Zombie Film Review:

Demons AND Demons 2

Director: Lamberto Bava

Year: Demons - 1985, Demons 2 - 1986

Tagline: Demons 2 - The Nightmare Returns

Review: There are reasons that these films are being reviewed together, the main reason being the cast remains virtually identical and the plots and feel of the films are similar too. Now, I do have more of a problem calling these zombie films, than '28 Days Later,' yes they are dead and the infection spreads through being bitten, but its Demonic in origin, spread in the first film through an evil mask and some bizarre film broadcast and in the second film some television broadcast from the site of the first films infection. They are Italian, but they are teen aimed and the main significant difference is the soundtrack is less painful in Demons 2…

Zombie Quality: *

Bright glowing eyes, claws, sinister giggling and some greasepaint veins do not make a good zombie… or Demon…

Zombie Behaviour: **

Jumping about laughing does not make a good zombie either, but such is the vision of this director… They do bite and eat flesh to spread the infection and the zombie-ness of the Demons cannot really be ignored.

Zombie Threat: * to ****

Unless you are trapped in a certain cinema or apartment block with un-openable doors then you should be fine… The other thing to bear in mind is that within 5 minutes of any of the characters appearing you will want them to die horribly so don't worry too much, the Demons will get them. The world is under threat at the end of these ‘classics' but Bava is no Fulci, the ending falls flat although the destruction of humanity is at stake.

Gore Content: ****

Throats and faces being gored, exploding boils, sword play, gun action, eyes being gouged out and an eviscerating helicopter make the lack of pure zombies forgivable due to the amount of gore, pus and blood that is being sprayed round this movie.

Overall Quality: ***

These are fun, slightly dated, camp horror films. Zombie Films… in the loosest sense of the word, but Demons 2 does contain possibly the worst horror puppet I have ever seen, but despite this they are worth watching and enjoying…