Plot: What’s it about?
Harry Ballard (Karl Urban) is a skilled anthropologist, but his life is about to take some unexpected turns, perhaps down some very dark roads. After an expedition that uncovered an evil presence, he has went from a normal person to a marked man. Of course, he is no stranger to supposed curses and the like that surround some artifacts, but as he soon discovers, some of those legends can be very real indeed. Now he finds himself on the bad side of a demonic cult and that’s terrible news, as they’ll stop at nothing to get at him. In their plans, he is to be a living sacrifice to the demons and no matter what it takes, he is to be captured and offered to the demons. So as this cult hunts him down and the demons haunt him, even as he sleeps, Ballard has nowhere to hide and no one to turn to. But then he meets Bennie (Katie Wolfe), a former member of the cult who lends him a hand to remain alive. Is all this part of some horrific plan to restore the powers of demons, or is Ballard just having some serious mental issues?
As a fan of horror movies, it has been tough in recent times, as minimal new horror films have been released and of those, most have been miserable. As such, it seems that even decent ones come off as good, because we are starved for genre content. Such is the case with The Irrefutable Truth About Demons, which is predictable and brings minimal unique moments to the table, but it isn’t half bad and as such, will earn a place in my collection. The story is by the numbers and telegraphs most of the twists, but the end is quite cool, at least in my opinion. This movie earns its keep via visuals, atmosphere, and buckets of blood, all of which are elements we horror fans love to see, of course. The costumes, cinematography, and production design are all very good here, even the makeup work and lighting is top notch, especially for a low budget horror picture. All of those elements combine to forge some eerie atmosphere, but don’t expect too much tension, as the story is too predictable to allow for much of that. The blood flows often here and in liberal doses, in addition to some rather memorable sequences, which are not always gore related, but fun to watch nonetheless. I think this package from Ventura is a good one, but the lack of a widescreen transfer is inexcusable, which leaves this as a rental, save for hardcore fans.
Video: How does it look?
The Irrefutable Truth About Demons is presented in a full frame transfer, as opposed to the intended widescreen edition. The import disc sports an anamorphic widescreen version, so I am unsure why one wasn’t used here, but in any event, it is a let down. This was a low budget production and less than top notch film stock was used, so don’t expect a pristine, razor sharp presentation, as that would be next to impossible in this case. The darker scenes show more grain than I’d like, but I think this is due to the methods & materials used, so I can’t be too upset, since it is the fault of the source materials. Most of the scenes look solid and even with low budget origins, the image is stable and remains more than watchable. The massive oversight of not including a widescreen edition aside, this one doesn’t look too bad.
Audio: How does it sound?
A basic, but effective Dolby Digital stereo option is used here, so don’t expect an explosive experience. This movie wouldn’t benefit much from true surround sound however, so the audio never seems too limited, aside from a few instances, but even then, no serious issues arise. The sound effects are clean and well placed, while all musical cues also come through without a hitch. The dialogue is sharp and consistent at all times as well, no problems in the least to report. I suppose a surround track might open up the atmosphere somewhat, but I have no serious issues here, as far as stereo options are concerned.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is a special edition after all, so it sports some cool bonus materials. The theatrical trailer included is in widescreen and when the main feature isn’t, it is like a slap in the face to the viewers, I think. Next up is an audio commentary track with director Glenn Standring, who offers a chatty, informative session. He touches upon his thoughts about the movie, some abandon concepts, and even offers some criticism at times. You’ll also find some deleted scenes (in widescreen), a behind the scenes featurette, and talent files, as well as some hidden extras.
