Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘When Evil Lurks’

11/6/2023

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Ezequiel Rodríguez in Demian Rugna’s WHEN EVIL LURKS. Photo Courtesy of Shudder and IFC Films. A Shudder and IFC Films release.

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘When Evil Lurks’.

There is a great deal of people out there anymore, that genuinely believe that there are forces of evil working against the forces of good, and there is some merit to that line of thinking. After all, at this moment… there are terrorist organizations working against the West. Who believe it must be undermined and eventually destroyed. But there are also forces for good out there, watching those people, and studying their plans, and shutting them down as we sleep, keeping balance in the world, and while that should end such beliefs… they persist. In fact, they get wilder by the minute.

For those who hold to that notion, believe that there are monsters that roam the shadows, or outright evil spirits that lurk about and possess people to make them do their bidding. Or that there is a deep state composed of something sinister that operates with impunity to make our lives hell, and well… these thoughts are of concern, because there is no proof to back any of them up. They’re just theories and fears, but they persist, and people hold to them and well… that has motivated some creatives to ponder upon why people worry about such matters, and what the world might look like, if by chance these wild thoughts were reality. In fact, there’s a brand-new film on Shudder that dives deep into all of those questions, and that makes When Evil Lurks, quite the incredible horror story.

Simply because it presents to us, a world where demons thrive. In fact, they can be born into human flesh in this world and when that happens, they wreak havoc and claim children’s souls and yet… despite this threat being there… people just go about their day. For they believe that if they follow the rules of keeping evil at bay, for there are rules… the kind that involve avoiding technology and doing nothing to provoke evil, and live as far from it as possible, their lives will be okay. But alas, one fine day in the country, an everyman named Pedro comes to learn that the evil in this world has found its way into his town and with the authorities washing their hands of the matter, so a professional can handle it, Pedro and his friends take matters into their own hands to be free of evil. Only to learn, it has taken root and without prompt escape or action… it will spread and lurk, putting Pedro and his family at a crossroads since he simply hasn’t a clue… how to handle evil.

Which is a plot that presents us with a very unique and fascinating story. One that is original in nature, since this writer is hard pressed to think of a demon film where they are commonplace in the world, but also… that plot provides us with a hyper-intelligent story as well. One filled to the brim with commentary on our modern world, how we ignore problems until they become a real concern and how… our world wouldn’t change all that much if the evil some think persists behind the scenes was indeed real. There would still be indifference and bickering. But above all, this incredible storytelling twist really speaks to the reality that our biggest problem, and why these thoughts persist, is because we tolerate evil, and we let it persist. To the point where our minds struggle to comprehend that reality, and our imaginations give rise to unique thoughts to help us cope. All of which are some fine points that stay with you long after this movie has come to an end.

However, while it is refreshing to enjoy a film this original and this different, make no mistake about it… it’s a horror film through and through. One so scary that it will also stay with you because of the awful visuals it presents you with. For this film also ponders upon the possibility that if evil was real, it would relish in the opportunity to inflict pain and find joy in such matters. Which leads to some twisted and horrifying moments in this story. The kind that sees the evil do whatever it pleases and that truly will unsettle the viewer. In fact, there is a moment near the end of the film that is so shocking and so disturbing, that you’ll likely need to pause the film, and take a minute to process and/or recover from, the nightmare you’ve just seen before continuing along.

All of which makes this, an utterly powerhouse horror film. One that is smart, scary, and as gory as they come and of course… it scares you to the very core of your being. Simply because… this movie holds nothing back with its scares and its depravity, as though the evil in this story is nothing more than an enabler for the worst that we are capable of. Which also adds some frightening parallels to the times we live in. Yet there are still hopeful thoughts in this story, since it does subtly touch upon how we could defeat our fears and evil through genuine unity, and really, in the end, the thoughtfulness of this film, and its scares, do make it essential viewing. Because it has something for everyone and it goes hard, courtesy of an unfortunate answer to a longstanding question… ‘what if?’

Watch ‘When Evil Lurks’

0 Comments