“My name is Legion, for we are many.”, is probably one of the best-known lines from the bible. And that demonic declaration provides a fitting title for the anthology film For We Are Many. It consists of segments from thirteen directors All concern some form of demon and are linked together by a wraparound segment by Lawrie Brewster (The Black Gloves, The Devil’s Machine) featuring Satan and a book of demonic woodcuts.
Frequent readers know I’m not a fan of anthologies with this many segments. I tend to go for ones with four or five more developed stories. However For We Are Many has an interesting mix of talented crew members getting a shot at directing, veteran directors of short films and a couple of feature directors. A mix like that deserved to be checked out.
The stories are a varied bunch. Ranging from vignettes that only last a couple of minutes up to ten or so minutes. And from the highly stylized to found footage. There is pretty much something for every taste in For We Are Many. And surprisingly there are no real duds among them either. Most anthologies have at least one segment that you wonder why it’s there, and when there are this many segments there are often two or three.
Of course, some stories are better than others. I was pleased to see something new from Mitch Wilson. “Eli’s House” is the first thing he’s done since the underrated demonic bloodbath Knucklebones a few years ago. And it’s full of the same blood and twisted humour.
“Intervention” from Paddy Murphy (The Perished) is one of a couple of segments that involve live streams and/or YouTube. Here an intervention/exorcism goes horribly off the rails. Some obvious CGI blood takes the edge off some well-done deaths though.
Brad Watson (Beacon 77) gives us “Night Train” a wonderfully stylish segment that starts off as what looks like a World War 2 spy tale then turns into something very different.
“The Creek” is one of several that work as simple monster stories. But Keith Robson, who also plays the creature in this and several other segments, gives his directorial debut an extra dose of energy. And a particularly nasty-looking creature.
Then the wraparound ends For We Are Many with an appearance by a creature from folklore that I don’t think I’ve seen in a film before.
To add to the fun there are a few familiar faces within the stories. Watch for Eileen Dietz (100 Acres of Hell, Itsy Bitsy), Laurence R. Harvey (The Human Centipede III (Final Sequence), BFF Girls, House of Many Sorrows), Tom Zembrod (High Moon, Silhouette) and Nicholas Vince (Hellraiser, Book of Monsters) among others.
Freestyle Digital Media will release For We Are Many on DVD and North American VOD Platforms on May 29th.