This Psycho-thriller Shows Girl Power in Full, Bloody Effect

By Margaret Alvarado

We Summon the Darkness (2019) is a psycho-thriller film that takes place in 1988. The film starts with three heavy metal chicks on a road trip to a heavy metal concert. We have Alexis (Alexandra Daddario), the leader with an arrogant attitude and devilish trinkets, Val (Maddie Hasson), a blonde dark wild child, and Bev (Amy Forsyth), the quiet one who is new to the group.

While on the country highway, the girls stop at a roadside convenience store to stockpile snacks, and on the TV, a Pastor, John Henry (Johnny Knoxville), is seen denouncing the evils of heavy metal. Talk about stereotyping. Alexis and Bev pick up a newspaper with the headline “Teens Slain in Newest Satanic Killing!” While reading the newspaper, Alexis states that, “This is supposed to scare other people, not us.” What is that supposed to mean?

We Summon the Darkness is one of those films that make the viewers wonder who the killers are. The killers are still at large, conducting killing sprees. We are left to wonder if the three girls are the ones who encounter the killers during their road trip.

Furthermore, we follow the girls back on the highway that seems to be in the middle of nowhere. As they are driving, a vehicle passes them and throws a milkshake at their windshield. The girls pull over and curse at the assailants. After that, the girls once again start back on the road.

Finally, the girls arrive at the Soldiers of Satan heavy metal concert. By coincidence, they run into the three metal guys who threw the milkshake at their windshield. The girls confront them and go from being mad about the situation to frisky. We identify the guys as Ivan (Austin Swift), Kovacs (Logan Miller), and Mark (Keean Johnson).

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After introducing one another, the girls spot a satanic book in the van (creepy if you ask me). On the other hand, the book didn’t cause any stir. However, the guys started talking about the satanic killings and seemed to know approximately how many people are dead. This part made me suspicious about these guys like they are the killers!

Anyways, they finish up their meet and greet and head into the concert. During this time, we can see how satanic the heavy metal band is. The band has satanic lyrics, satanic symbols everywhere; everything is satanic, and it makes you wonder why is this even a thing? But, that the 80s for you.

Furthermore, the concert ends, and the six of them head to Alexis’ dad’s country estate to do some hardcore partying. At this point, I’m thinking, why are these girls hanging out with these guys who they just met and threw a milkshake at their windshield? Anyhow, the house is this manor in what looks like the middle of the forest.

They decide to take their party outside into the backyard and play the Never Have I Ever game. While playing Never Have I Ever, secrets are told. It turns out that the actual killers are, surprise, the girls. Remember the satanic heavy metal worshiper hater Pastor John Henry? Yes, that is Alexis’ dad. I don’t know what type of Pastor he is, but he is not the good kind. Pastor John Henry uses Alexis to gather heavy metal devotees and kill them. However, Pastor John Henry’s true motive is money.

The killings in We Summon the Darkness are brutal; there is an abundant amount of blood. It’s a matter of life or death, who to trust and who not to trust. Many suspenseful peaks will make you anticipate the next act. The film is full of Christian hypocrisy that gets intense. We Summon the Darkness is a non-elevated horror film taking place in the ’80s that has metal head killers and a bloody booby-trapped house.