Demonstone

My review was written in June 1990 after watching the movie on Fries Entertainment video cassette.

A routine actioner isn't helped by a dollop of the supernatural in the poorly titled "Demonstone", previously known as "Heartstone". Australian production shot in the Philippines opened in Nashville theaters in March and arrived in video stores a month later.

R. Lee Ermey gives an unfortunate carbon of his "Full Metal Jacket" drill instructor performance as a U. S. Marine colonel investigating serial killings for which soldier Pat Skipper has been accused. Jan-Michael Vincent is an ex-Marine with a grudge against some Filipino gangsters who help out Ermey in chasing around after Skipper escapes from custody.

Ludicrous plot twist has perky Nancy Everhard as a news hen who becomes possessed by a 500-year-old vengeful spirit when she gets a cursed medallion.

Vincent projects zero charisma in his walk-through and Ermey needs counseling to avoid such typecast nonsense.

When a monk is killed for the titular object, he vows revenge on the entire bloodline of the man who did it. Centuries later in the Philippines, a series of ritualistic murders begin taking place in Manila and a Marine named McKee stationed there becomes a suspect when he is found incoherent at the latest murder scene. Investigating it are ex-Marine Andy Buck (Jan-Michael Vincent), his former CO Colonel Joe Haines (R. Lee Ermey), and reporter Sharon Gale (Nancy Everhard).

Director Andrew Prowse appears to be Australian and got his start as an editor on documentaries before doing films like Midnight Spares (1983) and Brian Trenchard-Smith's The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989), which also had Ermey. He handles the proceedings well, although most of the action is relegated to the last half hour. There is an excellent car chase where it appears a car flip goes very, very wrong that they kept in. He handles the horror elements well too and doesn't skimp on the blood squibs during shootouts. Lead Vincent isn't at his worst (he would routinely be drunk in movies around this time) and he and Ermey have a good on screen chemistry. Naturally, Ermey gets some very Ermey-esque dialogue in there. My favorite line was probably after the car crash where he tells Vincent, "You drive like old people f@#k." What??? Another great exchange:

Ermey: His girlfriend's name is Julie. Well that narrows it down.

Vincent: I thought you knew half the whores in Manila.

Ermey: I support half the whores in Manila. I KNOW them all.

This was a pretty decent movie I thought, considering it was really a low-budget action flick. The setting is convincing - the lush, tropical Phillipines. The acting is very good. R. Lee Emery (you've seen him so many times as the Southern-drawling bad guy - like the newer "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" ) is refreshing as Col. Haines in this. He's a good guy for a change! Nancy Everhard is very good as Sharon, a TV reporter who gets possessed by an ancient Chinese monk. She has a nice svelte figure, and her quiet, intelligent persona make her much more interesting than the usual girl/love interest in these kind of action movies. Jan Michael Vincent puts in a decent performance as well. He's neither coked up or drunk in this, which is saying a lot for one of his later movies. Jan must have just gotten out of rehab when he filmed this, because he looks great. This is the gruffer, older JMV, but he's very blonde and in great physical shape (JMV fans, take note of all too brief but really great love scene with Everhard!). It's nice to see him still starring in something like this in the late 80's, getting lots of screen time, before the string of bad sci-fi/erotic films he made in the 90's, in which he appears for only a few minutes. Overall, it's worth a look, especially if you are a JMV fan (like me!).

I admit it was with some trepidition that I watched this movie. I was more than pleasantly surprised! It's a classic tale of possession and revenge with actors that stayed true to character and were quite believable. The subtle changes between normalcy and possession that Everhard shows is wonderful. Jan-Michael Vincent's acting abilities have not yet been taken over by the drinking and drugs. R. Lee Emery as Jan-Michael Vincent's CO and friend is a wonderful character.

I really can't fault this movie, but it IS for adults (or older teens) because of the violence (lots of shooting between the good guys and bad guys) and a little adult language.

A beautiful television correspondent finds herself possessed by a vengeful demon, a former Chinese mystic who was slain by a Filipino warlord 500 years before.Before the mystic died he swore he would slowly destroy all of his descendants.Before the mystic died he swore he would slowly destroy all of his descendants.The mystic makes good on his promise and the victims are killed ritually and branded with the mark of the dreaded demonstone to prove the revenge.The reincarnation of the warlord,now a corrupt Filipino politician,tries to find the killer,but has no luck until an American Marine,Tony McKee is found near one of the most recent victims.The politician immediately frames him for the death."Demonstone" plays better as a straight action flick with lots of gun fights,the horror sequences actually seem out-of-place.The acting is decent,the action almost never lets up,unfortunately the horror moments are poorly done.6 out of 10.