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Review: Zoe Kavanagh’s Demon Hunter

One girl receives super powers and is tasked with protecting the city from supernatural forces of evil. Sound familiar? No, Demon Hunter doesn’t come close to being a Buffy the Vampire Slayer rip-off, so I want to stop that comparison right here. It does, however, come off as a quasi-sequel to Bloody Mallory. I think it has to do with the European flair that’s a defining characteristic of this flick from Constant Motion Pictures that was filmed in Ireland. Yet it also contains a really cool Japanese theme that’s almost video game-like in nature. Its style is a cluster of different genres and nationalities, but it culminates in a battle against a child stealing evil entity that’s certainly worth watching. Writer, director, editor and executive producer Zoe Kavanagh did a great job crafting her own supernaturally charged heroine with a startling destiny.

Demon Hunter isn’t your typical “hoorah, get the bad guys!” type of story. It’s marginally depressing and dark, and the only happiness you’ll find is when Taryn is kicking the crap out of the ravenous ghouls and anyone who stands in her way. In this case, Taryn’s destiny and legacy is a burden that she seemingly regrets. It’s mostly fueled by the need for long lasting revenge and a little bit of guilt more than it’s carried for justice and the benefit of society. Perhaps that’s why she takes it so seriously – her reason for being a superhero is for completely selfish reasons. Demon Hunter can be compared to a slightly different, female driven version of The Crow. In between shots of expert choreography and story development, you find a soiled soul whose purpose is pushed forward by rage and self gratification.

Demon Hunter recently saw its release through Wild Eye Releasing. I’m glad that they managed to acquire Demon Hunter. This title is seriously going to up their standards and bring more eyes to their previous releases. Along with a killer movie poster and a worthy promotional trailer, there’s a lot of fantastic content to be found within this movie from a production standpoint. Again, the choreography is really high caliber for an independent production. The props and special effects department succeeded in arming this movie with weapons of success. The audio was on point and there are a ton of location changes that allow for a very roomy movie. My only complaint is it seems like different cameras with different lenses were used. The overall look of the film isn’t always as cohesive as it should be.

And, honestly, the climactic final battle was well worth the wait.

Demon Hunter is written, directed, produced and edited by Zoe Kavanagh with co-writer Tony Flynn and producers Anna Ginjavme Grive, Victor McGowan, Matt Taylor and Stephen Horgan. Niamh Hogan, Alan Talbot, Kevin O’Malley, Sarah Tapes Jenkinson, Stephanie Alken, Nic Furlong, Shane Robinson, Stephen Gorman, Aisli Moran, Michael Parle and Jonathan East star in this supernatural action-thriller. This cast and crew managed to create a funky, retro adventure that was really fun to watch. And, more importantly, it has the potential to branch off and become a franchise or series and I cannot wait to see what Taryn goes to fight and destroy next. Final Score: 6.75 out of 10.

Michael DeFellipo

(Senior Editor)

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