October is very much the month when Shudder shines. And one of its new additions is The Cleansing Hour, a fun horror about an internet hoax that gets real. The story begins with the end of the previous episode of a webcast reality show (sharing a name with the film) before pulling out to show the artifice around it. We meet Max and Drew, photogenic ‘priest’ and behind-the-scenes technical wizard respectively, who have run their YouTube channel for years and are constantly chasing a social media hit. This comes in the form of their latest ‘exorcism’ which turns all too real as a demon gets involved in the fun.
It’s best to not take The Cleansing Hour too seriously. It’s a big, silly horror that will fall apart if you put too much scrutiny on it. This is a film that should probably be best enjoyed with a few drinks in you and will hopefully leave you with a broad smile on your, satisfied with what it has to offer. But the makers are committed to the bit and do at least make a few novel points about the artifice that comes with our virtual world. Maybe not as affectively as something like Death of a Vlogger, but as proceedings escalate you feel the conflict between our modern world and a more ancient one. Perhaps there is something there that all of virtual thrills can’t hide.
The Cleansing Hour is at its best when its being inventively violent with just enough of a nasty bite to overcome the gloss of its cinematography or its, at times, exuberant editing. It may not chill you to the bone but it does come with enough jump scares to satisfy genre hounds. Having directed a combination of shorts and anthology segments Damien LeVeck uses all the tricks at his disposal to elevate his feature debut. From effective CGI to cutaways to the stream’s viewers, LeVeck’s film builds a world around its main studio setting. The script (co-written with Aaron Horwitz) may have a number of lines that clunk but it is at least smarter and more expansive then you’d expect for the story.
There are effective turns from Ryan Guzman (Max) and Kyle Gallner (Drew) who are both compelling in their respective roles, even if they feel somewhat underwritten. It is Alix Angelis as the possessed victim at the centre of the film that gives the most impressive turn, as her body contorts and almost erupts with the demon that is inside here. Angelis plays the part perfectly, even managing moments of sympathy for her character.
Shudder is having a cracking year of new releases and if The Cleansing Hour doesn’t quite match their other interaction with a demon (what does match Host?) it at the very least is a fun ride that just about justifies the subscription cost.
It’s best to not take The Cleansing Hour too seriously. It’s a big, silly horror that will fall apart if you put too much scrutiny on it. This is a film that should probably be best enjoyed with a few drinks in you and will hopefully leave you with a broad smile on your, satisfied with what it has to offer. But the makers are committed to the bit and do at least make a few novel points about the artifice that comes with our virtual world. Maybe not as affectively as something like Death of a Vlogger, but as proceedings escalate you feel the conflict between our modern world and a more ancient one. Perhaps there is something there that all of virtual thrills can’t hide.
The Cleansing Hour is at its best when its being inventively violent with just enough of a nasty bite to overcome the gloss of its cinematography or its, at times, exuberant editing. It may not chill you to the bone but it does come with enough jump scares to satisfy genre hounds. Having directed a combination of shorts and anthology segments Damien LeVeck uses all the tricks at his disposal to elevate his feature debut. From effective CGI to cutaways to the stream’s viewers, LeVeck’s film builds a world around its main studio setting. The script (co-written with Aaron Horwitz) may have a number of lines that clunk but it is at least smarter and more expansive then you’d expect for the story.
There are effective turns from Ryan Guzman (Max) and Kyle Gallner (Drew) who are both compelling in their respective roles, even if they feel somewhat underwritten. It is Alix Angelis as the possessed victim at the centre of the film that gives the most impressive turn, as her body contorts and almost erupts with the demon that is inside here. Angelis plays the part perfectly, even managing moments of sympathy for her character.
Shudder is having a cracking year of new releases and if The Cleansing Hour doesn’t quite match their other interaction with a demon (what does match Host?) it at the very least is a fun ride that just about justifies the subscription cost.