Devil

It sets itself up like a John Carpenter film from the 70's: building an odd cast, steely motions, and hidden violence in movement. Underneath an upturned world (perhaps too obvious a metaphor), and with a constant Christian superstitious undertone, a towering building in Philadelphia on a stormy day feeds some storytelling voiceover of a minor character. In this building, a few people attempt to enter an elevator. It's too full, and they wait for another, entering one by one until there are five. The elevator stalls, and the five are stuck together inside. This could work as some psychological play set-up, but the stormy skies and steely movements warn of a different tale. A security guard watching the events take place on camera tells us of the devil, who is a devious creature who doesn't give mercy. People start to get hurt inside of the elevator, and the police are called in, headed by a damaged detective. What is happening in the elevator is unknown, but we seem to know that one of the people inside is responsible for the events. Half detective story outside of the elevator, half ghost / slasher inside the elevator, DEVIL is a perfectly respectable, if not forgettable, piece of short, crisp, and problematic cinema.
Devil: ★★★