DIY Mayhem and More

Read Time:5 Minute, 45 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
The Demon's Rook
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Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Folk Horror, Splatter
Year Released: 2013, Dekanalog Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 43m
Director(s): James Sizemore
Writer(s): James Sizemore, Akom Tidwell
Cast: James Sizemore, Ashleigh Jo Sizemore, John Chatham, Melanie Richardson, Josh Gould, Sade Smith, Dustin Dorough
Where to Watch: available now, order your copy here: www.dekanalog.com or www.vinegarsyndrome.com

RAVING REVIEW: THE DEMON’S ROOK is the kind of horror artifact that earns its place on a late-night shelf through sheer willpower. Made on weekends with a group of friends, cast in latex and fog, and pointed squarely at anyone who missed the hand-built monsters, it’s an oddity that wears its influence proudly. You can feel the lineage: nightmares, ritual nonsense that plays like a dare, and a devotion to practical effects that puts much pricier productions to shame. On those terms, it’s a blast—an unruly parade of demons, zombies, slime, and the occult that proves enthusiasm can do a lot of heavy lifting.

The hook: a boy disappears into another realm under the tutelage of a “good” demon, returns as a man, and accidentally lets worse things loose. That premise gives James Sizemore license to do what he came to do—stage creature features with old-school flair. The makeup is the calling card: horned heads, spotted skin, rotted teeth, and masks that stand out from across a field. When bodies tear, they tear with tactile precision; when heads go pop, they do it with plumbing, not pixels. If you come for practical carnage, you’ll leave satisfied. If you come for coherence, you’ll get it in bursts between money shots.

This is where the split emerges. As a collection of moments, THE DEMON’S ROOK is frequently delightful—the first underworld sequences have a handmade grandeur, the demon designs are distinct enough to remember, and several attacks are staged with inventive, lo-fi mischief. As a narrative, it stumbles. Characters often arrive just to die; momentum gets traded for another spectacle; and a few scenes feel like showcases for a particular effect rather than steps in a story. The result is a movie that’s best enjoyed as a midnight marathon with a group of friends and ghouls. That’s not a knock if your priorities match the film’s; it’s a reality check if you need more than mood and mayhem.

Performance-wise, the non-professional energy is part of the charm and, occasionally, a limitation. James Sizemore and Ashleigh Jo Sizemore anchor the human side with sincerity, and there are flashes where their dynamic cuts through the chaos. But across the ensemble, line readings can be stiff, and character moments often get flattened by the next setup. The film is most persuasive when it lets faces react in silence while the lights pulse and the fog creeps in—less talk, more texture. To its credit, the production understands its strengths and points the camera at them.

The lighting strategy—heavy gels and saturated pools—gives the woods and interiors a lurid, storybook menace. The sound design punches harder than expected for a true indie, with crunchy, wet hits and a score that leans into synth and occult elements without drowning out the dialogue. The editing favors momentum over logic, which keeps the party rolling even when you’re not entirely sure where in town you are. For many horror diehards, that’s the exchange they’re happy to make: clarity traded for personality. There’s joy in seeing a collective of artists commit to rubber, corn syrup, and backyard scale while chasing after the delirium of their favorite cinematic moments. It leans into that feeling again and again, and even when the movie trips over its own excess, the sincerity still comes through.

If you’re approaching as a general viewer hunting for the next great folk-horror narrative, adjust your expectations. If you’re here for the tactile pleasure of seeing demons rendered with masks and glue, for the colorful haze of a backwoods apocalypse, and for the sense that a group of true believers willed a nightmare into being because no one else would—welcome home. The film belongs to that lineage of regional, all-in horror that values sensation and mood over polish. It’s not trying to convert the unconverted; it’s feeding the faithful.

Bottom line: THE DEMON’S ROOK is messy, earnest, and frequently awesome to look at, but most of all, it's heartfelt; there’s a true passion for the craft of the film. The story drifts, the scenes don’t always add up, and you’ll wish it were wrapped sooner. But the monsters are memorable, the kills are juicy, and the effects punch way above their weight. For gore hounds, effects nerds, and collectors who appreciate a lovingly assembled release, it’s an easy recommendation with caveats. For everyone else, it’s the kind of oddball party movie you throw on when you want the screen to look wild while friends scream at each new splatter gag. On those terms, it absolutely delivers.

Region Free Blu-ray
New Restoration
New Audio Commentary with Filmmaker James Sizemore and Producer Tim Reis
Archival Audio Commentary with Filmmaker James Sizemore
3 Deleted Scenes
Gag Reel
Short Film: The Goat Witch (2014)
The Demon's Rook Music Video
Theatrical Trailer
Behind The Scenes Photo Gallery
Concept Art Photo Gallery
Fantasia International Film Festival Premiere Footage
Booklet Essay by filmmaker Keith Bearden
English SDH subtitles

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[photo courtesy of DEKANALOG]

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