Director Neill Blomkamp has given us a unique mixture of films, one great, one terrible and one right down the middle. District 9 was a sharp, socially conscious horror flick that achieved "instant classic" status. Elysium was an effective riff on class warfare. And Chappie lacked heart.

So where does Demonic rank among Blomkamp's oeuvre? The generic title would have you believe this is a generic movie, which it is. Despite moments of indelible craft, Demonic is closer to Chappie than District 9. The film is a mashup of demons, possessions, metaphors and sanatoriums that ends up being rather dull, uninspired.

The best thing the film has going for it is its heady concept, the idea that you can enter someone else's dreams through a virtual headset. The virtual world adds a kick to Blomkamp's script--the real-world portions can't help but feel flat by comparison, and you spend most the...