The Song of Solomon is the latest entry in the American Guinea Pig film series and a film that I've been looking forward to for quite some time. I thought I knew what I was getting myself into with Stephen Biro's latest gorefest, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Yes, there are a vast amounts of glorious gore effects, but there's so much more at work in this film and it doesn't deserved to be labeled as just another mindless "torture porn" flick.
It's the end of days, famine and chaos are tearing the world apart. Mary witnesses the brutal suicide of her Father and demonic forces move in to claim her soul. The Catholic Church gets news of her possession and begins doing all they can to save her soul from the ravages of this satanic onslaught. Wave after wave of holy men are sent to confront the possessed Mary, but as they fail, you begin to wonder what the Holy Church's motives really are. I really don't want to spoil much more with this review, so I'll leave the summary at that.
I'll be rather honest, I'm not really a fan of possession films. I can't even think of one right now, outside of The Exorcist, that I truly enjoy. Good thing The Song of Solomon isn't your typical possession flick, it goes above and beyond to shock and provide a well-constructed story. I'll start with the acting, Jessica Cameron's portrayal of Mary is absolutely phenomenal, from the way she moves to the terrifying words that slither from her mouth, Cameron gives a performances that rivals Linda Blair's as Regan. Another stand-out performance is that of Gene Palubicki, who plays Father Corbin, a priest plagued by wartime trauma. In my opinion, his performance stood above all the other priest's in the film. Sadly, most of the other performances in the film fell flat for me. They weren't terrible but they just had that typical priest act you experience in most other possession films. This is my one and only issue with the film.
The Song of Solomon, for the most part, takes place in Mary's room. Which, in contrast to Regan's in The Exorcist, features warm color tones. The interior of the wood cabin, lit by candles, offers a sense of calm that is brilliantly offset by the horrors that take place within the room. The candlelight works wonders in adding to the sinister presence of the blood-soaked Mary as she writhes in and out of the rooms shadows. I was truly blown away by what the team behind the film had created in just one room. The film held my attention completely throughout its entirety.
Now, onto the big star of the film, the insanely outrageous special effects provided by Toetag and Oddtopsy. I found myself in awe and disgusted at the same time, as I watched eyes ripped from sockets, regurgitated guts, a self-inflicted Colombian necktie, and many more violent atrocities portrayed on screen. I cannot even begin to fully praise the accomplishments of the special effects crew in The Song of Solomon. Just know, if you love gore, you're in for a real treat!
I'm honestly amazed at what Biro and his team have created with this film, I was entertained, appalled, invested in characters, and I'm actually looking forward to venturing into a second viewing of the film, something that I rarely ever do these days. If you're in the mood for a unique viewing experience and can stomach graphic violence, then I highly recommend that you add The Song of Solomon to your watchlist. The film is currently available on VOD and Blu-ray/DVD from Unearthed Films.
