Lilith probably should have gone with a different title. Name dropping one of the most well known and symbolic demons puts a lot of pressure on a movie. It either has to have a strong message about feminine power or have an awesome demon. College student Jenna Collins (Nell Kessler) catches her boyfriend of five years Brad (Michael Finnigan) cheating on her. Even worse, it is on the date of their anniversary. With some coercing from her friend Emma (Robin Carolyn Parent), she decides to summon the titular demon (Savannah Whitten) to get revenge.
It is not the worst set up for a movie. Plenty of horror tales are based around someone conjuring a demon they soon discover they have no control over. It makes Lilith easier to get in to, but it also points out its flaws. B horror movies are an incredibly popular sub genre. This is partially due to the fact that as cheesy as they may be, they are willing to take risks. They may not be the most artistic or groundbreaking, but they certainly are creative. Lilith lacks this spirit.
While the movie never gets completely awful, it is also very content to play things safe. It is telling that a film about a murdering sex demon has little in the way of gore and nudity. There are some blood soaked moments, but nothing will stand out. Whiten is great as Lilith (or Lily, as she prefers to be called). Her goth bombshell look is perfect for the character, but it is her personality that stands out. She is funny and charming. The downside is, the rest of the cast lacks the same natural charisma.
Lilith is a great idea on paper. the main issue is it follows the summoning gone wrong premise almost too rigidly. The tone is all over the place and the comedy is very hit and miss. The lead characters are dumb even by horror movie standards. (This is pointed out by Lilith in a scene that is either meant to be funny or shows a complete lack of self awareness.) There is fun to be found – mainly thanks to Whiten.
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