PopHorror Let's Get Scared
PopHorror’s coverage of the Horror-On-Sea 2023 Film Festival continues! This time out? We are taking a look at Richard Rowntree’s Mask of the Devil!
Check out the trailer below, then read on for our review!
Mask of the Devil (2022) Synopsis
Seeking independence, a young woman takes a job at a porno shoot only to find herself and the crew the unwilling victims of a vicious ancient evil.
Mask of the Devil is a 2022 horror film written by Matthew Davies (Dogged 2017, Nefarious 2019) and Richard Rowntree (Dogged 2017, Nefarious 2019), and directed by Richard Rowntree. It stars David Lenik (Jekyll and Hyde 2021, Freeze 2021), Nicole Katherine Riddell (1.22.1 2019, White Sky 2021), Kemal Yildirim (The Haunting of the Lady-Jane 2022, Malady 2015, Zombie Lover 2021), Ryan David Harston (Save Luna 2021), Phelim Kelly (Gunned Down 2017, Invasion Planet Earth 2019), and Martin W. Payne (Pandamonium 2020, Monstrous Disunion 2021).
The film also stars Joshua Frater-Loughlin (The Strangers 2019, Control 2023), Tony Manders (Dogged 2017, The Young Cannibals 2019), Anthony Crockett (Little English 2022, Why Didn’t They Ask Evans 2022), Geoff Woodman (1986 2021, The Haunting of the Lady-Jane 2023), David Gadsby (Dogged 2017, Nefarious 2019), and Gregory A. Smith (Dogged 2017, Nefarious 2019).
Devilishly Fun
This is a unique, outrageously hilarious piece of cinema that we never knew we needed, until now. It’s a sleazy, off-the-wall, bat-shit crazy fluid fest, unlike anything else. It’s raunchy, vulgar, and entertaining as hell.
The acting is excellent, especially the performances by Nicole Katherine Riddell, Kemal Yildirim, and Martin W. Payne. Riddell is tender, reserved, and genuinely likable in the lead role. Yildirim is rugged, abrasive, and absolutely deplorable as the man in charge. And, Payne is perverse, rotten, and funny as f*ck as the hot and horny crewman who can’t seem to find anyone willing to partake in some off-camera action, no matter how hard he tries.
There are some really kooky characters here, along with truly awesome effects, and a seriously cool concept that I’m surprised no one has really tapped into as of yet (the horror movie on a porno set). It’s innovative, inventive, and loads of fun.
The editing is great and the lighting is top-notch. Also, the sets are fun and the pacing is perfect. However, the best part of all is the use of CGI and practical effects. They blend together seamlessly giving it the vibe of an old-school Charles Band film from the eighties. Phenomenal effects and gore!
Final Thoughts
Overall, Mask of the Devil is offensive, original, and brilliantly fiendish. It’s lewd, salacious, and wildly inappropriate. It’s a must-watch for fans of ludicrous horror comedies. Get your hands on this one asap, you won’t be disappointed.
Be sure to check out the rest of our Horror-On-Sea 2023 Film Festival coverage!
