Indie Horror Movies For Halloween: ‘Demigod’ Is A Must-Watch Chilling Story [Review]

Halloween season is here, and there are several good indie horror movies worth watching this month, but Demigod may top that list. If you like intense and atmospheric horror movies that are set in the woods, films with an essence like The Witch and The Ritual, then you should check out Demigod, arriving to select theaters and On Demand on October 15, 2021.

A Coven of High-Quality Talent

Plot: Upon the death of her grandfather, a woman and her husband return to her birthplace in Germany’s Black Forest, only to find a terrifying secret awaits them. And horror fans know that secrets plus woods equals scary happenings.

Director: Miles Doleac wears several hats for this horror film, including that of director. Genre fans may know this talented moviemaker from his films The Dinner Party (2020) and Demons (2017).

Writers: Miles Doleac and Michael Donovan Horn.

Runtime: 95 minutes of mystery, scares, suspense, and lots of creepy, woodsy-witchy demon stuff.

Rating: N/R because sometimes you just can’t rate evil.

Cast: Miles Doleac (again, but he is very talented as writer-director-actor, so it’s a good thing), Rachel Nichols (2009’s Star Trek, 2005’s The Amityville Horror), Yohance Myles (Ambitions, Containment), Lindsay Anne Williams (The Hallow, Two Birds), Elena Sanchez (The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, The Walking Dead series), Tatiana Piper (Keys to the City), and Christian Stokes (Escape Plan, Monster).

In a rarity for indie horror movies, the entire cast does a solid job in Demigod. This film is solid enough to have an all-star lineup but having actors that may not feel too familiar adds to the believability of the story and allows the viewers to be sucked in.

For the Love of Demigod, Stay Out of the Woods!

Fans of horror movies know, nothing good ever happens when you travel deep into the woods, and this commonsense notion is especially true in Germany’s Black Forest, at least, in this movie. The film wastes no time in getting to some good, gruesome stuff, opening with a sacrificial, witchy scene that sets the tone for the rest of the horror flick and, fittingly, it takes place near a remote cabin in the woods.

We soon meet two of the film’s protagonists: couple Robin Murphy (Nichols) and Leo Murphy (Myles). Rachel Nichols and Yohance Myles play well off each other like couples do, allowing viewers to believe they are truly married.

The duo arrives in the Black Woods to look through the belongings of Robin’s deceased grandfather. We then meet hunter and creepy local Arthur Fuchs (Doleac), who seemingly seems dangerous and volatile but then appears to be friendly. Meanwhile, eerie things keep happening around the couple, which ultimately leads them to the woods, confronted by a small group of witches.

While there is not a lot of comic relief in this tense story, the few moments of humor we do get is efficaciously delivered by Myles’ character, Leo, making a few nuanced scenes stand out even more. Leo also gives us, at times, the viewpoint of us the viewers; often, he can’t believe what he is witnessing and responds in a realistic manner that many of us would react like in such a gruesome situation.

Atmospheric, Witchy, and Bloody

Writing a solid horror story is hard to do, but the directing, acting, and production is what will make a story come to life or remain dead before it even has a chance to live. In Demigod, Doleac executes a creepy atmosphere that surrounds the indie horror movie from beginning to end, and with the solid performances by the cast, this story is certainly brought to life. Even during the non-horror scenes, the atmosphere is sticky with evil, never allowing the viewer to fully exhale until the credits roll.

Throughout the first two parts of Demigod, we meet several other protagonists and antagonists, including the evil group we briefly see at the beginning of the horror movie, primarily consisting of Hettica (Williams), Latara (Sanchez), and ‘80s pro-wrestler-esque (in a good way) Grimur (Stokes). Where Hettica and her fellow witches are frightening in a supernatural, drink-your-blood kind of way, Grimur is scary in a pick-you-up and smash-your-brains-in kind of way. While we don’t have a lot of backstories on these characters, they are all done well enough that this writer would love a prequel on how they all came to be.

As the story progresses, we learn that these witches and their evil, mysterious master, Cernunnos, have their eyes—and, perhaps, palette—set on Robin. But why? We learn that her relationship with her grandfather was complex, but we are not sure why that is until further into the story. The character of Robin is done well, and the emotions given to the character by actor Rachel Nichols is done very well. Whether she is scared, angry, or wrestling with faint memories of her past, we believe her, making this folk-like horror story feel even more believable. Eventually, Robin and Leo, as well as other characters that pop up, are confronted by this evil troupe, and they must do their best to survive these supernatural baddies in the woods, though many of them are not long for this world.

While not every scene involving violence or killing is bloody, there are several that are. Because there is not splatter in every scene, when the movie does have gore, it’s even more effective. In an age where horror movies are often oversaturated with CGI, this genre piece is a breath of fresh air; the practical effects are on point in Demigod, which will likely remind viewers of classic horror movies from years gone by.

If you are looking for some new horror movies to watch this Halloween season, make sure Demigod is on your list.

When & Where to Watch Demigod

This Friday, October 15, Demigod debuts on most VOD/On Demand platforms, including iTunes, Amazon, Vudu, and Xfinity. For those wanting to see it at the theater, there is a limited releasing in a few major cities.

Whether you prefer watching horror movies in the comfort of your home or at your local cinema, genre fans should check out Demigod this Halloween.