Lo (2009)

Review by Adam C. Thomas



"Lo" is the tale of a man who wants only one thing: he wants the swift and safe return of his love, April. He summons a demon, Lo, to bring her back. Deadpan comedy and wry wit permeate this movie through and through, and it serves to up the ante quite a bit. This movie could very well have been very, very awful. With its extremely simple set design (literally the bulk of the movie is the main character Justin sitting inside his pentagram, with Lo talking to him from just outside the circle, and complete blackness through the rest of the shot), this movie had to rely solely on dialogue and solid acting in order to foot the bill, and foot the bill it did.

Lo is absolutely hysterical throughout the entire movie, but never lets his guard down for Justin. He makes sure that it is always apparent he could end him with one nod of the head, if he were so inclined. Justin argues with Lo about the return of April, and the story unravels as Lo explains why her return is literally impossible. The story is a simple love story, but Lo's wisecracks make this one just that much funnier.

The makeup and prosthetics in this movie were efficient, and very well thought out. The level of detail is really astounding. There were only a few times where it was noticeable that another demon was wearing a mask, and it kind of drew me out of the moment, but overall, the SPFX crew on this one should get major kudos.

It's technically a horror movie, dealing with demons and the underworld and whatnot, but at it's heart it's a love story. I usually don't like the love stories, but this one felt natural. It was the whole basis of the plot, so it never really felt forced or out of place. The references to Evil Dead were quite apparent, and actually welcome. This movie would tip toe ever so close to the "too serious" line, and then Justin's hand would start talking to him, and it would draw you right back with the humor.

This is most definitely a fun flick, and it is extremely quotable, as well. Every horror/comedy fan owes it to themselves to check this one out. I give this one a 9 out of 10.