The Wanderers: Quest of the Demon Hunter review: You know Van Helsing and Buffy, now acquaint yourself with the latest vampire slayer on the block.
The Wanderers: Quest of the Demon Hunter review by Kat Hughes.
The Wanderers: Quest of the Demon Hunter review
Set in modern day Romania, The Wanderers: Quest of the Demon Hunter follows famed ghost and demon hunter, Louis (Armand Assante), as he embarks on a new case. Convinced by Israeli journalist and friend Robert (Lior Ashkenazi), and joined by Korean reality television stars, Louis must unearth the deadly secrets of Zalesky Castle. As the investigation unfolds it soon becomes clear that there is a very evil secret lurking at its heart.
Armand Assante is great in the lead role. Equal parts Crocodile Dundee and Derek Acorah, Louis is an very interesting and charismatic character. He’s so intriguing in fact, that he really doesn’t need all the supporting entourage. The Korean couple in particular, feel unnecessary, their interaction with the main plot seems minimal and their inclusion just feels a little odd; it jars the narrative.
The Wanderers: Quest of the Demon Hunter review
Tonally, Wanderers is too jumbled to work coherently. The film skips from exaggerated comedy skits to bloody sombre moments and back again, with no chance for the viewer to get used to any one direction. It takes far too long for the viewer to get used to this constant switching, and by then many may have been lost. Were it to stick with just one – ideally the comedy – Wanderers would have a strange but entertaining What We Do in the Shadows vibe, instead there’s just a total tonal disconnect. There are some moments of brilliance buried within Wanderers, most notable is a sequence where a lone predatory female takes out a whole houseful of men over dinner. The scene is full of great effects and gore, the whole affair a bloodbath.
Strongest when playing to the funny bone, Wanderers would be so much better if it were to hone in on this area. The apparent lack of firm tone leaves a disconnect that will have many struggling to sit through.
The Wanderers: Quest of the Demon Hunter review by Kat Hughes, March 2018.
The Wanderers: Quest of the Demon Hunter was reviewed at the 2018 Horror Channel Frightfest event which formed part of the 2018 Glasgow Film Festival.
