The Devil's Rock

This was not bad at all.

The narrative was a bit weak admittedly, more explanation of the occult rituals would have been nice. The ending was also the classic writers getting tired making something quick up.

A more clever ending had been appreciated.

Overall the acting was really good. Try yourself to play a red painted demon and keep a straight face :) The two male leads, well the only ones really, delivered well.

Camera work and editing was good, though in a way that is to be expected from shooting in small spaces.

Overall, good effort from everyone involved and if you have popcorn and a nice hang over this is absolutely rent-able.

Set in the Channel Islands on the eve of D Day, two Kiwi commandos, sent to destroy German gun emplacements to distract Hitler's forces away from Normandy, discover a Nazi occult plot to unleash demonic forces to win the war.

Okay, I have to admit I had low expectations on this one. I had heard no buzz on it, the cover looked sort of cheesy, it has no names that I recognized. That was probably unfair, but I am just getting so used to the average horror film being crud. This is better than the average horror film.

The cinematography is beautiful, let us just get that out there. Such a great use of light and color. And the demon-Nazi connection? A good execution of that. We have seen some Nazi zombies, and we know that the Nazis had some interest in the occult... but I daresay I cannot recall the last time this was executed so well. This might not be quite as good as "Dead Snow", but it is in the same range and they would make a great double feature.

Where does this film sit in the history of New Zealand horror? While the budget is clearly higher than Peter Jackson's early endeavors and possibly even "Black Sheep", I feel like this one might take a while to catch on (if it does at all). Horror fans like a good-looking film as much as anyone, but they also like the humorous and cult horror films. While not devoid of humor, this is not like the tradition that Jackson started...

THE DEVIL'S ROCK is a Kiwi creeper set during World War II. Two commandos (Craig Hill and Karlos Drinkwater) are on a mission to destroy German weaponry on a small island off the coast of France. All goes according to plan, until female screams are heard from within a concrete fortress. Upon entering the structure, the mystery and horror unfold.

Though much of the carnage happened before this story began, the visceral aftermath on display is certainly enough to get the point across! The resulting occult nightmare is well-realized and satisfying.

Everyone is superb in this movie, especially Gina Verala, who is adept at coming across as both seductive and terrifying, simultaneously! Matthew Sunderland is also good as Col. Klaus Meyer.

Highly recommended for genre fans who enjoy movies that go in directions they don't expect...

When I first saw the low rating of this film, I had my doubts on watching it. Reading the plot summary, it seemed like a far-fetched concept that could only lead to cheesiness. I was wrong.

As was said by the other reviewer, the first thing I noticed was the solid acting performances of all the characters, be it main or supporting. The film had a good feel to it, and kept me at the edge of my seat all throughout. There were also moments of creepiness where you'd probably hold your breath, tensely waiting on what would happen next. The story was quite good and it held the film together until the very end.

All in all, this is a film I would recommend to fans of the genre. I'll definitely be adding this to my collection.

P.S.

I was honestly puzzled as to the low rating of this movie. Though I know it's not a great film, it definitely is a front runner and a notably good piece of work. Perhaps the people who gave it such a low rating wanted a gore fest or something with less...dialogue. I hope, dear reader, you won't be another sheep that just follows the opinion of the majority. Watch the film for yourself and be your own judge. It's the only way of discovering gems such as this.

THE DEVIL'S ROCK is a little-known but more than effective Kiwi horror flick set during the dark days of WW2. It's one of those films that links the Nazis with the occult, exploring their penchant for black magic with a very dark storyline, although unlike most it doesn't go down the obvious route and just real with Nazi zombies. This time things are a lot odder, and dare I say it, more effective.

The film is oddly set on the Channel Islands, as a couple of soldiers infiltrate a Nazi bunker and discover that a massacre has just taken place. What soon unfolds is a plot involving devil worship, black magic, and the summoning of a powerful demon with a taste for human flesh. For a low budget movie, this is decent: for most of the running time we're trapped with three actors in a single location, and yet it never feels stale or boring.

I'm not saying that THE DEVIL'S ROCK is a masterpiece, because it isn't. The acting and script are only average. Matthew Sunderland gives the best performance as the conflicted Nazi colonel, and it's a shame when his character turns out to be far more ordinary than you expect from the set-up. Still, there's plenty of flowing gore on offer here, alongside effective demonic scenes that bring to mind the best of the Dennis Wheatley classic, THE DEVIL RIDES OUT. Horror fans should enjoy themselves.