Where to watch Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight
1 1/2 Stars
Brayker is a man who carries the last of seven keys, special containers which held the blood of Christ and were scattered across the universe to prevent the forces of evil from taking over. If The Collector gets the last key, the universe will fall into Chaos, and he has been tracking Brayker all the way to a small inn in a nowhere town. And now the final battle for the universe begins……
The big-screen adaptation of HBO’s *Tales from the Crypt* is a disappointing experience. How can the show deliver quality short stories to viewers every week, yet produce a movie of inferior quality? Similar to the television format, the film begins and ends with an introduction and conclusion hosted by the Crypt Keeper. These moments are the best part of *Demon Knight*. The movie runs for 92 minutes, which feels quite long subjectively. Billy Zane is the only actor who delivers a compelling performance; his devilish character is both humorous and charming while also suggesting an otherworldly presence.
Demon Knight would have benefited from being structured as several short vignettes. The central story lacks the substance to sustain a feature-length runtime. The special effects are intentionally poor, and the art direction is as dull as the cinematography and direction. While William Sadler and Jada Pinkett Smith are talented actors, they are reduced to delivering stilted lines filled with overly dramatic exposition. *Demon Knight* had the potential to be quality entertainment that could have spawned a franchise; instead, it stands as one of the cinematic missteps of the 1990s.
Directed by: Ernest R. Dickerson
Written by: Ethan Reiff, Cyrus Voris, Mark Bishop
Starring: Billy Zane, William Sadler, Jada Pinkett Smith