Rating: Burnt Popcorn
The Firefly family wake up one morning to find their secluded home surrounded by Sheriff Wydell and several officers. Otis and his sister, Baby, are the only two that manage to escape the house. They retreat to a nearby motel to meet with their wandering father, Captain Spalding, killing everybody in their way. As the death count continues to go up, Sheriff Wydell decides to take matters in his own hands.
A Rob Zombie horror/suspense movie, The Devil’s Rejects is the sequel to House of 1000 Corpses. I have never seen the prequel and didn’t know there was previous movie until I did a bit of research. You won’t find too many horror movies on this site, but this is one that I received through Sony’s PS3 Holiday Blu-ray Disc offer. The film is definitely messed up! The Firefly family are said to be responsible for over 75 murders and call themselves “The Devil’s Rejects”. My first impression of their secluded home is that it reminds me of seeing video footage of the Pickton farm on the news a couple of years ago.
Probably one of the only things I like about the movie is how Rob Zombie interchanges the heavy and soft soundtracks as it creates more suspense. From the opening scene to the opening credits, he uses a darker style of music, but when the opening credits begin, it’s a lighter soundtrack, making you think that maybe the movie isn’t going to be a horror flick. I also noticed that Zombie gives life to the movie by giving it a pulse through the several drum beats that are found in the soundtrack.
The acting in the film is very poor as most of the reactions are outrageous, especially when Roy Sullivan is murdered in front of his family. I find that most of the actors look like junkies or outsiders, but I guess that’s what adds to the horror of the movie.
Senseless beatings and killings aren’t my cup of tea, but if that’s what people look for in horror movies, then the filmmakers should have at least made the blood look real. The blood in The Devil’s Rejects looks like purple dye!
Overall, The Devil’s Rejects conveys the message that both good and evil are evil in some way. You can totally forget about this movie because all you’ll see is the blood and the morbid murders! Might as well rent movie #10,000 from that top 10,000 DVD list you have!
Release Date: July 22, 2005
One Comment, Comment or Ping
Stephanie Peil
This was a poorly written review, slanted by the reviewer’s own preferences. Personally, I didn’t think the movie had a message to convey about good and evil, and even if it did, it is just a horror movie, and you should not be looking for a message. That said….
This was an excellent movie, with camera work and acting that is reminiscent of 1970’s slasher flicks, which is, as I understand, exactly what the director (Zombie) wanted. The whole look, feel, and soundtrack is cool. This genre of movie has a HUGE audience. Check out the Horror/Sci-Fi Awards. Captain Spaulding is iconic.
There are also points of the movie that you mentioned that shows you didn’t really know whats going on. Roy Sullivan was not murdered in front of his “family”. They are a road crew for a country band.
Another thing, if you are going to be a movie critic, you have to have a wider scope so that you can give a more objective opinion. Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses was a highly anticipated and advertised work. It is not as good as The Devil’s Rejects, however. If you don’t have the stomache for slasher flicks, then don’t watch either of these movies. If you do, you’re in for a great time!
May 16th, 2008
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