★ 5 / 10
Decent, could have been great.
rayje
Films inspired by Lovecraft are always a mixed bag, this one being no exception. It is honestly both one of the better ones I've seen, but also the most…
Films inspired by Lovecraft are always a mixed bag, this one being no exception. It is honestly both one of the better ones I've seen, but also the most disappointing in how much potential was ignored.
We start with a stylish opening, with some clunky dialogue that still manages to set up an appropriate atmosphere. We meet our incredibly attractive main characters, but then are given at best an elevator pitch's worth of background on them before we rush off to business. From that point on it's basically a far too brief runaway train where the horror isn't given enough time to marinate or enough room to leave much of an impact. In the end I was left what felt like a tv pilot, leaving me wanting more after a bit of polish had been applied.
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★ 5 / 10
SYFY channel here we come
louisdut
H. P Lovecraft wrote The Call of Cthulhu in 1926 and ever since then filmmakers have attempted to bring the tentacled, mind-bending monster, to life. Although…
H. P Lovecraft wrote The Call of Cthulhu in 1926 and ever since then filmmakers have attempted to bring the tentacled, mind-bending monster, to life. Although some productions have broken into cultural relevance with mainstream financial and critical success (The Mist, The Cabin in the Woods, Color out of Space and The Void) most attempts have been abysmal failures. The recent resurgence of Quantum Physics as a creative framework of cinematic exploration (Ant Man: Quantumania, Everything Everywhere All At Once) also opened new, and previously unexplored, avenues for genre filmmakers to probe and examine.
Director and Co-Writer Larry Wade Carrell is the latest filmmaker to venture into a creative amalgamation of these metacognitive and theoretical realms with The Quantum Devil.
An international team of scientists are summoned to a remote location in eastern Europe in an effort to breach the quantum barrier and travel to another dimension. Their shady pasts are revealed, and the true nature of the experiment is beyond anything they could have predicted.
The scope of creating a Lovecraftian horror film is a staggering challenge due to the magnitude of the literary creature and the profoundly existential mythology created since H. P Lovecraft's original works. Filmmakers often struggle to do these aspects justice and fail miserably in the execution of intricate, yet universal, meta-physical concepts. Carrell's approach to the topic is fantastically ambitious as he not only explores the Cthulhu mythos, but also connects it with more modern films, including the science fiction elements of Minority Report and Inception, the claustrophobic paranoia of Escape Room and Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2, as well as hints of body-horror from Hellraiser and Dawn of the Dead. These elements blend together seamlessly enough to pay homage to the originals as well as justify the ambitions of the director.
The Quantum Devil does suffer significantly from a lack of likeable characters and an inordinate use of scientific jargon that feels rehearsed and unnaturally performed. The cast of scientists are truly unbelievable as serious Academics, with both female protagonists (Tamara Radovanovic and Ariadna Cabrol) either dressed as early 2000's ravers, prostitutes, or at best, Alice from the Resident Evil franchise. Their male counterparts, Tyler Tackett and Edward Apeagyei, are given more development and pathos, but ultimately, they too, are left floundering in a sea of chaotic dialogue and underdeveloped motivations. The standout performance of the film is undoubtably Neil Dickson (Inland Empire, Haunting of the Innocent) as the disgraced Physicist, Dr. Richard Cernovich, who calls the other scientists together to complete his quantum experiment. Dickson's intense, but fun performance is a much needed, professional, and devious delight.
The second half of The Quantum Devil leans heavily into the horror aspect of the Lovecraftian mythology, unfortunately, with SyFy channel quality CGI, but rectifies the flawed special effects with high-standard practical gore. The visualisation of Cthulhu is a stunning sight to behold, and the voice-acting cameo is a stroke of sublime genius.
Larry Wade Carrell is obviously a H. P Lovecraft fan and his attempt at creating something in the author's literary universe is commendable and brave. His affinity bleeds through The Quantum Devil's narrative, with easter-eggs and foreshadowing, playfully, sprinkled throughout the film, and although the lofty ambitions weren't fully realized, there is definitely some bloodstained fun to be had by all horror fans.
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★ 8 / 10
3.4...? Seriously? No way... This movie is a total TRIP! Extremely imaginative, VERY entertaining. I truly don't understand the low rating...
lathe-of-heaven
Well, as a lover of all things Lovecraft, I must say that I found this movie very entertaining and like my title says EXTREMELY imaginative. And, when we are…
Well, as a lover of all things Lovecraft, I must say that I found this movie very entertaining and like my title says EXTREMELY imaginative. And, when we are talking Lovecraft, imagination frigg'n Rules!
How many films these days have this much creative force behind them? Yes, there were some rough areas with the acting. And I personally could have done without the constant sexual element (not to be a prude at all, I just felt cinematically it was distracting from the powerful otherworldly mood of the movie, that's all) But, honestly, TONS of imagination in this story. I know I keep saying that, but I am so used to supposed Horror films these days being so pedestrian or trying to be so 'Hip' But, not in this case. This one grabs you by the nutZ and drags you right into other dimensions and never lets go.
Maybe the people who have rated this so far just don't care for Lovecraftian films, IDK... But, if you are like me and you really love these kinds of stories, I truly cannot see how you could possibly not be greatly entertained by this one (I know that was a bit of a double negative there, but I think you get the idea... ?)
Just the casting alone of the main 'Bad' guy and his, uh... 'Helpers' was frigg'n brilliant! Wow, I remember seeing that strange little guy in another very offbeat film, what a look! Anyway, it's got the whole scientists searching for the 'Quantum' Dimension kind of thing and we've definitely got the Old Gods and what I feel is a great mythology created in this story. If you are indeed a fan of all things Lovecraft, this movie has it all, I'm telling you.
Maybe I was a tad generous giving this film an '8', but you have to remember, I am thinking about all the other supposed Horror movies out there that to me anyway are FAR less interesting and entertaining than this one. So, on the curve so to speak, I think this one was pretty damn good!
Just for those of Lovecraftian lore. Others, apparently the current ones rating this excellent film at a 3.4 can certainly go elsewhere and kindly not P*ss all over the rating of a great movie like this one.
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3.5/10
517
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Beyond dull