Bullet Points: The Devil Below (2021)
Do you ever find yourself wishing that they would make more movies like The Descent? Okay, not the sequel that was released a few years later, but an actual “good” movie that took the thrills and chills of being in that environment with mysterious creatures and magnified it to a whole new level. The Devil Below just might be that movie. The potential is definitely there and the only thing left for me to do is to shut off the lights and bury myself in this underground habitat (the basement) in order to watch it.
Synopsis: There is an abandoned place nestled deep in Appalachian country where underground coal mines have been ablaze for decades. When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they’re not alone. Written by Vertical Entertainment
- Worse than the Black Lung: The film opens in the Appalachian Mountains in the Shookum Hills coal mines. We meet Will Patton’s character and quickly watch as his son is dragged down into the mines and presumably killed by some mysterious creature. It’s a bold start to the film and one that really grabs you by the proverbial balls.
- Can you say “obsessed?”: Next, a young woman played by Alicia Sanz is seen pouring over a table and wall full of maps and photos. She’s obviously planning some sort of expedition into the area and we soon find out that she is the guide for a group heading into the abandoned mine.
- Shookum Hills vacation: Who wouldn’t want to sneak around an abandoned town and into a mine that mysteriously was shut down many years ago. It actually sounds like the plot for a horror story and my personal rule is to never start my trip with something that could so easily be adapted into a slasher film. The crew here is a mix of professors and scientists who are trying to learn exactly why the town was abandoned and essentially wiped from the map.
- Opening up: The group begins opening up a hole that once led down to a coal mine. Do you think it works out well based on the name of the film? No, it absolutely does not. We spend quite a bit of time with the group and learn things about them that are bound to come into play. Sanz and and Adan Canto’s characters start feeling a little bit of spark between the two of them and we really get the sense that everyone in the town wants them out in a big way. I started to have small issues with the film at this point as other than that opening scene, it’s been a slow pace getting the group into the town.
- Shit begins to hit the fan: Nothing was ever going to work out well for these people. Once their first person is pulled away by the creatures in the mine they are constantly against the ropes. We still don’t get to see a good look at the beasts killing people yet but the members of the group begin to confront their own issues. Eventually, Will Patton and his buddies pick up the remaining members of the group and try to keep them safe but at this point the underground creatures are roaming around everywhere and killing folk.
- On the run: What is left of the town and the people who live in it are all fighting against these things. We get a couple of cool scenes where we get to see how motivated they are to keep these things from getting to the outside world. There are many questions that came to my mind about what these things are and why the hell they can’t just keep burrowing their way into another area but I tried to shut my mind off and just let it be. They continue to chase down and hunt the remaining humans and even though the creatures are kind of big and hulking they are super good at sneaking up on people.
- The Hive: Sanz and Canto are certainly less focused on hooking up and now far more concerned about not getting eaten. The story about what these creatures are starts to come out and it’s a really cool idea that I wish had gotten more time. The members of the group that still have breath get closer to the epicenter of the beasts than anyone would ever want. Sanz is by far the coolest character as she has to make decisions in the end that bring her past stories full circle. Will Patton and his crew get one final chance to put an exclamation on the film and any time you get to see Will Patton doing anything on screen is a good time.
The Verdict: When I decided to watch The Devil Below I already had a pretty good idea of what I was getting into. I watched the trailer and was intrigued enough to be on board with the premise and I always enjoy seeing Will Patton on my screen. It was unfortunate that he wasn’t there for more of the runtime but Alicia Sanz as the heroine was more than just fine. She was tough without seeming “unrealistic” and she didn’t make the usual stupid mistakes that you see in a movie like this. If I were to complain about anything with this film it would be that it did take a while to get to the action. Luckily, the actors were able to keep my attention while they set up the story. The Devil Below has several interesting ideas but doesn’t quite capitalize on all of them. It’s still a fun watch, though, and one that I would recommend.
