‘The Demon Disorder’ Review (Shudder)
Stars: Charles Cottier, Dirk Hunter, Christian Willis, John Noble, Tobie Webster | Written by Steven Boyle, Toby Osborne | Directed by Steven Boyle
The Demon Disorder marks the directorial debut of Steven Boyle, it’s also his first credit as a writer, or rather co-writer along with Toby Osborne (Black Hat, Population Purge). He’s no stranger to film though, or to horror for that matter, having effects and makeup credits on films ranging from Daybreakers and Ghost Ship to Boar and Two Heads Creek. And he’s channelled that experience into a tale of dark secrets and demonic activity somewhere in the Outback.
It begins with a nightmare of an old man shackled to his bed turning into a waking nightmare as Phillip (Charles Cottier; The Curious Case of Dolphin Bay, Home and Away) wakes up and finds his brother Jake (Dirk Hunter; Undead, A Royal in Paradise) in the barn looking at one of their pigs, skinned but still alive.
This prompts Jake to visit their other brother, Graham (Christian Willis; Contract Killers, The School). Graham left the family farm and cut off contact with them after the death of their father George (John Noble; The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It) so he is not expecting his brother, nor is he happy to see him. But when he tells him Phillip is acting like their father did before his death, backed up by footage shot with his phone, Graham agrees to come back home.
After its opening scenes, The Demon Disorder concentrates on the issues between the brothers, but given how obnoxious his brothers are, I was at a loss as to why Graham didn’t just take off and leave them to whatever fate awaited them. But he stays, and the viewer is treated to flashbacks to their childhood and airings of present day grievances. None of which really manages to tell us what is going on.
But once a feral-looking Phillip bites a chunk out of Graham before spitting up something that looks like a particularly nasty slug, things start to get back on track. Eventually, the setting switches back to Graham’s garage where the three of them, along with Graham’s assistant Cole (Tobie Webster; Bullied, Killer Theory) find themselves with an unwanted guest. Three of them if you count the two cops who turn up in time for the final act.
The effects in the last act are gooey, slimy and quite impressive for a low-budget film. Boyle knew what he wanted, from an eye growing in someone’s chest to the fully grown creature that emerges from another character, and he assembled a team who could deliver it despite the film’s seemingly modest budget. Even more impressive, the effects are primarily practical with a bit of CGI augmentation.
Terry King’s (Thicker Than Water, My Saga) cinematography and the score by Peter Spierig, one half of The Spierig Brothers who wrote and directed Undead and Daybreakers among others, give the proceedings a dose of atmosphere and menace. I do however wish the script had made better use of the garage and equipment like lifts and engine hoists rather than treat it as a generic building.
But despite that, and a somewhat abrupt and unsatisfying ending that’s an obvious plug for a sequel, The Demon Disorder ends with a grotesque mix of the demonic and body horror straight out of one of David Cronenberg’s early films. Yes, the film overall suffers from some common problems with debut features, such as the cliché relationship between the brothers, but it manages to redeem itself once it switches over to a full-on horror film. The small but talented cast enthusiastically throws themselves into the gooey goings on which helps sell a couple of the climax’s more gonzo moments.
Many effects artists have tried their hand at directing, but few of them have really been successful at it. Judging by The Demon Disorder, Boyle has the potential to pull it off, it will be interesting to see where he goes from here.
*** 3/5
The Demon Disorder is available to stream on Shudder now.
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