There's a type of horror film that doesn't really aim to scare you as much as it uses the horror platform for creative or (let's be honest) entertainment purposes. Call it an action-horror and you can get away with spending more on practical effects, supernatural mysticism, and yes, some unnecessary nudity. And yes, I have a soft spot for this sort of horror film.
Demon Knight is a ton of fun and is really elevated by its performances. William Sadler is the quintessential 90s action hero, the strong silent type, but with enough empathy and kindness to make him lovable. Billy Zane is having so much fun here and while I think a part of it is the peak Freddy Krueger influence and he does come off as goofy, you can't help but want to see him on screen. Thomas Hayden Church is unbelievably skeezy and a fantastic love-to-hate character, and Jada Pinkett...honestly, kinda rocks here. Her acting is super 90s, and I adore it.
I also really loved the mythology and the role of Christianity. Even if you're not Christian, there's something special about a movie about demons having strong ties to Christian mysticism. Oddly, it gives the film a sense of cultural identity that I find more compelling than some generic, post-modern demon types. Speaking of which, while I initially thought the demons looked a bit generic (i.e. Mini Pumpkinheads), the practical effects are really excellent here and they do some fun, creative stuff with them.
It's not perfect by any means; there's a bit of information that is deliberately hidden throughout the movie for NO REASON other than to generate conflict, which is frustrating. It's also not particularly original, but at the end of the day, everyone is having fun here, and you will too.
