Actualités

Twice a month Joe Lipsett will dissect a new Amityville Horror film to explore how the “franchise” has evolved in increasingly ludicrous directions. This is “The Amityville IP.”

After an “in name only” outing with Amityville Prison (aka Against The Night), there’s something reassuring about Amityville Exorcism, which delivers exactly what the title suggests.

This is the second outing for director Mark Polonia after Amityville Death House, who swaps out writer John Oak Dalton for “franchise” newcomer Billy D’Amato. Alas, what made Death House an entertaining, albeit uneven, watch – ie: a pair of gonzo sequences – is mostly absent in this film.

Exorcism begins with a typical Amityville set piece in which father Charles Humes (Ken Van Sant) murders his wife and daughters in their home. Polonia and cinematographer Lukas K. Reynolds shoot this sequence in a dream-like fashion: partially in slow motion, with an accentuated heartbeat pounding on the soundtrack.

Stars: Danielle Donahue, Jeff Kirkendall, Bob Dennis, James Carolus, Steve Diasparra, Ken Van Sant, Todd Carpenter, Austin Dragovich, Laurie Smith, Frank Humes, Houston Baker | Written by John Oak Dalton | Directed by Mark Polonia

I’m not going to lie, the oeuvre of the Polonia Brothers is somewhat of an acquired taste. Always low budget, often made with recurring cast and crew, very much what you’d call Diy filmmaking – right down to using familiar stock music and stock video footage (tell me you don’t recognise this films blood-drip filled opening credits? I’ve seen it offered as a design from tons of “video editors” on Fiverr). You have been warned… But for those familiar with the Polonia’s work, Jurassic Prey is more of the same cheesy fun that you’ve come to expect!

Jurassic Prey, originally released on Full Moon’s streaming service under the title of Meateaters,...