Director: Anthony DiBlasi
Year: 2014
Country: USA
Alternate Titles: Paymon
Genre: Supernatural
Plot:
Arriving at a run-down police station, a rookie officer covering the night shift at the station is continually confronted by a series of supernatural antics about a demonic cult haunting the premises and sets out to stop the spirits from staying there only to be dragged into a darker situation.
Review:
Overall this was a rather enjoyable effort. One of the best aspects featured here is the slow-burn build-up of the storyline here which is rather creepy and chilling. The idea of being alone in the police alone, crumbling and about to be torn down as it is, provides this was a stellar setting for what transpires throughout here as things rapidly spiral out of control. Not only is the initial setup shown taking place in a decrepit, run-down location full of faulty lighting, crumbling stained walls and just leftover debris from their collections that serve as the perfect type of backdrop for the later insanity to follow up on.
The general buildup of that insanity is handled masterfully, going from the small shock type of scares to far deeper and grandiose pieces. From the homeless man who interacts with her alone in the building to the rearranging of furniture and the visit from the spectral officer which is revealed through a spectacular gag, the small scenes are a great counter to the larger freak-out sequences that build-up a fantastically chilling atmosphere throughout here. Ranging from hooded figures in front of a mirror not following with their reflections to distorted figures appearing and chasing her to a stellar sequence featuring the cult members projecting themselves onto a screen and interacting with the objects in the room, it creates the fun tactic of creepy actions happening in a creepy location that always works well.
That leads into the finale where it has a lot of tense, creepy fun when it really lets loose. With the storyline giving off the truth about the various torments and tactics against her, this allows for a pretty lively and energetic segment where it puts on some really creepy ideas involving the cult figures bringing up some fun work with the deformed ghost chasing her around the station, the various ghosts popping up for a series of brutal quick gunfights that provide this with the perfect twist here which turns a seemingly supernatural-leaning effort into a more realistic type of story which adds a lot to the creepy imagery. Alongside the fine gore and the demonic make-up, these hold it up over it's few minor flaws.
About the only real issue with the film is that it seems to have a feeling that she's never in any real danger. The various actions that are played out here, from the interaction of the cult members to the phone calls and all the flashing demonic figures seen throughout the building, are not in the slightest bit threatening to her and opt for more of a mental torture and psychological breakdown which is expertly accomplished yet never means their plan makes sense. It's more just a series of flashes and then they disappear, really coming off rather like they're toying with her instead of putting her in danger which lowers this somewhat. As well as a few flimsy effects pieces at times, these are all that hold this down.
Overview: ****/5
Having plenty to really like overall and a few minor stumbling blocks that crop up, it is a genuinely enjoyable effort which makes for a rather fun time to be had here. This is recommended for those that find these kinds of supernatural-heavy efforts to be rather enjoyable or worthwhile for fans of this type of effort, while those that are put off by these efforts should heed caution.
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