Campy But Cool Supernatural Thrillerby Flick-Critic

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July 31, 2009: "Necessary Evil" is a somewhat campy but interesting supernatural thriller. The inimitable Lance Henriksen is the main attraction. He not only plays a lead as the sinister Dr. Fibrian, who is intent upon keeping the secrets held tightly under wraps at the aging Edgewater Psychiatric Institute, but he also narrates part of the movie. (This feature alone is worth taking this DVD for a spin!) Henriksen is in top form in this film. Not only will all hardcore Henriksen fans will appreciate his onscreen work here, but he will no doubt increase his following via this role. He takes the line "I'll huff and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house down" to a whole new level! Danny Trejo also stars in the film as a thug named Barro, who is a part-time beastkeeper. I always enjoy Trejo in parts big and small. He lends authenticity to whatever he does and has an amazing screen presence. The burly Gary Hudson is convincing as a narcissistic and delusional mental hospital administrator-turned-addict. Newcomers Kathryn Fiore and Eric Feldman are also enjoyable to watch. Fiore as a young reporter trying to unravel her mysterious past, and Feldman as an investigator who puts his life on the line to get answers to his dangerous quest. The screenplay references the Nephilim, the legendary offspring of demons and women, and points to even darker depths of evil as being the origin of the monster. "Necessary Evil" also pays homage to "The X-Files" with the overall look and tone of the feature. And a few well-placed comedic moments served as a nice break from the general tension of the story. I also enjoyed the psychedelic drug-induced trip taken by Fiore's character, Deborah Fielding, as she is interrogated at the facility. A "Rosemary's Baby" moment and a frightening clown are also cool surprises. The movie also presents a Manchurian candidate type of plot device with a young woman who is made to commit a horrible crime while under the control of others with ugly intentions. I appreciate the effort made by the director and writers to tell a smart story within the horror genre. Far too many of these films are merely slasher flicks with no redeeming value, and that offend the intelligence of most. You might be surprised at how "Necessary Evil" engages your psyche while delivering the right amount of suspenseful twists and turns.