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Reel commentary: ... While it will undoubtedly triumph as a mechanism for teaching teenagers and church youth groups a message that will survive well beyond the length of this film, it will hardly scare the be-Jesus out of any horror movie fan seeking a new fright-fix. But then again, maybe that's the point ... full review

Movie Review

By Brandi L. James

Christian Thriller. Ok, I realize that term screams "oxymoron;" kind of like "pure evil" or better yet, "vacation bible school." But, if you truly think about it, the supernatural warfare of good vs. evil has been scaring the hell out of us for years. The Exorcist. The Omen. Stigmata. The list goes on and on. So, why not embrace a self-proclaimed Christian/ Sci-Fi/ Thriller like Evil Behind You, which promotes a faith-driven message while simultaneously trying to make you scream bloody murder? Frankly, because its non-sensical dialogue, uninteresting characters, excessive sub-plots and sedative, rather than scare, effect causes it to sadly crash and burn, without enough holy water to douse the flames.

Since the inception of time, people have believed that a spiritual dimension exists beyond the physical realm. Then in 1952, Dr. Jeremiah Powell (David Lee) made a scientific breakthrough - a serum, which allowed him to penetrate that spiritual world. Suddenly, on the brink of fusing science fiction with reality, Dr. Powell inexplicably disappeared.

Fifty-four years later, two women, Lisa and Debra (Hilary Kennedy, Gwendolynn Murphy), awaken to find themselves locked in a dark, cramped observation room. Emerging from a drug-induced haze and unaware of how long they have been held captive, each rises to find Lisa?s boyfriend, David (Manuel Velasquez), Debra?s husband, Tony (D.C. Lee), and two unconscious strangers chained to operating tables. The unwilling participants of a scientific and brain-altering experiment, David and Tony realize that they are beginning to experience an eerie sensation that something, not of this dimension, is in the room with them; a demonic presence that can be neither seen nor felt by the women. Despite their chains, the men must now fight for their lives, against the evil breaking through.

Pretty scary, right? Hold on, because here is where we leave the dimension of religious consciousness and enter the realm of ridiculousness. Behind the observation window lies their captors, Middle Eastern terrorists (yes, terrorists), dressed in full camouflage, who have stolen Dr. Powell's research and injected their hostages with a rare strain of bacterial meningitis. The purpose? To find a cure for the brain-attacking virus, unleash the deadly disease on American soil, inject themselves with the cure and escape unscathed. To aid in their attack, the terrorists have abducted none other than Dr. Powell's son, (get this - also a scientist), to help monitor the hostages/guinea pigs and ultimately, find the cure.

Oh, did I mention the mind-blowing flashbacks? Not only are these characters fighting demonic possession, but are carrying major baggage that restricts them from moving forward in life and love. Lisa is harboring guilt over childhood molestation and her sister's resulting suicide; David left town three years ago after his best friend had an affair with David's fiancee and he fears he may still love his unfaithful ex; Dr. Powell, Jr. (Jim Garrity) bears the guilt of aiding the terrorists in an effort to save his own family; and Debra and Tony are on the verge of ending their May-December romance because Tony doesn't have a job and well, Debra is tired of supporting him. Just when my mouth began to open and I awaited a scream of sheer terror to emerge... no wait, it's a yawn.

Regardless of budget, a movie's success hinges upon our connection with the characters. And a good fright-fest forces its audience to not only care about what its characters have to endure, but express a deep-rooted desire for them (or at least some of them) to escape, alive. The dialogue in Evil Behind You, however, is so grossly absurd that it causes a total disconnection with both the characters and its jumbled storylines. What we expect in such a predicament is nothing short of pure, unadulterated chaos. Characters swollen by fear. Conversations plagued with irrational and interrupted outbursts of emotion. Desperate attempts to escape from their sick and twisted confinement. A collective attack against both the terrorists and the demons. Not here. No way.

