Prince of Darkness plays fast and loose with its own rules and pacing, but John Carpenter’s devil film is just bonkers enough to work.
Director: John Carpenter
Genre: Horror
Run Time: 102′
Rating: R
U.S. Release: October 23, 1987
U.K. Release: May 13, 1988
Where to Watch: On digital & VOD
The relationship between science and religion has long been discussed in the realms of philosophy and art. People often wonder how ancient stories of angels and demons might fit into the natural world. This quandary has led to some excellent films, especially in the sci-fi and horror genres. Famed director John Carpenter, in a fun blending of the two genres, attempts his input on the discussion with Prince of Darkness (1987).
Despite these thought-provoking ideas at its core, it works as simply a fun, schlocky horror movie from one of the genre’s most prominent voices.
The film slowly builds into an all-out gory horror fest. After discovering a mysterious looking slime underneath a church, a team of scientists, students, and religious figures attempt to find out what the slime is and how it got there. When they find out the liquid is a physical embodiment of the son of Satan, the group has to fight to survive while the slime begins to possess members of the team. Typing out that premise felt ridiculous, but “ridiculous” is the perfect descriptor for this movie. The film relies on schlocky (in the best way) effects and brutal kills, while building a tense atmosphere reminiscent of horror classics like The Exorcist and other Carpenter movies like Halloween and The Thing.
Carpenter excels at eliciting an eerie and uncomfortable tone, established early on in Prince of Darkness with a haunting score and effective cross-cutting as the opening credits roll. A priest finds a key that leads into the chamber where the liquid is contained, presenting an early mystery that needs to be solved. While the pacing might feel a little too slow between this opening scene and the energetic finale, Carpenter infuses just enough intrigue throughout to keep fans invested in the story.
Hovering throughout the film are some interesting questions about how science and the divine can correlate. The cynical scientifically minded students have to come around to the fact that what they are dealing with is outside the realms of science. Characters ask about the nature of truth while the fates of several main characters pose questions about salvation and what happens after death. While the movie dances around these issues, none of them are fully developed, with Carpenter choosing to focus instead on the grotesque imagery and scares. The cheesiness of the film is certainly its strength, but when it has some potentially compelling ideas at its center, audiences can easily feel cheated when these ideas are not fully fleshed out.
Along the lines of its cheesiness and schlock, Prince of Darkness takes great liberties with both Christian theology and the laws of science. These changes themselves are not necessarily an issue with the film, but occasionally the film takes great leaps in logic with both the characters and the rules that have been established to move the plot forward. Again, while this may not be a problem for fans looking simply for a scary good time, people wishing for a little more out of their horror films, especially ones made by Carpenter, might become frustrated or disappointed with these inconsistencies.
I am a product of Christian evangelicalism, and I enjoyed this movie for what it is: a goofy, sinister horror film that plays fast and loose with its own rules and ideologies. Some members of the Christian faith may find it heretical; those who are scientifically driven may find it preposterous; film critics looking for deeper themes and messaging may find it unsatisfying. But Prince of Darkness certainly has maintained its status as a fun, gross, cult classic that reminds everyone how great Carpenter is at crafting dark atmospheres and terrifying images.
Prince of Darkness: Movie Plot & Recap
Synopsis:
When a priest discovers a seemingly alien slime in an old church cellar, he attempts to find scientists and students who can identify the liquid. They find that the slime has a sinister agenda, carrying with it the spirit of the demonic and possessing anyone who comes into contact with it.
Pros:
- The film offers fun, schlocky elements, grizzly kills, and some truly unsettling imagery.
- The movie at least starts an interesting conversation about the relationship between religion and science.
Cons:
- Though the film attempts some deep ideas, the fun slasher elements overshine the film’s interesting questions about faith and science.
- The slower pacing before the film’s bonkers finale may be too mundane for horror buffs.
Prince of Darkness is now available to watch on digital and on demand.
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