An epic century-long war has ravaged the realm of Veroka, unleashing an ancient demon known as the Bone Devil to terrorize the Kingdom of Remény. The film opens with a member of an elite group of soldiers recounting the tales of their adventures, surrounded by bandits and scoundrels.
Director Adam Werth draws the audience into Devil’s Knight through a series of flashbacks revealing the story of The Lost Blades, a legendary group of misfit monster hunters. In desperate need of help, King Samuel (Kevin Hagar) hires this squad of mercenaries to track down and destroy The Bone Devil, who continues to wreak havoc on his subjects. The film explodes on screen with a thrilling mix of intense action and bone-chilling creatures, delivering an exciting and epic adventure.
The ensemble of colorful and unsettling characters, led by Mathias (Robert Standley) and Sigurd (John Wells), battle their way across the land of Veroka in search of mythical creatures, driven by the promise of illustrious rewards. The court of King Samuel is bolstered by the star power of Lord Sussex (Eric Roberts). An Academy Award nominee, Roberts evokes his theatrical roots with Shakespearian-inspired royal words of wisdom for King Samuel. His brief but pivotal scene allows him to make an imprint on the film with his seasoned stage and screen presence. The royal court ensemble is rounded out by Duchess de Bandicourt (Angie Everhart), who delivers a delightful performance as a French noblewoman, showcasing both a gracefully lavish portrayal and a charming French aristocratic accent. Daniel Baldwin is Camus, one of the bandits/scoundrels at the opening of the film. The King’s soldiers are led by Guard Captain Baldur (Kevin Sorbo), who delivers an amusing performance with the same charisma that the audiences love from his fanboy favorite roles in Hercules and Andromeda. All the performances are over the top and bolster the vividly epic script (Werth and Vincent V. Gelsomino).
The villainous and brooding dialogue is enhanced by some moments of levity and fantastically exaggerated sensibility that strikes the right balance of humor with the gruesome creative battles. Filled with themes of royal vindication, noble hierarchy, power struggles and a bubbling conspiracy, the story keeps the audience guessing until the end. The characters each have distinct intriguing personalities that bring charm and self-awareness to the exposition, especially during the fireside sequences. Princess Sabine (Sarah Nicklin) and Joan (Kim Kelley) stand out for their quirky, multi-faceted personas, which contribute to dynamic character development with unexpected results.
Werth flawlessly assembles massive battle sequences that convey the grandiose scale of the story. Through his auteur direction, the action, horror, and drama are powerfully brought out in his impressive ensemble of talent. There is ample blood and gore throughout the battles, and most of them have ruckus stunts choreographed with dynamic medieval sword play. There is a lot of action sequences that help drive the story and are integral to the unfolding narrative. The production design (Joel Spencer) and the costume design (Joanna David) evoke a fantasy world of medieval peril and excitement that provide a fertile playground for the characters to explore.
In an era dominated by AI and CGI, it’s refreshing for the audience to experience mostly practical makeup and special effects (Tom Devlin), which enhance the horror elements of this creative odyssey. The design work on the creatures is elevated and impressive, keeping the audience gripped with terror.
The battle sequences are heightened by epic heavy metal melodies (Tyler David Gilbert), with fast-paced guitars and percussion that fire up the audience’s adrenaline. This melodic tension culminates in the end-credit song, “My Way Only”, performed by This End.
Devil’s Knight feels like a throwback to an era of superaction movies that straddle the confines of the monster movie genre. Hollywood has mostly abandoned these types of movies, so it’s welcoming for audiences to see them come to life in today’s era. The filmmaker crafts an epic escapist, adrenaline fueled adventure, that’s certainly not for the faint of heart.
