This will be a pretty long review, so skip to the end for the TL;DR. I will also spoil the shit out of this movie. That being said, here’s my thoughts.
I’ll start with the atmosphere and technical aspects of the film. The camera they shot with really emphasized the gritty details of the film, and the directing is strong. There’s some very beautiful shots in this movie, and the editing is also good. The atmosphere is southern gothic, and took me back to my grand parents’ farm house in southern Virginia, which was also corrupt and Christian, coincidentally. The gospel soundtrack hasn’t been talked about much, which is a shame, because it aids the tone of the film greatly.
This movie was a rough watch at times. It does not shy away from its dark themes, and can be very raw and visceral at points. This movie goes from zero to a hundred quick and does not let off the gas until the very end. As a result, it’s tense and had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. Be careful while watching if you have a hard time with sexual assault, gun violence, suicide, and blood.
The best part about this film is the acting. Everyone did a fantastic job, with the standout performance being Tom Holland. He brings a lot of nuance to the character of Arvin Russell, and manages to be a likable and sympathetic character even when he’s making choices of questionable morality. Some reviews said Robert Pattinson was too silly, but I personally found him quite creepy and unsettling, which was the intended effect. Bill Skarsgård was not in the film for very long, but he gave a very memorable performance as Willard Russell and really nailed the look of a tormented veteran.
The themes of the movie were also interesting. The corruption of Christianity, especially in the American south, was a prominent one. Characters used their beliefs as a shield and excuse for their terrible actions, such as Willard crucifying his dog in a twisted attempt to save his dying wife. Generational trauma is also explored, best seen in how Willard passes along the ideals of bloody revenge and retribution to Arvin, who makes good on those ideals in the second half of the film. When someone wrongs him, he swings back five times as hard. It’s ultimately up to the audience to decide whether Arvin is in the right for his actions or not.
The film isn’t perfect. The long run time can drag at certain points, and some storylines could be cleaned up to be a little faster. The narration can feel unneeded at certain points, although I did like it at the end of the film. The story does not follow a traditional three act structure, which can be confusing at first, but is not too bad once you get used to it. The movie also does not treat its women characters very well, with most of them being a bit weak at best and getting fridged at worst.
TL;DR The Devil All The Time is not for everyone. It’s an artistic film with a lot of strong characters and themes, but isn’t flawless. If you like these kinds of dark stories, check this out. I give this film an 8/10.
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