Starring: Cassie Hamilton, Zarif and Chris Asimos
Directed by: Alice Maio Mackay
Rated: NR
Running Time: 81 minutes
Dark Star Pictures
Our Score: 3 out of 5 Stars
On one hand, “Satranic Panic” is a film featuring heaping doses of drag shows, demons and dismemberment. What more could you honestly ask for in an LGBTQ+ horror film? On the other hand, the film does something you wouldn’t expect in between scenes of blood and viscera, it makes you want to have a drink or a smoke with its characters while lending an ear as they discuss what’s on their world weary shoulders.
Aria (Cassie Hamilton) rules the stage, belting out mesmerizing songs that may or may not serve as plot points. Off stage, she misses Max (Sebastien Grech), the boyfriend of her best friend, Jay (Zarif). They casually recount, which helps set up the bizarre and sometimes comedic tone of the film, how Jay was murdered by Satanists, or at the very least, a group of people who enjoy demonic looking cult attire. During the discussion backstage, they’re attacked by a well-dress hillbilly man who shapeshifts into a demon. The encounter has convinced Aira and Jay that it’s finally time to find Max’s killers and get revenge, especially since Aria has demon sensing abilities, thanks to an estrogen shot.
While the plot comes off as chaotic, it’s never confusing. Instead of bogging the viewer down in more otherworldly details, it manages to take the cast from one adventurous excursion to another, while unveiling more about the emotional baggage and turmoil each character brings with them on the trip. Of course, the film has a villain and there is a connection between the cult who killed Max and the random appearances of demons. The villain represents what you can pretty much you can piece together from the title and cast of predominantly queer, nonbinary and trans individuals.
This was one of the many films I was unable to catch at 2024’s Panic Fest, which is a shame because this is the kind of film that works best with a crowd. While the laughs would be hearty, the attention to emotional reveals would be palpable by the hundreds of glued eyeballs on the screen. “Satranic Panic” has a bit of a Troma charm to it, which means it’s far from being a mainstream film and will be adored by horror fans. Generally speaking, horror has been a safe haven for the outcasts of society. Seeing the trans community swipe back at Christian nationalists who believe someone’s sexuality is the downfall of society, wouldn’t quite resonate as much as it does outside the horror fanbase and LGBTQ+ community.
Despite “Satranic Panic” being her fourth film, there’s this likable first-time indie vibe that permeates throughout director/writer Alice Maio Mackay’s work. It’s surprising because the vibe radiates underneath the cheeky and emotional confidence of its cast (with major props to Hamilton and Chris Asimos), its gloomy neon glow and ludicrous plot that makes us feel genuine connections to our characters on their chaotic road trip. While the movie sometimes fails to balance its cheese and seriousness, especially with it’s underlying themes, “Satranic Panic” is still an entertaining embodiment of gory cinematic passion.
