Gamer Movie Review: Demon Hunters

Film: Demon Hunters
Year: 1999
Production Company: Dead Gentlemen
Writer: Matt Vancil
Director: Ben Dobyns
Staring: Steve Wolbrecht, Nathan Rice, and Don Early


When I bought Demon Hunters 2: Dead Camper Lake I was aware that the first Demon Hunter film was included on the disk. This would have been a red flag, but the people over at Dead Gentlemen are too up front to let someone buy their product with any misconceptions. Their site included a warning that both the Demon Hunters films were made on little to no budget with consumer grade equipment. I had no objections to this, having seen many films with massive budgets and the latest high tech equipment that sucked (I'm looking at you Transformers 2!) .

So it was that I began the first Demon Hunters film... and then fell asleep. So I started it again... and fell asleep again. The third time was the charm however and I finally made it through the film.

Where to begin?

Let's start with a plot synopsis. The film is set at Pacific Northwest University where Chris (Played by Steve Wolbrecht), a humble and ordinary accounting major, attends school. Little do Chris and the other students of the University know that below the school's library an ancient Demon sleeps a vile demon, Duamerthrax the Indestructible. One Thousand Years has passed since Duamerthrax was imprisoned, and the demon is freed to maim and spread discord at Pacific Northwest. The only thing stopping the Demon from breaking totally free of his bonds and going off into an unsuspecting world is Chris, and a band of Demon Hunters from the Brotherhood of the Celestial Torch. The Brotherhood chapter is led by Gabriel (Played by Nathan Rice). Together the Demon Hunters and Chris battle the Demon and try to destroy him once and for all.

This movie was made on no budget by college kids who catered to the only audience they ever expected, other members of their University. I can't say how well the inside jokes held up to their target audience, not having attended Pacific Northwest University where the movie was set and filmed. But like most inside jokes, they just aren't very entertaining to those on the outside.

It is for these reasons that the movie falls flat, and why it was hard for me to make it through it. The sets, actors, and what you might be able to call special effects are not up to snuff, even for a B rated flick you would pick up at the video store on a boring weekday night.

But in the midst of this sub par film you can see flashes of genius. True genius that just needs time to develop and room to grow. Matt Vancil's righting shows promise and some very witty comedy. Actor Nathan Rice who plays Gabriel shows raw talent and great comedic timing.

Though I regard Demon Hunters as a failure as a stand alone film it was the stepping stone necessary for Dead Gentlemen's later productions. Just as professional athletes take their lumps in lesser leagues before making their mark on the big stage, this movie was a necessary stepping stone for these filmmakers.

Overall Rating: 4/10 - Only true Dead Gentlemen fans should bother with this film