Rent The Devil's Doorway (2018)

Grim! - The Devil's Doorway review by NP

At the centre of this powerful period found-footage horror is the horrifically tragic story of young Kathleen O’Brien. We first see her alone and imprisoned in the filth of containment, chained deep within an asylum, a pregnant virgin in the throes of possession. Her story is never a happy one, and her throwaway, inevitable fate is that much more effective because it occurs amidst so much aggression from her so-called carers, and there is so much else going on.

Set in the 1960s, Father Riley and Father Thornton’s grisly mission is recorded in what emerges as the found footage we, the audience, are watching. It could be seen as a meshing of ‘The Exorcist’ and ‘The Blair Witch Project’ as it contains a few similarities to both; it also contains cruelty and a dank atmosphere unique to this production.

Everyone concerned should be congratulated on this, especially director and co-writer Aislinn Clarke, who is careful to expose the failings in the system on display here, and those who follow it with a lack of discretion or sympathy, and not fall back on an easier, obvious blasphemy. The villains here are distinctly human, and it is they who allow further, only glimpsed-at, evils to emerge.

Visually, the film is gloomy and claustrophobic with attention given to the grain and flares of film from the time period. Although the possibility of wielding a camera from those times as it is wielded here, is slim, such is the overpowering atmosphere that it doesn’t really matter. Splendidly grim. My score is 8 out of 10.

Chilling Found Footage Horror Film Set in 1960s Ireland - The Devil's Doorway review by PV

This film has been compared to both the Exorcist and the famous 'found footage' movie The Blair Witch Project. I liked this better than either of those.

I thought it was all SO effective and believable, also scary - I found myself peeping round corners on the screen.

The actors are great. The plots does get a tad woolly later on, to be honest. Enough horror here without that.

maybe watch together with PHILOMENA.

So the ending is a tad disappointing for me (NO SPOILERS) but the first two acts are 5 star.

Overall, 4 stars.