Plot: What’s it about?
Jake Le’Clair (Paul Zanone) used to be a police officer in New Orleans, but these days, his profession isn’t so noble. He was tossed off the force and ever since, he has eked out a living as a private investigator. Le’Clair hates the job and has been miserable since his termination, but he does push on in his life. His latest case is with a man named Ryan Mason (Mark Shady), who wishes to find out the whereabouts of his wife. Mason took his concerns to the police, but he was dismissed and the case wasn’t given much attention. But his worries mount each passing hour, so Mason went to Le’Clair to track down some clues. The case is complex and has a broad base, so Jake needs a hand. He turns to Detective Dirk Osbourne (John Emm), a veteran of such cases and someone who Le’Clair can trust. The trail to the truth leads through a path of bloodshed and murder, as the two discover animal sacrifices and even human remains. The police brush off the incidents as simple voodoo, but Le’Clair suspects more is involved. As it turns out, the sacrifices are gifts from Adrian (Randal Malone), the leader of a Satanic cult, who offers up the killings to Satan himself. Can Jake end this supernatural reign, or will he be the next victim?
I’ve seen more horror movies than I could ever count, ones that were decent, ones that were awesome, and some that were just beyond reason. Evil in the Bayou is a movie that seems like it was shot for about five bucks with a cast raided from friends of the crew, with a few experienced folks tossed in to even the keel. The force behind the film is one Stephanie Beaton, who has starred in such low rent genre flicks as Blood Gnome, Teen Witches, Slice ‘N Dice, The Evilmaker, Headcrusher, and Zombie Ninja Gangbangers. Beaton is a hottie and looks like a scream queen, but she has been unable to break into the advanced indie scene. That is a shame, as she looks damn good, has the needed abilities for the genre, and never hesitates to get buck naked. Evil in the Bayou has her as the central character, but she also worked behind the scenes, as she serves as the film’s director. I won’t comment on her direction skills, as I am sure she was quite limited in what she could do, given the low, low budget involved. But she manages to let loose a cinematic beast named Randal Malone (Werewolf Tales, Sunset After Dark), who is so over the top here, you might go into convulsions. I couldn’t keep from laughing whenever he was on screen and I know that sounds harsh, but he is entertaining, which is what counts. I can’t recommend this to all those out there, but brave genre fans will want to seek out Evil in the Bayou, if just to see the fine Stephanie Beaton and the insane Randal Malone in action.
Video: How does it look?
Evil in the Bayou is presented in full frame, as intended. As I mentioned before, this movie was shot on low funds, so the equipment isn’t top notch. The result is a shot on video visual design, but that isn’t a curse in this case. This doesn’t look like someone’s home movies, the visuals just lack the polish we’ve come to expect. The image is on the soft side, as a lot of shot on video releases are, but there is still solid detail depth. The colors look bright, but some bleeds can be detected, while black levels perform well, despite the softness. So for what it is, the presentation has some flaws, but still looks passable enough.
Audio: How does it sound?
This is a middle of the road audio impression, as it isn’t that bad, but it’s not that good either. I suppose this is more than adequate in the end, but it is not a memorable experience in the least. The elements sound decent enough and I never strained to make out words or effects, but the mix has no range and seems rather flat overall. All the essentials are present, but it doesn’t leave much of an impression. Still though, it does what it needs to and as such, I won’t be too harsh on it when I score the disc.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes no bonus materials.
