A single-take horror film from director Adam O’Brien, Bury the Devil is a bold cross between demonic possession and home invasion movie. Caught in the middle of this unholy blend is hospice nurse Julia (Emanuelle Lussier Martinez), whose cosy night in with an elderly dementia patient (Dawn Ford) takes an unexpected turn when a set of late night visitors arrive on their doorstep, late at night. What follows is somewhere at the demented intersection of Evil Dead and Mother! as Julia finds herself facing a desperate battle to survive the night.
Where many single-take films can feel exhausting, Bury the Devil feels surprisingly smooth. It’s a rollercoaster, to be sure, but one with well-oiled tracks. Indeed, it’s so coherent and efficient that one tends to forget about the storytelling device, giving a fully immersive experience which puts the viewer right there in Julia’s shoes. Its 86-minute runtime flies by, throwing the poor nurse into the thick of the action without wasting much time. It reaches boiling point quickly, and doesn’t let up from there. Along with director O’Brien (who previously helmed 2024 FrightFest darling Mom), co-writers Brad Hodson and Philip Kalin-Hajdu stir the pot with a firm hand. Martinez does great work as unlucky nurse Julia, ably taking everything thrown in her stride. She’s up against Ford as her patient, who turns on a dime from vulnerable, confused all the way through to utterly terrifying.
The first in a planned trilogy, Bury the Devil does a great job of setting up its fascinating mythology, cleverly teasing the planned prequel and sequel films. It more than stands on its own two feet as it is though – an unforgettable one-take horror film which never feels at risk of coming off the tracks, in spite of its many moving parts.
BURY THE DEVIL premiered at FrightFest Glasgow on March 6, 2026.
