🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: John Erick Dowdle
- Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Supernatural
- Release year: 2010
- Runtime (length): 1h 20min
- IMDb rating: 6.3/10 (162K votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: 50%
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
Five strangers are trapped in an elevator, and the Devil is one of them, trying to collect souls while Detective Bowden has to confront his past guilt to solve the case.
🍿 Devil: Detailed Plot Synopsis
A Suicide and Strangers in an Elevator
In Philadelphia, Detective Bowden, haunted by the deaths of his wife and child in a hit-and-run, investigates a suicide where a man jumps from a skyscraper. Simultaneously, five strangers enter an elevator in the same building: a security guard, an old woman, a young woman, a mechanic, and a mattress salesman. The elevator becomes stuck between floors, and tensions quickly rise among the occupants.

Supernatural Events Escalate
Strange occurrences begin as the lights flicker and one of the passengers is mysteriously wounded. The building’s security team, observing the elevator through CCTV, grows increasingly concerned. One guard, Ramirez, a devoutly religious man, believes that the Devil is present in the elevator. As the lights go out repeatedly, the passengers begin to die one by one, each death more gruesome than the last.

Detective Bowden’s Investigation
Detective Bowden, initially skeptical, starts to believe Ramirez’s theory as the events become increasingly unexplainable. He works to identify the passengers and uncover their pasts, revealing that each has committed serious transgressions. Bowden races against time to save the remaining passengers, realizing that he’s dealing with something far beyond human comprehension.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Detective Bowden (Chris Messina): A grieving detective investigating the elevator incident, haunted by the hit-and-run death of his family.
- Tony Janekowski (Logan Marshall-Green): A former mechanic trapped in the elevator, burdened by a dark secret from his past.
- Old Woman (Jenny O’Hara): A seemingly harmless elderly woman who is revealed to be the Devil in disguise.
- Ramirez (Jacob Vargas): A religious security guard who believes the Devil is present in the elevator.
- Sarah Caraway (Bojana Novakovic): The wealthy wife of the building owner trapped in the elevator with hidden secrets.
- Vince McCormick (Geoffrey Arend): A cocky and sarcastic mattress salesman with a con artist side.
- Ben Larson (Bokeem Woodbine): A temporary security guard with a violent past, stuck in the elevator.
💬 Memorable Quotes
- Ramirez: “When the devil is near, everything goes wrong. Toast lands jelly-side down.” – Ramirez explains his belief that the Devil is present when things inexplicably go wrong.
- Ramirez: “The Devil. He likes to play with us. He likes to make us suffer.” – Ramirez describes the Devil’s motive and methods of torment.
- Detective Bowden: “There’s no such thing as the Devil.” – Bowden states his disbelief in the supernatural, representing a skeptical viewpoint.
- Tony: “I’m so sorry.” – Tony says this upon confessing his hit-and-run crime that killed Bowden’s family.
- Ramirez: “If the Devil is real, then God must be real, too.” – The movie’s final line, offering a comforting thought after the terrifying events.
💰Box Office
- Budget: $10,000,000
- Domestic Gross: $33,601,190
- Worldwide Gross: $62,695,489
💥 Devil Reviews
Personal Review
I was pleasantly surprised by Devil! The movie kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly guessing who the Devil was. The elevator setting created such a claustrophobic and tense atmosphere. The religious themes were a bit on the nose, but I still enjoyed the overall suspenseful ride. The ending was a bit rushed, but the twist was clever enough to make it worth watching. I especially liked Chris Messina’s performance as Detective Bowden – he brought a depth to the character that made him relatable despite the crazy circumstances.
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of supernatural horror and thriller movies.”
- “Viewers who enjoy contained thrillers with a mystery element.”
- “Those interested in films exploring themes of guilt, redemption, and faith.”
- “Fans of M. Night Shyamalan’s earlier works.”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Violence and gore.”
- “Intense scenes of suspense and terror.”
- “Religious themes that may be sensitive to some viewers.”
- “Brief jump scares.”
Professional Reviews
- Rotten Tomatoes: “Devil delivers a taut, claustrophobic thriller experience, even if the twist isn’t as shocking as it aims to be. Solid performances and a well-crafted script make it a worthwhile watch.
- IGN: “Devil provides a refreshing take on the supernatural horror genre with its contained setting and suspenseful plot. The film offers enough thrills and chills to satisfy horror fans.
Audience Reactions
The suspenseful atmosphere and the mystery of identifying the Devil kept viewers hooked.: Many viewers appreciated the film’s suspense, twist ending, and clever use of the confined elevator setting.
Viewers found the film to be a solid thriller with a creepy atmosphere that kept them guessing.: The suspenseful atmosphere and the mystery of identifying the Devil kept viewers hooked.
Overall Consensus: Devil is a suspenseful thriller that delivers on its premise, offering a unique and claustrophobic horror experience with an engaging mystery and a decent twist, despite some predictable moments.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “The film was initially conceived as the first in a series of supernatural thrillers called ‘The Night Chronicles’, conceived by M. Night Shyamalan.”
- “The movie’s opening shot features Philadelphia upside down, meant to disorient the audience and symbolize a world turned upside down by evil.”
- “Despite M. Night Shyamalan’s name being heavily associated with the film, he only wrote the story; the screenplay was penned by Brian Nelson and directed by the Dowdle brothers.”
🖥️ How to Watch Devil?
Devil is available to rent or purchase on various platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your preferred streaming service for current availability and pricing. You may also find it available for purchase on physical media like DVD and Blu-ray through online retailers such as Amazon or at local stores.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed Devil, you might like these similar films:
- Identity (2003): A group of strangers trapped in a confined location are killed off one by one, with a twist that reveals a deeper connection between them.
- The Mist (2007): Explores themes of paranoia and how people turn on each other when trapped in a confined space, facing an unknown evil.
- Cube (1997): Strangers trapped in a deadly, confined space, forced to figure out how to survive, creating a claustrophobic and suspenseful atmosphere.
- 1408 (2007): A supernatural thriller focused on one person trapped in a confined location (a hotel room) and tormented by evil forces.
- And Then There Were None (1945): A group of strangers is lured to an isolated location and systematically murdered, creating a mystery of who is the killer.
🛒 Devil Related Products
- Devil (Blu-ray): Own the suspenseful thriller on Blu-ray, featuring behind-the-scenes content and extended scenes for a deeper dive into the movie’s creation.
- Devil: The Night Chronicles: Dive deeper into the world of the Night Chronicles with a digital collection of stories and concept art, exploring the themes and characters introduced in the movie.
- Devil Movie Poster: Own a high-quality print of the Devil movie poster, perfect for framing and displaying your love for the film. Available in various sizes.
- Elevator Escape Game: An immersive escape room-style board game where you and your friends must solve puzzles and escape a haunted elevator. Inspired by the claustrophobic setting of ‘Devil’.
🎧 Soundtrack
Devil features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
Yes, Devil is the first film in M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Night Chronicles” series, intended to explore supernatural occurrences in urban settings. However, subsequent films in the series have not been produced.
The Devil is disguised as the old woman in the elevator. Her true identity is only revealed towards the end of the movie.
The film explores themes of guilt, sin, forgiveness, and redemption. It suggests that confessing and repenting for one’s sins can thwart even the Devil’s plans.
🔥 Bonus Content
The Devil Inside movie review
Hey, you gotta check out Jeremy Jahns’ review of ‘The Devil Inside.’ He gives an honest opinion on the movie, dissecting its strengths and weaknesses. You might agree or disagree with him, but it’s definitely worth a watch!
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