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Devon's Ghost: Legend of the Bloody Boy
Directed by Johnny Yong Bosch and Koichi Sakamoto
Released: 2005
Starring: Karan Ashley, Johnny Yong Bosch, Jonathan Cruz, and Kristy Vaughan
Symphony (played by Karan Ashley) has terrible nightmares and visions involving Devon, a young boy who was killed by his parents ten years ago. Her father, the high profile attorney representing Devon's parents in the trial, disappeared at the same time that Devon's parents were found murdered. After two teens are murdered in the school auditorium by a killer wielding a baseball bat with an attached saw blade, Symphony begins to suspect that this is the work of Devon, now nicknamed the "Bloody Boy". She and her best friend Josh (Johnny Yong Bosch) try to solve the mystery as more bodies begin to pile up and also before they become victims themselves.
It's old hat for Asian films to combine martial arts action with horror, but American audiences just don't see it very often. The film has a hard time gelling together. The style of the direction in the action scenes is much more frenetic than the rest of the slasher storyline. My jaw dropped during the first scene when the martial arts kicked into full gear and I was quickly reminded of the previous work of the folks behind the camera. Both Johnny Yong Bosch and Karan Ashley were
Mighty Morphin Power Rangers regulars and Sakamoto directed many of the various
Power Rangers series.
Johnny Yong Bosch, who co-directs the film, is quite the jack of all trades (just look at his voice acting credentials) and is a talented actor. His portrayal of Josh seems too flat in the beginning as the token sensitive guy but Bosch is able to add a layer of intensity as the film progresses. He is very comfortable in scenes that require martial arts or painful looking stunts. Bosch takes part in a scene that should catch horror fans off guard completely. While trying to rescue Symphony, Josh is waylaid by some security guards and it's all too clear that something is about to go down. I squinted my eyes at the screen and said, "Hmm, those security guards look an awful lot like stunt men!"
Karan Ashley also puts her two cents into the production as co-writer and co-producer. Thanks to her, Symphony is a multidimensional character. She never slips into the whimpering victim as is the case with many slasher films, especially since she mentions to her boyfriend that she has been studying Karate. I actually felt pretty bad for the killer when he was going after her because Symphony really lays into him.
The rest of the cast is an interesting group. Symphony's friend, Genesis, is played by Kristy Vaughan, an actress with one of the strangest voices I've ever heard and a commanding screen presence. She actually looks and acts just like a troubled teenager. Jonathan Cruz plays Symphony's boyfriend, Craig, and does a good job as the boyfriend who will put up with some pretty heavy stuff for his lady. Anther actress worth mentioning is Allyn Carrell, who played Devon's grandmother. Carrell is quite creepy in her scene when she fills everyone in on her terrible secret.
There is some inspired cinematography in the creepier scenes. A cool nightmarish look is achieved in these scenes with an effect that blurs the corners of the frame. Thankfully, there is plenty of blood to splatter around and even a little gore (most of which is left to the imagination). A baseball bat with a saw edge is a pretty badass weapon and the killer wields it like a champ. There is a moment between victims when the bat leaves a tiny trail of blood droplets on the floor just before the next swing that just pushed me to the edge of my seat.
My biggest complaint is about the film's reliance on convention. For instance, a character is killed up against a window while their significant other watches helpless on the other side. A similar scene, while effective in
Scream 2, comes off as a little halfhearted here. Also, typical in teen slasher flicks, the killer's motivations are either paper-thin or aren't explained very well. I had no trouble accepting the killer's urge to kill the teenagers (and some adults) of Canyon City but I just couldn't swallow why he was choosing some victims over others.
Overall, Devon's Ghost is a total surprise considering the work of the folks involved. Ashley, Bosch, and Sakamoto make an interesting team, especially in the horror genre. The film comes together especially well in its climax and stays true to slasher code by even promising a sequel. Although the film is clunky in some scenes, it's never boring. The action scenes may be hard for some viewers to get used to, especially since there are clearly two styles of filmmaking at odds here but this could be the start of a new trend. Hey, stunt people need work too.
For more information go to MTI
Home Video.
Or check out the movie's official
website.
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