The Devil's Hand

"The Devil's Hand" is a slick little B-film that moves at an amazingly fast clip. Don't look for deep characterizations, or explorations of motives, or anything else that would make the story stumble.

This flick takes itself seriously. It's established at the outset that the Gamba cult is real, and several scenes indicate that it has actual power. And there's never a nudge or wink from any of the characters to indicate otherwise.

The acting may not be top-notch, but it's credible enough. The opening theme is quite cool, too, and would be a good addition to a surf rock collection; unfortunately, it's never identified.

And the overall theme is still relevant today—how easy it can be to get sucked into a cult (religious, political, philosophical—take your pick) because of one's hopes of improving his lot. Look at the worshipers; by and large they look just like you'n'me. No wild-eyed zealots, no borderline personalities, just…ordinary people.

My only real quibble is the casting of Neil Hamilton as the villain. He seems to have been rather a one-note talent; his demeanor throughout the movie, whether fronting the doll shop or presiding over potential human sacrifice, is rather bland. Or maybe I just can't accept Commissioner Gordon being on the wrong side of the law!