Instead, in the midst of supposed terror, Jim Carroll's forced and tired script has its disinterested characters overly concerned with accusations of cheating, threats of divorce, jokes involving flatulence and of course, Tony's memorable Scooby-Doo impression after sneaking a peek down Lisa's blouse. Not to mention, we find our big-breasted heroines (religious or not, we couldn't except that part of the horror-movie formula, could we?) indulging in a cat-fight over how slutty Lisa dresses. Um, perhaps there is another time we can discuss these pressing issues?

Face it, a vestibule for evil can make for some seriously frightening cinema. But with an unauthentic script and stilted comedy infused into the mix, the result is a sinful eighty-nine minutes without a single scare. The orchestrated comedy fails to produce a laugh and the intentionally serious, unfortunately yields the most comedic results. Shamefully enough (forgive me, Father), it is the characters demise which becomes the film's most-valued entertainment. Besides, where else can you find Laurel and Hardy-esque Islamic terrorists with questionable accents and an unimaginative, "My God is better than your God" stance?

The truth is, this movie's sole saving grace is the almighty message. In a world often starved of faith, directors Jim Carroll and Jason Kerr attempt to inject a dose of forgiveness, acceptance of the Lord as one's Savior and the victory of good over evil through the power of God. Stripped of in-your-face blood and gore, adult language and nudity, Evil Behind You is a supernatural film that refreshingly promotes both the power of prayer and consequences of non-faith, but sadly fails to deliver any of the promised good old-fashioned terror. While it will undoubtedly triumph as a mechanism for teaching teenagers and church youth groups a message that will survive well beyond the length of this film, it will hardly scare the be-Jesus out of any horror movie fan seeking a new fright-fix. But then again, maybe that's the point.

Brandi L. James

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Comments

Nick Says:
January 22, 2007 at 20:49

I totally disagree with this review. Yeah, the movie is cheesy in spots, and the low budget is obvious, but it is entertiaining and held my attention the entire time. That's what I look for in a movie.

I must admint I rarely watch horrors and this one did not scare me, but it did make me think about the spirits of another realm. I think the producer got that point across.

Deb Says:
January 22, 2007 at 20:53

I've watched a lot of Christian movies hoping they would be good and they bored me to tears. Real preachy stuff. At least this one is fun to watch and has a little action.

Brandon Jordon Says:
February 12, 2007 at 21:27

I think anybody can tell this movie was cheaply done. But that doesn't take away from the way you get captured into the plot. I couldn't stop watching it after the first 20 minutes. I give it thumbs up for entertainment value.

Gerald Says:
May 25, 2007 at 13:31

I think the script pretty much sucked. The acting was ok in some characters, but I think they would have shined with better dialog. The Video/Audio quality seems adequate for such a low budget. Good job crew. Bad job writer/directors.

D.C. Says:
Oct 13, 2007 at 00:28

If you thought my Scooby was impressive, you should hear my Shaggy in the sequal.

Yanni Says:
Oct 21, 2007 at 11:15

There is something seriously wrong with anyone who likes this movie. By far the worst movie of all time.

Manuel Says:
Oct 24, 2007 at 23:58

C'mon, Yanni. I mean, yes the script sucked and we would have been better served to have just improv'ed the whole movie (and it would have only been marginally better), but 'worst movie of all time?' I think that honor goes 1st to "Chatterbox." A movie about a talking vagina is innately far worse then our film just on concept. But I will agree, EBU is pretty bad. If I ever go on to bigger and better things in my career, this will be a black eye that I hope my future fans can eventually embrace. I just wish they would let us (the cast) do an commentary track. A 100% honest commentary track. Because I know I've got a lot to say.

Yanni Says:
Oct 31, 2007 at 19:14

OK, I never saw or heard of Chatterbox so maybe that is worse. However, I appreciate your refreshing honesty about the absolute awfulness that permeates this film. I would not recommend doing a commentary track, in fact I think you should distance yourself from this movie as much as possible before it destroys your career.

DVD Information

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Evil Behind You (2006)