Watch Demon

Demon is a Polish horror film that tells the story of a young man named Piotr who travels to Poland to marry his fiancé Zaneta. The couple plans to hold their wedding ceremony at Zaneta's family's old farmhouse. However, things take an eerie turn when Piotr discovers a human skeleton buried in the backyard while trying to clean out the property.

Throughout the film, the past meets the present as Piotr begins to experience strange and unexplainable events that lead him to believe that he has somehow become possessed by the spirit of an old Jewish man who died on the property years ago. As the wedding day approaches, the family struggles to hide the truth from their guests, and Piotr's behavior grows increasingly erratic, culminating in a violent and terrifying climax.

The film offers a unique and disturbing exploration of historical trauma, specifically the impact of the Holocaust on Polish society, and the ways in which those unresolved traumas can continue to haunt current generations. As a Jewish ghost takes possession of a young man on the eve of a Polish wedding, the film creates an immediate and jarring juxtaposition between the country's traumatic past and hopeful future.

The film is a slow-burn horror, relying on atmosphere and character development rather than jump scares and gore to create a sense of unease. The first half of the movie is dedicated to establishing the wedding preparations and relationship dynamics within the family, while the second half takes a more supernatural turn as the presence of the ghost becomes impossible to ignore.

The film leans heavily on its visual aesthetic to create the eerie and unsettling mood. The use of subdued colors and natural lighting makes the film feel almost dreamlike, while the rural setting is picturesque but menacing. The camera lingers on seemingly innocuous details such as the rustling leaves of the trees, creating a sense that something is lurking just out of sight.

The performances are also a standout feature of the film. It's grounded in realism, strengthening the supernatural elements, and making the film all the more chilling. The characters are all flawed and fully developed with their own secrets and struggles. It deepens the dread as the audience learns to care for them before their world turns upside down.

Demon is a tense and thought-provoking horror film that challenges audiences to confront the ghosts of the past that continue to haunt their present. It's a stunning take on the haunted house trope, using it as a metaphor for the unacknowledged history of a country's traumatic past. The finale of the film is genuinely shocking and emotional, making it an all-around masterpiece of genre cinema. If you're searching for a deep, intellectually stimulating horror flick — this is the one for you.

Demon is a 2013 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 18 minutes.