The holidays can be a stressful time of year, and more so if you’re estranged from your family. Maybe even more stressful if you might have kidnapped a guy and locked him in your basement. Streaming on Hulu, I Trapped the Devil, written and directed by Josh Lobo (art dept. for Dave Made a Maze), is precisely that kind of “what if?” story.
Matt (AJ Bowen, House of the Devil) and Karen (Susan Burke, Southbound) decide to visit his estranged brother Steve (Scott Poythress, Sleepy Hollow series) for Christmas. Worried that his isolation and lack of communication could be weighing on him mentally, their intuitions intensify as Steve is less than accommodating upon their arrival. Despite the festive lights hanging and the Christmas tree, they also notice windows covered with newspaper and numerous crosses scattered around the house. He bluntly tells them they can’t stay, but they decide to ignore his request; after all, “It’s Christmas,” claims Matt.
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In a quiet conversation between brothers, Steve tells Matt he needs to show him something, and they make their way into the basement. Meanwhile, Susan rummages through the upstairs rooms and discovers a loaded handgun adding to her unease. When a visibly distraught Matt emerges back upstairs, he informs his wife that his brother has completely lost it, and there is a man locked in a room in the cellar calling for help.
Confronting Steve about this revelation and the gun, he states that the thing locked in the basement is the Devil himself in the form of a man. Needing them to believe him, Steve takes Matt to the attic where months of conspiracy theory connects and “proof” line every inch of wall space. Karen ventures off to see who is locked up below in the red-lit cellar. Despite her skepticism, she quickly realizes something is off, and Steve may not be crazy after all. Now they need to convince Matt before he releases whatever waits patiently behind that door.
The one-location structure of the narrative and the minimal cast feels like it could be performed as a theater piece and be just as effective. I Trapped the Devil is a slow-burn character piece despite the outlandish premise, even the camera moves are slow and deliberate. As horror fans, we’re conditioned to expect scares or jumps when doors slowly open, or we hold on to specific shots for just that extra beat, but you don’t get anything like that here. I Trapped the Devil is much more cerebral in its execution.
The cast holds their own well enough, and except for a few monologues sprinkled throughout, most of the acting is through expressions and reactions rather than dialogue. What really caught my ear, was the score by Ben Lovett. The use of multiple instruments and song structures tells us audibly what the characters are thinking and feeling. Opening with a single piano score to guitar ramping up to full-on industrial noise orchestra as all hell breaks loose (see what I did there), it captures the environment’s mood and acts as a fourth cast member.
With a strong opening and finale, the middle of I Trapped the Devil does tend to lag. I don’t know if it’s editing choices or a script that didn’t know how to fill the empty spaces, but it feels like there is a large chunk of the movie where nothing happens. Those moments build up the tension and anxiety, but it’s a bit late to be cathartic when the release comes.
As a character study on faith, family, and evil as a concept, I Trapped the Devil is worth a viewing. Incredible score, well-acted, subtle effects that create that feeling of unease and anxiety-inducing slow pace make it more intimate than the usual camp or slasher types typical in these holiday horror films. Also when your relative tells you they have Satan locked up in the basement, maybe just rent a hotel. 3/5
You can check out the trailer for I Trapped the Devil below and the film is now streaming on Hulu. Be sure to follow ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi and more.
K.B. O’Neil is an artist, writer and musician living in Cincinnati, Ohio. He loves movies, books, video games, snuggling his two pups and all things Horror. When not working he can be found getting into adventures with his wife and their new daughter.