Director – Shawn Burkett (Don’t Fuck in the Woods, Bludgeon)
Starring – Jason Crowe (Hellfire, The Art of Killing), Kenzie Phillips (Chinese Speaking Vampires, Ouija Blood Rituals), and Dale Miller (Stranded, Wicked Ones)
Release Date – 2026
Rating – 4/5
I’ve been reviewing the films of Shawn Burkett and Concept Media for damn near fifteen years. He’s a filmmaker that I highly respect and I always look forward to checking out whatever film he sends my way for review. He’s directed some seriously underrated genre titles like Bludgeon, Don’t Fuck in the Woods, and Betsy.
A few days back he messaged me and asked me to check out his newest feature, The Devil You Know starring Jason Crowe and Kenzie Phillips. I’m very familiar with both of those names and quickly agreed to check it out. Like always, I want to thank Shawn for sending this one over!
**Spoiler Alert** The film follows a couple who rented a house deep in the woods for a little getaway. What starts out as an innocent trip to relax and spend time with each other turns deadly when they learn that the home they are in was once owned by a man who killed his entire family in hopes of completing an occult ritual. Now, all these years later, a cult with the same endgame in sight tries to kill them in hopes of finishing what he started all those years ago. **Spoiler Alert**
I saw that Burkett was working on a new film but I had no idea what it was about. The title made me think it was about a serial killer living next door or something of that nature. However, I was very wrong. I was very surprised to see that it was a film centered around a cult which is one of my favorite genre sub-genres that doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
The acting in this one is great all around. Crowe is one of my favorite indie actors and it’s a damn shame he’s not cast in every indie production. He’s can tackle any character thrown at him and does a phenomenal job in front of the camera. The same can be said for Phillips. This is, by far, my favorite performance of hers. She takes you down one path with her character before completing changing gears and giving viewers something they will not forget nor expect. The supporting cast is great but it’s these two that really carry the film.
The story for this one has the potential to be a franchise if handled properly. We can have prequels, sequels, and even spin offs if enough attention was given to the writing. We have a family being murdered in their sleep in the early 90s that inspired a cult. We move forward to now and a young couple renting the home finds themselves fighting for their lives as the cult plans to use them to finish the ritual with a huge twist that you can kind of see coming. It’s a great story that can be taken in a number of directions giving fans years of entertainment.
Finally, the film has several deaths. The practical effects look great and the kills fit the film very well but they are not that memorable or original. With that being said, they were not that memorable but they did look great. Overall, The Devil You Know is easily one of my favorite films from Concept Media. I love the idea and the way they went about it. You combine that with the acting and great looking kills and you have something that many genre fans will enjoy. Check it out.
