The new Netflix true crime documentary, The Devil On Trial recently hit Netflix and I’ve quite a bit to say about it.
The Devil on Trial focuses on a young boy who claims to have been possessed by a demonic entity. This led to a brutal murder when the demon took over his older brother. This wasn’t just some demon the Devil sent up to do his dirty work for him. He claims to have been possessed by Satan himself. Here was my first issue: I got no more than 10 seconds into the film and had to pause it. I’m going to say it, I was already doubting what I was hearing.
What we had playing during the opening credits was an actual recording of the man who was possessed as a child. In proper Exorcist fashion, Satan himself takes control of this body and throws out the most offensive form of demonic profanity: DOUCHEBAG. Douchebag? really? is this a word the Devil himself would have in his vocabulary? I would guess not. If so, I’d have him on a one-way ticket from Hell back to Swear School. The only people who have that demonic profanity word in their vocabulary are…can you guess? Yup…Americans. I also think he threw extremely offensive words like “pork chop” oh, and “friggin'”, too. I am sorry, but I was not buying it.
Then we went into new unbelievable territory with the introduction of Ed & Lorraine Warren.
OK, these two were known around the world as paranormal experts. Ed claimed to be a demonologist and Lorraine said she was a psychic.
The thing is, what good ole Lorraine’s psychic abilities didn’t see coming was the confession of the Lutz family. They eventually admitted that the paranormal activity at the Amityville house was mainly the result of a brainstorming session.
Also, Ronald DeFeo Jr. the 23-year-old who killed his family members at the Amityville house. He later admitted that he did not hear voices and the story was an attempt for an insanity plea. He got 6 life sentences. The story that got them famous was a lie. In all those years of connecting with the spirit or demon worlds, you know how much evidence they gave?: Zero! So, if I see Ed and Lorraine Warren, you might as well just throw in Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson. I’d believe them more.
If it wasn’t for the Warrens and the use of those demonic profanities “douchebag” and “Pork Chop” then who knows what I would have believed.
The last quarter of the documentary starts to enter more believable territory. We get to hear one of the brothers call it out for what it actually was: a lie! He also goes into the fact that when the Warrens came on the scene it was like they planted the seed of demonic possession into the head of that 11-year-old kid. And guess what? 2 days later, after the Warrens left, the devil was in him again. The Warrens then used this to build an even bigger lie with no other intentions apart from financial gain. Their so-called exorcisms were nothing more than publicity stunts.
The Warrens never helped, they recorded, took photos, took advantage and then ripped the victimised family off. I do believe this family was the victims of evil and that came in the form of Ed and Lorraine Warren and their greed for money and need for notoriety and fame
But, no matter what I believe about the actual story, this is still a great documentary. As well as interviews and real footage we also have a well-shot reenactment that plays out like a colourful silent horror film with a Blumhouse-like flare to accompany the story.
Go check The Devil on Trial out now on Netflix and make your own mind up. As always, thanks for reading
