Nothing stays buried forever. Brainstorm Media has just unleashed Bury the Devil, a single-shot demonic nightmare.
A Real-Time Descent Into Darkness
The plot centers on an in-home nurse caring for an elderly dementia patient. The patient’s erratic behavior quickly spirals from unsettling to otherworldly. What begins as the tragic decline of an aging mind reveals a far darker truth. A sinister force is seeping through the cracks of the decaying home.
Shot in a single continuous take. The real-time format traps viewers inside a dark, labyrinthine house alongside pale figures and shifting shadows. By stripping away jump cuts and safety edits, the camera forces you to endure every agonizing second in real time.
Atmosphere Over Acting
Directed by Adam O’Brien (OM) from a script co-written with John Petrizzi and Brad Hodson, the film uses its single-take gimmick to great effect. The cinematography is genuinely impressive, using fluid camerawork and decaying set design to build a heavy, suffocating sense of dread.
Unfortunately, the cast—featuring Dawn Ford, Emmanuelle Lussier Martinez, and Bill Rowat—doesn’t quite match the technical craft. The continuous performances often feel hollow and weighed down by flat delivery and passionless dialogue, which undercuts the tension. Ford’s performance was the standout amongst the bunch.
Then, there’s the FX. There is a moment in the final scene when practical effects show a hand emerging from the elder woman’s mouth. It was a great idea; unfortunately, the prop looked cheap and super fake, ruining the weight of the scene. This is made worse because the image is featured on the poster. It has been heavily edited to look better than it was in the scene itself. A bit of false advertising, if you will.
I will say that the film was a good twist on the possession subgenre. It was an interesting story that we haven’t seen a thousand times over. For that, I’m thankful.
The Verdict
Bury the Devil isn’t a bad film. Its technical ambition, stellar camera work, and relentless atmosphere do plenty of heavy lifting. It’s worth a watch for the single-shot craftsmanship alone. However, I will warn you to keep your expectations in check when it comes to the acting. But hey, that’s just my opinion. You can currently watch the film for yourself in select theaters and on digital platforms.
