A Damned Shame
Ghoulie Guru | 06/26/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)
"This movie seemed like it was going to be better than it ended up being. The cinematography is good, the acting seemed solid, the dialogue wasn't too stiff... but then about twenty minutes in there's this long scene with a Doctor who you know is actually a patient at the asylum pretending to be a Doctor - and it just goes south from there.
On top of that, the demon is about the silliest looking hellspawn since the Godzilla-looking thing in Curse of the Demon. There's also some odd demon worshippers who wear masks that look like the exploding teens from the beginning of Logan's Run.
In the end, the cinematography couldn't save this movie. Despite some pretty solid performances by the actors, the story just doesn't go anywhere. I think "Hellbored" would have been a better title for this.
"
SETTING CANNOT SAVE IT FROM BAD ACTING
Tim Janson | Michigan | 02/28/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"When it comes right down to it, there's nothing much more creepy than an old mental hospital and Asylum of the Damned does a wonderful job of providing a set with a real sense of horror and forboding, but once you get past that you have a film with a rather weak plot and weaker performances and a stupid looking monster to boot.
Matt Stasi is James Bishop, a resident psychologist who begins a new job at the St. Andrews mental hospital. He soon learns that residents are being killed and learns of some evil creature called "The harvester" who steals their souls for the devil. James tries to uncover the evil but then has to deal with his idiotic girlfriend showing up to make matters that much worse.
The creatures is stupid looking and looks like one of those old Paul Blaisdell creature designs from the 1950's. Cheap and not scary in the least. The fact that the film co-stars Tracy Scoggins and Tiny Lister should tell you everything you need to know about the acting performances...especially when Tiny Lister is the best actor...
A movie that looks good and had good atmosphere but done in by bad acting and weak plot."