M. Night Shyamalan's 'Devil' from 'The Night Chronicles'

M. Night Shyamalan's latest cinematic endeavors explore how the modern world deals with the supernatural; the first installment of his "Night Chronicles" is "Devil". Recruiting promising horror directors, John and Drew Dowdle ("Quarantine"), Shyamalan has elevated himself from director to the god-like "Story by" credit. Though the story itself is executed by a screenwriter to watch for; Brian Nelson, whose screenplay "Hard Candy" is a greatly underrated, edgy, indie thriller. Nelson also brought Steve Niles's comic series "30 Days of Night" to the screen for producer Sam Raimi.

There are some tasty ingredients to whip up a nice batch of Devil's brew, yet the film becomes a bible thump from an elevator drop 30 stories up. It's an irresistible premise really, as four unsuspecting lives with evil pasts are trapped in an elevator for a last foray with the Devil before yanking their souls into hellfire. A story quintessentially Shyamalan, yet he is dipping into a deep pool of folklore and religious mythology. The more obvious influence, and one acknowledged by Shyamalan, is from Agatha Christie's classic novel, "And Then There Were None."

Christie's novel is about a group of strangers mysteriously brought to an island, gruesomely knocked off one by one, until the Devil is revealed. Take this classic, claustrophobic thriller and shrink it to an elevator setting, but with overtly moralistic piety, and you've got Shyamalan's "Devil".

Another AssociatedContent reviewer, Eric Shirey even goes as far to call "Devil", an "evangelical Christian film." While reviewers like Shirey and some fans of the film may find this a refreshing take on the otherwise morally ambiguous films of Hollywood, I find it scary. Not because it makes me believe the Devil is stalking our everyday lives, but because Shyamalan, Dowdle and Nelson have crossed a line. Still, the filmmakers have every right to make the film they want, as there is no law that permits them from saying the Devil is real and God will save you.

It's possible that this is not even the genuine beliefs of the filmmakers, but they forfeit a certain artistic quality by not letting the audience decide for themselves. There are plenty of classic films starring the Devil, that allow for this more objective fictionalization. Roman Polanski (yes, I know, hardly the moral compass) has done it twice with "Rosemary's Baby" in 1968 and "The Ninth Gate" in 1999. Richard Donner's 1976 classic "The Omen" and William Friedkin's "The Exorcist" also deal with the arrival of the Devil into the modern world. Of course, I've got to give a nod to Al Pacino's performance as the demon king himself in "The Devil's Advocate." While these films may carry a religious undertone, or nod towards faith, it isn't beat over our heads.

It's almost tiresome with no shortage of films about the Devil, whether he is tormenting us on a daily basis or eternally trying to claim his kingdom on Earth. Shyamalan's "Devil" carries the narrative voice of a highly religious security guard who witnesses the events in the Elevator. Now, if we take the Shakespearean example of a narrator's voice, we know that it is close to the source of the storyteller. Whether or not Shyamalan stands behind the voice of his narrator is another matter, but it certainly sets the tone of the film.

Stylistically, the film begins with a sweeping upside down montage of Philadelphia's cityscape. It's as if something from the underworld has risen and takes flight to set the stage for some gruesome elevator music. This classic God's-eye-view takes its cue from the opening sequence of Alfred Hitchcock's "Pyscho". While both "Pyscho" and "Devil" are suspenseful films, audiences already know key elements to the plot.

We know Norman Bates's mother killed Marion Crane in the shower, but the human drama unfolds in the suspense of not knowing if Norman could cover it up; only to reveal the famous twist ending. Shyamalan is a filmmaker who plays skillfully with the Hitchcockian twist ending, and "Devil" is no different. We know from the beginning that the Devil is on a mission, and will kill these people, but just which body is possessed and how it will be done is the suspense. This is the thematic connection to the God's-eye-view opening, as the storyteller lets us in on his little secret.

In all honestly there is something amiss in "Devil" that I just can't pinpoint. First off, it's a brilliant premise from a master storyteller; Shyamalan is the king of concepts who has suffered critically from their execution as a director. Putting director John Dowdle at the helm, who proved he is skilled with claustrophobic spaces in "Quarantine", was a smart move. Giving the story to a hungry, horrifically imaginative screenwriter; Brian Nelson, was also smart. Then assembling a dependable ensemble cast without star power that would otherwise detract from the supernatural spotlight on the Devil. Then produce a beautifully shot film, courtesy of one of the greatest living cinematographers, Tak Fujimoto ("Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "The Silence of the Lambs", "Philadelphia", "Beloved", "The Sixth Sense"....).

There is also an element of the film that pays homage to the classic television mystery, something like an episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" with a "Twilight Zone" twist. This comes from the matter-of-fact voice over about supernatural things, and the booming symphonic studio score from Fernando Velazquez.

All this aural suspense played over a cast bent on intense performances that pull you into the moment, instead of pushing you away saying, "Look what I can do." The cast includes Chris Messina, Bojana Novakovic, Bokeem Woodbine, Jenny O'Hara, and Logan Marshall-Green. These are key ingredients for a television murder mystery of the supernatural sort, but get captured by the big-screen nuances of Tak Fujimoto. There is also the $10 million budget to play with.

What went wrong? What's missing from this prepackaged horror hit? Is it the lack of a relatable characters, aside from a security guard (not the religious one), just trying to do his job, who just gets fried. Was I personally tainted by the religious overtones and moralistic message? A message that gets hammered in, instead of bearing subtle gestures of faith through a suspension of disbelief.

It seems that this attempt to better understand "Devil" through writing about it, has just garnered more questions. The answers fall to you, hopefully in the comment box below.