DEVIL HUNTER

Jess Franco stopped needing an introduction to serious critics and fans of cult and horror cinema in the last decade, having received much attention with the advent of DVD. With much of his prolific cannon treated so lovingly in special editions, we've been treated to unsuspected visions of sexual sadism, surrealism, and psychosis. While much has been said of Franco's prolific output, not as often noted are the erratic results of his films. Franco has always been eccentric and uneven in his delivery, which is as much a part of his charm as it is the pivotal reason so many audiences are turned off by his deeply personal and absurdist forays. While this auteur has crafted several truly memorable celluloid fever dreams, from the hallucinatory Necronomicon to the gritty and depressing Exorcism, he has just as often churned out some of the most embarrassing offenders to ever spill blood or semen. Yet there is often something of visual and thematic worth in his failures, whether it be of camp value or artistic inspiration. It is hardly surprising that the quality of Franco's films is so intimately connected to his personal interest in his subject, since filmmaking is a personal process of self discovery for the man. Perhaps this explains why a movie like Venus in Furs throbs with feeling while his cannibal pictures suffer from bland stories and a lack of his signature visual experimentation. Disinterest, it appears, breeds low quality. You can't help but notice that with such a gut muncher as Cannibal, Franco simply doesn't have his heart in it. Devil Hunter, the newest video nasty released on the world by Severin Films, is yet another tepid jungle adventure that suggests Franco's disinterest. This cheaply filmed potboiler runs by the numbers and suffers from not only a lack of dramatic focus and visual enticement but, more damaging for an exploitation picture, fails to deliver the raunchy or horrific goods promised by the very subgenre that it exploits. For all of this, the movie is not without recommendable qualities, particularly to Franco devotees. Besides allowing us to trace his continuing development, Devil Hunter is still another entry in the 'so bad its good' category that a few of us masochists delight in.

Devil Hunter is a paint-by-the-numbers affair with a barely competent story, suffering inane dialogue and lapses of character and plot logic so large you could drive a truck through them. When blonde opportunist-model Laura Crawford searches locations for a new film, she finds herself betrayed by Jane her assistant and two criminals who kidnap her. This motley and truly incompetent crew of bimbos and morons head out to a ruin in the jungle (why always the jungle?!), where Laura is bound, humiliated and sexually abused. When a hefty ransom is set for her safe return, Peter Weston (Al Cliver) is hired to save her. Peter and Vietnam friend Jack set out to kick some ass but are ambushed early on, resulting in a cat and mouse game between the heroes and villains with Laura as the prize. Enter the island natives who decide they want to sacrifice her to their laughable cannibal god, subtly known as 'the devil.'

Inspired by the Mondo documentaries that shocked the film world, the Italian Cannibal film, that most disreputable and exploitative of sub-genres, offended critics everywhere with their gleefully tasteless depictions of torture, sadistic sex, and messy death -- not to mention a healthy dose of racism, sexism, and nihilistic intent. The form was at once both a response and challenge to the increasing penchant for naturalism. It also made a quick buck for producers. So with the sleazy yet artistically inspired product of Deodato, Lenzi and Martino, less competent flesh feasts as Cannibal Terror and uncle Jess's Cannibal hoped on the gravy train. Devil Hunter falls into this later category, failing not only as a serious story but, most damnable, unable to dash out the expected heapings of violence and gore. While it isn't expected to find serious characterization in this sub-genre, it is at least expected -- even demanded -- that the titular act of cannibalism be present. Oddly enough, there aren't any real cannibals in this confused fear fest. Similar to Cannibals, this lame brained concoction of poor acting and moronic characterization announce its attentions on its sleeve: it wants to shock you. Unfortunately it falls short in this as well. A guest of the infamous 'video nasty' list in Britain, this films lacks the taboo pushing gore or subject matter required to even succeed as a cannibal feature. Brief shots of bloodshed and human intestine mutilation appear more as an afterthought than integral to plot. Worse yet, they are void of Grand Guignol repulsion value. Clearly made-on-the quick, this addition to the already stale cycle of third world cannibal shockers isn't art or good exploitation. It is however fun in much the same way watching a child learn to walk is. A favorite scene is the native stumbling around with ping-pong ball eyes. Franco simply isn't trying with Devil Hunter. This lack of interest is apparent, and rubs off on the audience. While Franco has devoted much of his career to fetishistic imagery, painting the screen in decadence with a camera valuing feverish imagery over traditional storytelling, none of his true obsessions with carnality or liberation, decadence or psychology is on display here.

Severin Films has treats Devil Hunter as lovingly as if it were Citizen Kane. Re-mastered in high definition, Franco's flesh feast was restored from the original Spanish negative and appears uncut for the first time ever. The picture is clean and the transfer without fault, featured in anamorphic 1.66:1. English and French Dolby Digital sound in Mono are both professional sounding, with crisp tones and no outside interference.

Extras are limited to "Sexo Canibal: An Interview with Jess Franco," wherein the man's disinterest and distaste with the cannibal subgenre is obvious, explaining the lack of visual acrobatics so often found in his films. Here he discusses his contempt for the genre and the purely mercenary reason he filmed Devil Hunter.

Review by William Simmons