Writer: Vito Dinatolo (Screenplay)
Starring: Scott Baxter, Chad Bishop, Jamie Bernadette, Janet Roth, James Hutchinson, Christopher Thorpe, Charmane Star
Plot: A war vet returns home, but a mysterious epidemic breaks out and infects his friends… The nightmare has just begun.
Tagline – What’s your demon?
Runtime: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Clever Horror Thriller
Story: Face of Evil starts when Jay (Baxter) returns from his time in the services, his house is a mess, but his friends are there to welcome him home with a party. It isn’t long before the party takes an unwelcome twist and now Jay must face his infected friends out to kill him.
With his home invaded he must work with his sister Katy (Bernadette) to escape and team up with his former Sarge (Bishop) to fight the infected and learn the truth.
Thoughts on Face of Evil
Characters – Jay is the returning war vet, life isn’t what he remembers and after a night of partying things take a turn as he must team up with his Sarge to fight infected running riot in the streets. Sarge is the former brother in arms of Jay, he helps him through the infected streets be prepared for being discovered along the way. Katy is the sister of Jay that has helped throw the party, she is one that gets caught up with Jay needing to help her survive.
Performances – It would be fair to say Scott Baxter is the star of this movie, he appears in nearly every scene and it is his position through each situation that he gets to show us. Chad Bishop is good once he appears making us want to see what his character does next. While the rest of the performances are good, we don’t get too much time with them to see them standing out.
Story – The story follows a war veteran that must battle the infected across the home town, it shows how the deeper he gets the bigger the threat. This mostly follows one man who interacts with people along the way, which helps guide him to his final destination and the answers he is looking for. It would be fair to say the story gives hints to the conclusion of the film, which if you pick up on, you will get the end, otherwise this might not hit all the marks for the audience.
Horror – The horror side of the film is the journey Jay must go through during this night, be it the infected chasing him or learning what is causing the infection to spread.
Settings – The film is set in one city which shows how Jay and Sarge search for answers while alluding the infected.
Special Effects – The effects are simple and you can see the budget holding certain parts being held back, most are the infected look and bullet splatter.
Scene of the Movie – The final act.
That Moment That Annoyed Me – The early house scenes can be hard to follow in the darkness.
Final Thoughts – This is a clever thriller that does take time to get going, it does show us where things are going, but it does deliver on a surprise and important message.
Overall: Thriller that keeps you thinking.
Rating