There are a few different contexts in which the devil shows up in pop culture. One, which as of late seems to have been forgotten by the movie industry, is in the Louisiana Voodoo context in which Satan has a southern drawl and is surrounded by acts of sacrifice, hexes and shrines with animal bones etc. Angel Heart, a Robert De Niro classic, capitalizes on this sort of Satanic representation and does so with a noirish approach following a private detective played by Mickey Rourke. Rourke is initially sent to investigate a debt long overdue, but in time realizes what he's chasing is his own identity guided by none other than the dark lord himself.
I'll admit that the voodoo approach rarely instills the feeling of horror i crave from a satanic premise, but horror wasn't the focus of Angel Heart. I never felt the feeling of loss that horror movies take advantage of because we were always under the watchful protection of Rourke's charming character. The way he interacted with people, and the way he went about his investigation was comforting, giving us the sense that he was always in control. This feeling of trust was reinforced in every aspect of the storyline until the ultimate conflict, which was simply the question of whether his actions were of his own choosing or at the will of Satan.
Highly recommended for those who appreciate darkness.
4/5
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