Horror Extreme Movie Catalog
Shadow Builder [Region 2]
Theatrical Release Date: 1997
MPAA Rating: 
Studio: Unavailable
Editorial Review - Amazon.com
Father Vassey (Michael Rooker) has a problem. Using his two 9mm, laser-sighted cannons he's tracked down and killed the holders of a heretic ceremony meant to bring a demon into the world. Not just any demon, this one's raison d'etre is nothing less than uncreating creation. The problem is that Vassey is too late. The demon has manifested, escaped, and is now on the hunt for the soul of a young boy who is believed to be a saint, due to the stigmata he had at birth. The film is directed by Jamie Dixon, heretofore a special effects supervisor, who shows canny restraint where special effects are concerned. The shadowy demon of the title is depicted often by a fluid black cloud, which is functional without losing its eeriness or credibility. The acting is solid, never campy, though Michael Rooker sometimes feels out of place. And the climactic scenes, built up to with good pacing, are fraught with peril and excitement. All in all, this is a worthwhile effort for a first-time director, and that makes it one of the best direct-to-video releases I've seen in quite a long time. Although I wish I could locate the Bram Stoker story on which it is based. --Jim Gay
It Stars Michael Hooker - that says it all.
A Customer Review by Kevin Moore
Bad effects and storyline. Liked some of the characters including the female vet. Why is it that all professional women, not doctors or lawyers, are vets? Tony Todd has a fun but minor role in the movie. Different from many of the roles he has. Rent it cheaply. Don't buy.
Disappointing In-Name-Only Bram Stoker Adaptation
A Customer Review by Tsuyoshi
"Shadow Builder" starts with a typical situation involving a religious cult sect and their secret ritual to summon a demon. Gun-wielding "Father" Vassey (Michael Rooker) attempts to stop them, but fails, and the summoned demon seeks the soul of a boy named Chris (Kevin Zegers) living in a small town where the evil begins to wreck havoc on unsuspecting townspeople.
The film is loosely based on Bram Stoker's little-known short story of the same name (included in his book "Under the Sunset," Stoker's earlier work published in 1881). It is a kind of allegorical fantasy, not a tale of horror. The filmmakers are clearly trying to cash in on the name of the author of "Dracula," and most of the film's content has nothing to do with the original.
Actually "Shadow Builder" borrows a lot from other films of the same genre - the evil hiding in the dark, the evil entity getting stronger and the good guys using light as weapon to fight, etc - but borrowing is not always a bad thing. The problem of "Shadow Builder" is it is neither scary as horror, nor exiting as thriller. The story develops too slowly and each scare or action is rather tame. Effects are decent, but the story fails to maintain interest in the middle of the film.
Strong acting from underrated Michael Rooker and special appearance from Tony Todd is not enough for us to keep interested in the film, Its flat storytelling has ruined the potential of the material of the film, which could have been as entertaining as such so-so films as "End of Days."
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Shadow Builder [Region 2]: Related Movies
DVD Release Date: 2000
MPAA Rating: 