, and it does an admirable job! The finale is a sore spot, but even with that flaw, the film is still a solid 8/10. I highly recommended it to anyone looking for a madcap horror parody or fans of stop-motion animation!