We Summon The Darkness
by Marc Meyers

When you’ve got a synopsis that contains satanism, cults, metal, road trips, and the 80s, you had better bring it on during the film. We Summon The Darkness, starring Alexandria Daddario, set a high bar for itself and, unfortunately, was not able to muster up the strength to even climb over it when all was said and done.

Three girlfriends set out on a road trip to see one of their favorite metal bands in concert amidst a cult induced satanic panic in 1988. The meet up with three lame dudes, party at the show, and then decide to head to one of the girl’s family’s summer homes to kick things up a notch. As you can expect, it’s all downhill from there for this group of twenty-somethings. To save on spoilers, I won’t go in to any more detail, but I will explain my qualms with the film in the rest of this review.

While We Summon the Darkness had a lot of potential it just did not live up to my expectations. I really expected an awesome soundtrack, some extreme gore, and a lot more comedy than what was delivered. So much is promised and then never delivered and instead we are left with long, drawn out scenes in a pantry, predictable plotlines, and unrealistic throwback that seemed written by people who know nothing about the 80s. Now, that being said, I couldn’t tell you a damn thing about what it was like to live in the 80s because I was a toddler. However, when discussing this film at length with my podcast cohost, Joe Moore (who happens to be a metal musician and 80s aficionado) he agreed that the most unbelievable part of this film was the fact that it was supposed to be set in the 80s. Being that he lived and breathed the whole metal scene back then, it completely fell flat and was a wild disappointment to him, ripping him from the film more than once. I can only agree with his sentiments.

My other issues with the movie had nothing to do with the acting, effects, or cinematography as that was all fine. In fact, I really enjoyed the whole boat motor thing and the movie gets style points for interesting weapon choice. I didn’t like, however, that the cult members were so overexaggerated and forced. I didn’t believe their bullshit from the get-go and I couldn’t buy into the whole “good Christians gone wild” thing. If my husband and I had made a drinking game out of predictions we made in the first five minutes that were on point we would have been black out drunk for sure. So, with that being said, the film loses its previously awarded style points.

All in all, is We Summon the Darkness a total disaster? No way, I’ve sat through total disasters before, but I’d say it definitely underwhelms. It’s on Netflix if you need something that will mildly entertain and pass some time.