By EWAN McDONALD
(Herald rating: * * * )
A Kiwi horror story by first-time writer-director Glenn Standring. Dr Harry Ballard (Karl Urban) researches dodgy cults. Both the devil-worshipping Black Lodge and street-kid Benny (Katie Wolfe) warn him of danger ahead but, so we can have a movie, Ballard ignores the threat
until he's abducted and drugged.
The police don't buy his story, he goes home to find his girlfriend, Celia (Sally Stockwell), slashed and crucified, his confession scrawled in blood on the wall. Ballard turns to his stoned assistant (Tony MacIver), but he's butchered before he can help.
Ballard learns that the lodge's high priest, LeValliant
(Jonathon Hendry), wants to deliver his soul to cockroach-like demons. The doctor is even more upset when he sees Celia, alive and well, chatting with LeValliant.
If you like horror movies you won't mind that the script's loose grasp on logic falls even further awry from about here, because the gothic doom and the nasties are quite well done. Nice start, Standring.
Running time: 89 mins
Rental: Today
