If this review of the 2015 French-Canadian film The Demons (Les Démons) makes you as uncomfortable as I am writing it, it’s achieved its goal.
The film is essentially a Coming-of-Age drama where the end represents a return to innocence with exceptions. Philippe Lesage (the Writer/Director of The Demons) takes us through some of the riskiest, immoral, and illegal territory known to man.
The Demons depicts stereotypical everyday activities that belong to the Canadian society our protagonist lives in but, right from the start, it’s evident that something is different. Days that could be boring are now imbued with an undercurrent of menace.
Ten-year-old Félix, played by Edouard Tremblay-Grenier, stands apart from his schoolmates and teachers in The Demons. His quiet, introspective nature—marked by a hesitant step or a watchful gaze—sets him apart. He is different and more of an observer than a participant in the clichéd life of others. Through his interpretation of events and others’ social interactions, Félix lives in fear, and his imagination creates unrealistic doom-and-gloom scenarios. The film takes a slow, observational approach, often isolating him in the frame to emphasize his perspective.
The cinematography is deliberate, with long, unhurried takes that emphasize Felix’s introspective nature. Silence plays a role, often replacing music to create a naturalistic, almost documentary-like atmosphere. This enhances the film’s realism, making small moments feel weighty and significant. So I followed with interest, trying to pick out hints about Felix’s character.
The film strategically foregrounds the children’s vulnerability, prompting our innate desire to nurture and protect. It then deftly subverts this instinct by exposing the dark exceptions to that impulse.
The Demons‘ ambiance is not subtle. Philippe Lesage explains that he took some risks instead of sanitizing the story, as many contemporary directors do. And yet, after investing some time watching the film and trying to analyze all of Felix’s character traits, the finale disappointed me. There is no clear resolution or transformation for Felix, making the ending feel frustrating and unsatisfying after all the time spent developing his psychological journey.
I like normally like art house cinema and character-driven dramas, but The Demons disappointed me. The film built up expectations only to abandon them, and the slow pacing was unjustified. Maybe the narrative tries to reflect the unpredictability and confusion of childhood—how fears come and go, how kids don’t always get clear answers, and how life moves forward even after disturbing events. But even if that’s the case – I will hesitate before recommending The Demons.
‘GOSTEI DO FILME PORQUE ME IDENTIFIQUEI BASTANTE COM ELE.QUANDO EU ERA ADOLESCENTE,MESMO CRIANÇA TAMBÉM,SOFRI MUITO,APANHEI NA RUA,NA ESCOLA.ERA DISCRIMINADO POR USAR ÓCULOS ,QUASE CEGO.ERA TÍMIDO.VIVIA LENDO GRIMM,1984,CONTOS DE MAUPASSANT,DOSTOIEVSKY,’O AMANTE DE LADY CHATERLEY’,…VIA FILMES DE BERGMAN,LOSEY(THE GO-BETWEEN),HITCHCOCK,FILMES DA HAMMER-DRÁCULA-CHRISTOPHER LEE,PETER CUSHING,…TRUFFAUT-VI QUASE TODOS.CINEMA E LITERATURA.TINHA CRISES DEPRESSIVAS,PENSAVA EM SUICÍDIO,PORQUE ERA DIFÍCIL NAMORAR.TENTAVA ALGUMAS MENINAS NA ESCOLA,MAS FRACASSAVA.O PIOR ERA SER MACHÃO,BATER,MACHUCAR MENINAS…TUDO ERA COMPLICADO.OS MAIORES DA ESCOLA SEMPRE ENCHIAM O SACO DOS MENORES.ATÉ MEU IRMÃO ZOMBAVA DE MIM.ELE ERA CHEIO DE MULHERES.EU NÃO SABIA NAMORAR.ERA UM DESASTRE.FOI UM CHOQUE SAIR DO PRIMÁRIO PARA O GINÁSIO,CURSO MÉDIO.SOFRI MUITO.’
I very much agree with the original reviewer and indeed wanted to thank him for bringing this film to my attention. I especially liked its use of “red herrings” which I thought consistently steered the movie away from stereotypes and kept us guessing right to the end.
The synopsis, the film`s poster and overall promotion materials painted a completely different picture – for what it already is. Additionally, French cinema has traditions in Coming-of-Age cinema. Yet when I finally watched the film I was extremely disappointed with its dull script and overall execution. The narrative is filled with clichés, the characters stereotyped – so the predictability level runs high. Its cinematography was OK – but none of the others elements that make a good film were present. As for my own rating: The Demons barely get a single star out of five.