The Dooms Chapel Horror – Review
By Lynn Sorel
Rating: 7 out of 10
Synopsis: Blamed for the death of his celebrated older brother, young Kyle Cole is tormented by members of the community. Kyle’s parents, succumbing to their grief, abruptly send Kyle away to be raised by distant relatives. Now Kyle is a young man on the verge of graduating from college. He is joined by his girlfriend Mandy, and Tanner, a young documentary filmmaker, as he travels back to Kaler Mills to make peace with his mother and father. A mysterious man, Jordan, that Kyle crossed paths with before leaving, has also been waiting for his return. Jordan plans to fulfill an evil pact, and to finish the ritual with Kyle, whether he wants to or not.
Our Thoughts: The Dooms Chapel Horror is an original, unpredictable, genre-blending film that will pleasantly surprise horror fans.
The story begins with the horrific death of Kyle’s brother, which is subsequently filmed by Kyle. He is sent away to be raised by relatives, returning only after several years have passed. Upon returning, he runs into several townspeople who still have a problem with him. After a confrontation at a bar, Kyle, his friends, and the group of townspeople attacking Kyle, heard a horrifying, inhuman sound. Soon after, those townspeople are found dead, with their bodies mangled in horrifying ways.
There is clearly more going on than what Kyle has told his friends, who are helping make the documentary. The creepy Dooms Chapel leader Jordan talks of a “request” that he made of him years ago. He also shares the same mysterious scar with Jordan. Before long, many people are dead and chaos is consuming the town. The last 15 minutes or so were pure, gore-packed fun. The ending took me by surprise. It was unexpected and perfect for the story.
The film has a unique blending of genres, which include found footage, creature feature, and sort of cult/satanic genres. It has a kind of Children of the Corn mixed with The Sacrament kind of vibe, along with some Pumpkinhead. The practical effects and gore are done very well. With such a low budget, the creature can’t be expected to be top of the line CG. However, it is effective enough for some intense scenes that keep you on the edge of your seat.
Bill Oberst Jr. gives a standout performance as Jordan. Joshua Mark Robinson is excellent as the crazy Samuel. Austin Madding also gives a great performance as the forgiveness seeking Kyle. The Dooms Chapel Horror is worth a watch for any horror fan.
