Bury the Devil (2026) Spoiler Free Review
There are horror movies where the concept immediately grabs your attention, and then there are movies where the filmmaking itself becomes the most interesting part. Bury the Devil falls into the second category.
Directed by Adam O’Brien, this 2026 supernatural horror film follows Julia, a hospice nurse working an overnight shift inside an old mansion while caring for a dementia patient named Evelyn. As the night progresses, Julia begins to suspect that something much more sinister is happening inside the house. Trapped with nowhere to turn, she finds herself confronting what appears to be an evil presence seeping through the home.
When nurse Julia finds herself trapped inside the home of her dementia patient, she begins to suspect things are not what they seem, something demonic is seeping through the cracks of this old home. Trapped and with nowhere to turn, Julia soon finds herself in battle to rid the house of this evil before it is too late.
Film synopsis
What makes Bury the Devil stand out technically is its ambitious filmmaking approach. The movie takes place “in real time” and is presented as a single continuous camera shot. The cinematography, camera movement, lighting, atmosphere, soundtrack, sound design, and practical effects all work extremely well together. The filmmaking creates an appropriately unsettling atmosphere, and the mansion is an excellent setting for this type of horror. The production does a great job using the location to build tension.
Unfortunately, the technical achievements couldn’t completely make up for the story itself. The biggest issue is that the plot feels very familiar. Supernatural horror is a genre with a long history, and Bury the Devil doesn’t necessarily bring somethig new to the table from a storytelling perspective. The premise had potential, particularly with the hospice setting and dementia storyline, but the movie doesn’t explore those ideas in a way that makes the story feel particularly fresh or memorable.
The pacing also works against the film. Because the movie unfolds in real time, the single-shot concept places even more importance on maintaining momentum and keeping the audience invested. There are moments where the story feels like it’s moving slower than it should, making the experience feel longer than its runtime.
The acting is also one of the weaker elements. Emmanuelle Lussier Martinez and Dawn Ford have a challenging task given the nature of the story and the continuous-shot format, but the performances didn’t always have the emotional impact needed to elevate the material.
But ultimately, the filmmaking is more interesting than the plot itself. There’s a lot of talent behind the camera, and the technical execution deserves recognition. The mansion setting, lighting, sound, cinematography, and one-shot approach create an impressive horror atmosphere. But when you look past the filmmaking gimmick, the story feels like something we’ve seen before, and the pacing and performances prevent it from becoming something truly memorable.
For fans of experimental filmmaking or single-take horror, Bury the Devil may be worth checking out for its technical accomplishments. But if you’re primarily looking for an original possession story with compelling characters and fresh storytelling, this one may leave you wanting more.
Bury the Devil is now available in select theaters and VOD