Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
FINALLY.......The 2008 October Gem, October 18, 2008
I was really hoping by the end of October that I would have watched more than a handful of great horror movies. Well of course that only happens in your dreams. The reality is that I have only seen two great ones so far. Mother Of Tears and The Devils Chair. The plus side is there are still two weeks to go.
The guys that brought us Broken have now come out with something far different from their last film, and to be honest extremely better. A guy by the name Nick West brings his girlfriend Sammy to an abandoned asylum, where they start to fool around and pop some acid. They find a room with nothing but a chair that resembles an electric chair. While the acid kicks in the pair began their sexual desires on the chair, something terrifying happens and Sammy ends up dead. With Nick having no recollection of the events that took place but being the only suspect he ends up in an insane asylum. After four years he is placed in the care of a psychiatrist by the name Dr. Willard. Dr. Willard takes Nick and three young students to the old asylum. Nick not wanting to return finds out that the only way he will get out of the insane asylum is to go back and try to remember what exactly happened to Sammy. Upon their arrival the team and Nick began to find out what hell lies in the chair. The only survival is well uhmmm.............
I had to end the story on that note, mainly because I wouldn't want to spoil the film for anyone. This movie is top notch horror heaven. While I would have loved to give it five stars, the tension in the film was unbelievable and great, but it was missing that extra element "SCARY" to make it a perfect five star movie. While some would argue that tension is scary enough for them, to me it's not. However a lot of tension in a movie is enough to make it great to watch. These guys pushed the envelope with the twisted storytelling they did. It leaves you sitting on the edge of your seat and never leaves you unsatisfied. These guys have a fantastic vision for horror, and I hope they keep making many more great movies. While I didn't care for Broken I have the highest respect for the film makers, with a very low budget and only five people to work on it. Now have a seat and enjoy the film, but be careful of the chair your sitting in, it just might be your living hell.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"The Devil's Chair"-- it's one hell of a seat!, October 18, 2008
For all my fellow horror fans out there desperately searching for a "hidden gem" for the Halloween season-- a film that can provide some shocks or scares, and perhaps even be worth talking about next Fall... well, The Devil's Chair may just be the movie you've(we've!) been looking for. The story follows Nick West, institutionalized for 4 years after the disappearence and presumed murder of his girlfriend while "investigating" the abandoned "Blackwater Asylum," now being given the opportunity of freedom-- but only if he's willing to revisit the site of the crime with a college professor and 3 of his understudies to document exactly what happened. And just what did happen that fateful day? Nick vaguely remembers that while searching the asylum he and his girlfriend found a bizarre chair, and that when she sat in it, inexplicably(and gruesomely) she disappeared-- though through therapy and tons of medication he's begun to believe that he must have actually killed her-- but how... and if so, why? Once they arrive at the asylum, memories of dread come flooding back to Nick, and after the "Devil's Chair" claims it's first victim it becomes readily apparent that there's a greater evil here then they could have ever imagined... did I mention the big a55 demon?! There's a lot to like about The Devil's Chair, it's stylishly directed, plenty unique, and sports an excellent musical score and cast-- particularly Andrew Howard in the lead role of Nick West. It also takes the approach of having the lead character not only narate the proceedings, but also deliver personal commentary on the people and events that transpire-- in a fourth-wall breaking manor even(aka he speaks to you the viewer directly). A fantastic location filmed in muted colors, plenty of tension, and nasty grue delivered with an unforgiving mean streak(while still not taking intself too seriously)... like I said, there's a lot to like about The Devil's Chair. This is the type of film you could picture Clive Barker making in his prime(with the "chair" even acting as a sort of reverse "puzzle box" from the Hellraiser films, taking the victim to the demon rather than vice versa). So if you haven't found that "diamond in the rough" of horror viewing yet this season(and if you have-- let me know about it please!), give The Devil's Chair a try... it's one hell of a seat(4.5 stars)!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Blend of Thinking Man's Horror, March 1, 2009
The DEVIL'S CHAIR presents an amalgam of Horror themes that are quite familiar to the seasoned viewer. For example, the mix consists of elements and visuals borrowed from: the HELLRAISER series, ALIEN, SESSION 9, HIGH TENSION and the SAW franchise. Admittedly, the blend is deftly arranged and done so as not to give too much away and spoil the ending. Despite having been produced on a modest budget, DEVIL'S CHAIR has a look and feel that is light years beyond what it cost to produce. It is well filmed and acted, though I never entirely warmed to the main character, (though I suspect that this observation is more subjective in nature). Perhaps had the character of Nick WEST been portrayed as a more vulnerable and sensitive individual, he may have evoked increased pathos. In that event it would certainly have played more with the viewer's mind. Instead, I found this character to be in the Bruce WILLIS vein. Perhaps that is what the film maker wished for, though it did not work as well as it could have, in my opinion. I would develop this theme more, however, I wish not to spoil the film for the uninitiated. DEVIL'S CHAIR should appeal to those who prefer psychological Horror, even though they are not afraid to venture down gore alley. Yes, there is gore here and it is reasonably well done, (though the Director held back in some scenes). There is also a creature, (pay no attention to the lousy keep-case artwork). I was disappointed that the film revealed too much in the way of graphics at the outset as they let the "cat out of the bag", to some degree. Also, the use of the so-called fourth wall, where the actor provides a monologue to the audience, was a device used with annoying frequency. As the film was well crafted, one did not need these snippets of dialogue which were thrust at the viewer without warning. All they served to do was spoil the visual & auditory flow of the film. Further, that Director Adam MASON also brought us that highly questionable movie, BROKEN. Nonetheless, the DEVIL'S CHAIR represents a vast improvement and the former may represent a blip in the Director's creative output. Albeit somewhat "artsy-fartsy", I feel that the DEVIL'S CHAIR is recommended viewing.
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