THE DEMON DETECTIVE (2025)

3 stars

Miracle Media. Digital. 17th August

The film establishes early on that our lead character, one Miles Mako (Dustyn Gulledge), is a kind of demon hunter (sadly, despite the title, he’s not a gumshoe that is also a denizen of the devil). Whilst at a bar, he manages to capture a demonic presence in his hip flask. Handy.

He meets up with Pin (Eugene Young), his partner in ghostbusting, to be shown an apartment which they can use as a base to work from? Miles ‘feels’ the place out. It’s energy. Better than getting a survey done. Our titular detective can see ghosts wherever he goes.

They get a new case – Clara (Dani J. Scott) lives building where strange things are happening – especially in the underground garage where she parks her car.

Clara goes to meet Pin and Miles. They suggest the poltergeist activity can be brought on by stress but then she mentions Uzgaroth – which seems to peek Mako’s interest (though he claims he doesn’t recognise the name).

The duo also visit a church school where a demon manifests and they have to fight it. Outside Miles is approached by Brennan Bron (Matthew Rasku), along with his sidekicks Simon. They do the Last Gateway – a show about the paranormal which they want to feature Miles in. Of course he turns them down.

Before long all these disparate threads start to come together – and eventually Uzgaroth turns up (in the shape of Doug Jones, actually looking like Doug Jones for a change).

The acting here is better than most low budget productions and this has ambition, even the effects on show are a touch naff. The script by director T.C. De Witt is on the talky side and the whole thing is fine if derivative.

Steve Kirkham