There's so much to love about this film. It's a taut, intensely suspenseful experience creating a strong and sustained sense of claustrophobic fear and dread. Directed by South Australian based horror movie maker Ursula Dabrowsky, the story is a clever, heightened and horrifying rendition of how the damage done by family dynamics in childhood can manifest later in life. The film creates a kind of dark, almost tactile feeling of the damaged psyche as a place one ends up feeling trapped. The talented actors, Cassandra Kane, Luca Sardelis, Mark Fantasia and Kerry Reid are well cast for bringing to life the sticky web of dark undercurrents that tie these characters together. For aspiring filmmakers in this genre, there is so much to learn from how cleverly, stylishly and elegantly this low budget horror story is crafted at all levels - from the story, the talented small cast, and using a singular location to great effect. Music composed by Michael Taylor, and the sound design by Tom Wroblewski both deserve a mention as the audio experience creates such beautiful tension and foreboding throughout the story, complementing the beautiful cinematography by Maxx Corkindale. There are some exquisite effects in make-up design by Dominique Keeley - stay until the end. Settle in to a nice cosy room in the dark and prepare to feel tense and anxious in all the right ways as you watch The Devil's Work ... but maybe don't invite any of your siblings to join you. Do pop this one on your Valentine's Day viewing list though!
