Very well executed

I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

This movie was doomed from the first frame. The director and producer(s) should get jobs bagging groceries-they'd be a better service to the public! Don't mean to be cruel, but in a largely Christian nation it's common knowledge that NO AMOUNT of "human effort", (even "blood sacrifice") can be used to fight beings and/or powers from hell. Also, when a demon is told to do something (like leave one's child "in Jesus' Name"), it CANNOT resist, and blithely do what IT wants to do, period, end of story! (James 4:7) Therefore, I scored this movie a 1/10, because when I watch a movie that has any kind of "religious format" to it (no matter what religion is portrayed; Christianity or other), I expect there to be ACCURACY in the portrayal of that religion's format. Otherwise, the whole movie is laughable at best, and nauseating at worst. This one was both, IMHO. "Hollyweird" doing what "Hollyweird" does best: completely ruining what could have been an at least "entertaining" movie. So don't waste your time. Having seen this one once, it's one you can bet I'll NEVER see again!

Okay, I realize this movie isn't the best ever made or anything, but I really don't understand all the negative reviews. Just don't watch it with too many expectations. If you want an action packed thriller, you're gonna be disappointed. If you want a bloody slasher, you're going to be disappointed. If you want edge-of-your-seat suspense, shocking jump scares, and a stellar plot line, you're gonna be disappointed. If you just want to watch a fun horror flick with a decent story line, moderately scary scenes, and an overall suspenseful feel, you'll probably like this one. I agree, this movie definitely starts slow. But if you give yourself a chance to get into the mood, watch clear to the end, and enjoy it for what it is, it's really not bad. Like I said, just enjoy it for what it is, and you probably won't be too disappointed.

In the small town of Stull, Kansas, a young pastor and his devout family come face-to-face with possible evil. Pastor Dan and his wife Wendy thought Stull was the perfect place to raise their teenage daughter, and her younger sister. Shortly after arriving in town, however, the family realise Stull sits atop one of the Seven Gates of Hell, and that the townspeople are determined to herald in a new age of darkness.......Although it may seem on first impression that this is trying to hark back to weird, Gothic horror from the eighties with religious overtones, it's not, it's blatantly ripping off some of the lower budget, lesser seen movies from that era.Most notable references are Children Of The Corn, and Deadly Blessing, two films where the townsfolk are not what they would seem. Go a little deeper, and you could also defence Salem's Lot, and even Lair Of The White Worm.With all these homages, it's pretty difficult to have an original idea, and thanks to a really bloated, slow second act, you really begin to lose interest. It's as if the makers have the set up, and the finale, but spend the middle on a red herring romance, and lots of Basil Expositon.But, even though again it's not original, the last act is pretty shocking, and almost makes up for the second act. The last act is sort of an amalgamation of the ending of Halloween, and strangely, the monster from the Moomins, when everyone had to stay inside.Its a pretty sadistic third act, and it pulls no punches. The final scene is clever, but by the time you get there, you are more relieved knowing that the film is ending.So it's not bad, it's just unoriginal, and leaves too many plot holes.

Heche, the once promising actress whom I enjoyed very much in several films, was sent to the gates of hell -- this film (and that's what this film is about). This may be the worst film I ever watched all the way through. Kinda makes you yearn for the good old days when nitrate films slowly disintegrated and became lost to history.Anne Heche is pretty much irrelevant to the film, other than that there has to be a mother (karma exists...she and several other family members die before the film is over). James Tupper is satisfactory as the father/minister, but perhaps he is better suited for soap operas than the big screen. Ethan Peck is a handsome young actor, but -- at least in this film -- seems pretty bland. Rebekah Brandes, as one of the daughters, may have some potential. Matty B...oh please. Jennifer Stone gets another "okay" as the daughter/victim. Clancy Brown is quite good as the departing pastor.The story is another of the never-ending horror stories about a young woman being sacrificed to hell. But this one is different -- it's really lousy. The first half of the film is totally boring, which the director apparently mistook for building suspense; there was no suspense in the first half of the film. In terms of being a director, Anthony Leonardi III is not ready to leave the art department, where he has spent most of his career. In the "Los Angeles Times" review of this film it was written that "director Anthony Leonardi III and writer Jonathan Mills have let not one scary moment on screen" and that actors Heche and Tupper should write apology notes to their fans." Truer words were never spoke.I like horror films, but I'm so glad I didn't waste money to see this one at the theater. And my suggestion to you is that you not spend your time watching this on cable.I'll tell you what I thought while watching this -- didn't anyone notice how badly things were going???