I Trapped The Devil, IFC Midnight + Josh Lobo

THE STORY FOR I TRAPPED THE DEVIL, GOES LIKE THIS… It’s Christmas and family reunions are prevalent at this time of year. Matt (AJ Bowen) and his wife Karen (Susan Burke) decide on an impromptu visit to Steve’s house and he is not happy. What will he do about the man in his basement?

The Narration and Plot for I Trapped the Devil

The story of Steve unfolds with minimal narration. Subsequent scenes explore movie culture’s depictions of the man who identifies as Satan. Steve imparts crucial insights on recognizing this figure as he passionately shares his long-standing mission of research. He warns his brother Matt and sister-in-law about the man in his basement, who possesses the uncanny ability to transform into whatever suits the moment. It’s emphasized that the Devil’s influence often goes unnoticed, thriving amidst the vast numbers of humanity. We unwittingly aid him, driven by our inherent flaws.

Aesthetically Amazing Christmas Horror

Aesthetically, I Trapped the Devil is often dark but a fitting backdrop for everything the film contains. The score, a mixture of intense instrumental and piano is the perfect accompaniment for everything happening on screen. It often enables more tension to be applied to situations that seem relatively normal.

The sound design was extremely well orchestrated to be in tune with the storyline and tonal elements.

His brother has arrived with his wife Susan to a less-than-welcome reunion. Steve says in no uncertain terms that they must leave. When Matt responds angrily that he will not be leaving, he has a nosebleed. The phone rings incessantly, Steve seems completely paranoid and cagey and the house is a mess. Over the course of this first evening, we see a television come to life and upon it emerges visions that seem to scare Steve. The more Matt and Susan probe him about what’s going on the less he seems to want to open up. And then he does. He shows them the basement.

How will he explain the devil is waiting for them and intends to destroy the world as we know it? Steve (Scott Poythress) didn’t intentionally plan for a hellish Christmas but Hell came to him first.

A red light fills the basement. The haunting voice of the trapped man (Chris Sullivan) is smooth. It is as smooth as one would expect from such an unearthly creature. Or is it? The ‘man’ urges Susan and Matt to set him free. He wants to be with his family. He says things you would expect from someone who is not the devil.

The husband and wife immediately want no part of this hostage situation. They infer that Steve is unhinged and tries to figure out what to do next. Steve’s desperation to ensure the man remains captured becomes extreme and from here the chaos and madness begin to unravel.

I Trapped the Devil is clever, showcasing a narrative that elevates it above typical critiques like mine. The surprise in the ending is still hard-hitting.

I give I Trapped the Devil

3 Less is more, but sometimes less is less effective out of 5

Are you looking for more Christmas horror to watch? Add these titles to your watchlist next: Terrifier 3 trailer | Black Friday | A Creepshow Holiday Special | Anna and the Apocalypse

Slight Spoiler Summary For I Trapped the Devil (Explained)

I Trapped the Devil, is not a fast-paced film, but rather a slow burn. I watched The Howling Man to understand better. I must say, I found the ambiguity of the narration here a little hard to follow. I’m not up to speed with the powers of the devil and simply theorize that Steve was mad.

I referenced this on a site I use to jot down my initial impression of a film. Josh Lobo, the director, reached out and mentioned that he, in fact, didn’t think he drew a lot from the original story.

“It’s more of a tone poem,” he said.

Quote from Josh Lobo in response to my thoughts on the film.