Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Holy hell! I started streaming ‘Holy Night: Demon Hunters’ expecting something fun, if not scary, but got served a familiar lazy rehash of the very many ‘Exorcist’-style movies that already clutter the horror space. But yes, if you’re up for a not-too-serious exorcist retelling, with a little bit of action, and some extra demons thrown in for effect, go ahead stream this.
Directed by Lim Dae-hee, ‘Holy Night: Demon Hunters’ (거룩한 밤: 데몬 헌터스) stars Ma Dong-seok, Seohyun, and Lee David as a trio of ‘Demon Hunters’, running a shady yet legit agency to help out people in supernatural troubles.
Dong-seok plays Ba Woo, the boss and muscle of the team, Seuhyun is polyglot exorcist Sharon, while Lee David plays their videographer Gimgun, recording each of their hunts for record and reference. When the team is approached by Dr. Jung-won (Kyung Soo-jin) to help her possessed sister Eun-seo (Jung Ji-so), she is surprisingly turned down due to her connection with a priest who referred her to them.
Quick flashbacks offer glimpses into Ba Woo’s dark past and connection to the priest, seemingly to add emotional depth to his character, but it doesn’t quite land. And of course, Ba Woo and his team eventually take on Eun-seo’s case, and her exorcism drags on for nearly three-quarters of the ‘Holy Night: Demon Hunters’ runtime.
To Jung Ji-so’s credit, she’s phenomenal as the possessed, tormented young woman, seamlessly shifting between a helpless, terrified victim and the ruthless, manipulative demon lurking inside her. Kyu Soo-jin too is compelling as the doctor, confounded out of her wits over the unscientific condition plaguing her baby sister.
Unfortunately, the absence of atmospheric tension, paired with bland background music and uninspired writing, turns what could’ve been standout performances into forgettable ones. So, yes, for a action-horror film, ‘Holy Night: Demon Hunters’ fails to deliver any chills or truly terrifying moments. And despite decent effects, the runtime is bloated with “spooky” sequences that come off more weird than frightening.
Ma Dong-seok, Seohyun, and Lee David make a promising start as the Demon Hunters, but their dynamic could’ve used more humor to liven things up, since the horror bits don’t do their job. Even Ma Dong-seok’s usual crowd-pleasing fight sequences lack the punch this time around.
Veteran horror fans may find this offering disappointingly mild. Yet, for those simply seeking a straightforward exorcism tale featuring a cunning demon and a tormented young girl, it might be a decent one-time watch.
Rating: 5 on 10. Holy Night: Demon Hunters is on Prime Video.
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