 | MOVIE DETAILS • Name: Satanic Panic • Year: 2019 • Country: USA • Director: Chelsea Stardust • Main cast: Rebecca Romijn, Arden Myrin, Hayley Griffith, Ruby Modine • Runtime: 85 minutes • Production company: Aperture Entertainment, Fangoria, Media Finance Capital • TRAILER
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I think Satanic Panic (2019) might end up being one of the most remembered movies of the year. I don’t dare to call it an instant classic, after all, it’s not inventing anything new, but surely it is a very well built horror-comedy. One of those movies that are made by the fans and for the fans. And, so far, this is one of the best things you can say about the film industry in the late 2010s.
The plotline is one of those silly schemes that one can only find in these sorts of movies. A young pizza delivery girl, who is not having the best of the days, finds herself in the poshy snobby area for her final job of the day. And as she ends up out of gas and has no cash due to the lousy tips and asshole boss, she decides to break into the mansion of her last delivery to ask for the tips she thinks to deserve. Only to find out the mansion is a covenant of Satanists with witchcraft powers on their way to summon a powerful demon to rule the world. But the Satanists need a virgin for their ritual. Guess what is the status of the sex experience of our dear cute pizza delivery girl?
Yes, a quite silly plotline, but that is never an impediment for the movie to work well, very well. Both the filmmakers and the actors know their limitations, but they also know what they are doing. That is what brings all the magic. The chemistry between the actors is very evident and constantly gives the freshness the movie needs. The script doesn’t focus on surprising the audience, but to entertain it. So the action is very dynamic, and it’s plagued with jokes that, surprisingly, most of the times work. Satanic Panic (2019) is not only a likable movie, it’s also funny and exciting.
After a good handful of short films, Chelsea Stardust debuts as the director of a feature film with Satanic Panic (2019). Perhaps that is the reason why the movie feels so fresh a likable. The illusion of a talented debutant filmmakers gets imprinted on the screen the whole running time. Especially if she is surrounded by bunch of competent actors, some veterans in these sorts of films and some others pretty unknown faces for the big audience, such as Rebecca Romijn, Arden Myrin, Ruby Modine, AJ Bowen, Jordan Ladd, Whitney Moore, Jeff Daniel Phillips or Jerry O’Connell. Special mention to Hayley Griffith, the hero of the film, a young actress with a bright future ahead.
On top of all things, Satanic Panic (2019) is a good horror-comedy. It gets nasty and gory when it’s time to, and it’s cheerful most of the time. Easily deserving to be in any top10 list of horror films of the year. Sure, it is a minority film, it will never be a big hit for the big masses. But, who cares? This Fangoria production is destined to us, the horror audience. And it’s us the privileged ones who must enjoy it. I did, very much.
RATE: 6.5/10
IMDB URL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt8510350
