Idol of Evil (2009) User Reviews (5)

David Hilton and the Raiders of the Lost Idol of Evil

[NoDakTatum · 4/10 · 5 October 2023]

Screenwriters Kevin McDonagh and A. J. Nicol pay homage, or rip off, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" in this British low budgeter. Dr. David Hilton (Richard Cambridge) is an expert in mythology who has just been suspended from the university where he teaches for being a jerk. David is contacted by two priests, both dressed like they should be backing up Gladys Knight, and is assigned to find an idol that a former friend had been searching for. That former friend is now missing, and David goes to the man's wife's (Tracey Sheldon) flat to get some clues. He happens to have the map to the secret idol burial spot in northern England, where he should find a skull. When that skull is used as a vessel for the already recovered "Eye of Kali," it can turn into a monstrous weapon. One problem is that a team led by Father Calvert (Eley Furrell, looking like Tim Curry in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show") and Nixon (Adrian Bouchet) are already digging for the skull, thanks to a fragment of the map they took from David but they are digging in the wrong place. David, with the help of very cute research assistant/love interest Lucy (Stephanie Elliott) must stop the bad guys in time since the fate of humanity rests in their hands.

As if the Indiana Jones series did not make archaeology look action packed enough, McDonagh and Nicol penned this blatant attempt. The limited budget hinders any huge action scenes, and the film makers are reduced to sad little fistfights and dubbed gunfire that rarely hits anyone. McDonagh does have a fantastic directorial eye, however, and with some more money and a better script, he is capable of doing something great. The cast is bland, Cambridge does not have the gravitas to pull off the hero role. While the film is being marketed as a horror and gore extravaganza, the blood and violence never rise above a PG-13 level of mayhem. One aspect that does work, and saves this from being a disaster, is David Staiger's giant musical score. The epic orchestral swells make the film seem bigger than it is, and weak scenes seem better. "Idol of Evil" trudges along, ignoring its own innate predictability, hoping no one watching has ever seen the Indiana Jones series. The closing credits promise that "David Hilton Will Return," hopefully he will bring a better adventure with him.

Hideous, puerile, and on the cheap

[moonmonday · 1/10 · 5 June 2016]

I wanted to give this a chance. I really did. The introductory sequence alone should give any prospective viewers an accurate idea of how they'll feel about this, followed by the inexplicable, disorientingly asinine introduction of the protagonist, surrounded by highly unprofessional, aggressively self-aggrandizing histrionic buffoons clearly attempting to play the heels of the piece until proper villains are introduced.

Save yourself the trouble. It's not worth it. You can even tell from the markedly different quality of sound between scenes, ludicrous cutting between shots, and highly questionable choices that this was an experiment and probably meant more for the families and friends of those who produced it than an actual commercial audience.

HOW ABOUT LUNCH?

[nogodnomasters · 1/10 · 18 January 2019]

Imagine wanting to make an "Indian Jones" type of film in England and being limited to a 20 Euro dollar budget. David Hilton (Richard Cambridge) is asked to look for the missing Professor Kixley who appears to have found the satanic "Eye of Kali" or at least the satanists who have kidnapped him. Armed with Kixley's assistant and a shovel, David goes to search for the idol which goes with the eye.

The fight scenes were more of a struggle for me to watch than they were to make. Special effects consist mostly of a green filter placed on the camera lens...couldn't afford a voice enhancer. The sound quality was poor. The sound track was playing plenty of action music that was far more exciting than what was on screen.

The DVD quality was what I would expect from a bootleg. Near the end of the film, the movie goes dark while there is still sound. Then there is total blackness without sound, followed by film with no sound and finally they get it back on track.

The dialogue, acting, and characters aren't worth watching.

Low budget but a refreshing change

[MovieHype · 10/10 · 4 September 2011]

I saw this film amongst a large pile of Biritsh produced features sent my way and I have to say this was one of the better ones.

By no means perfect and clearly done of the lowest of low budget, this Raider of the Lost Ark inspired adventure through the English countryside will at least have to entertained from start to finish.

Opening with a robbery and a shoot out the film quickly introduces us to our hero, Dr David Hilton (Richard Cambridge) a failed author dragged in by the Vatican to help find a missing former colleague (I Said it was inspired by Raiders) Off on the adventure, David uncovers lots of hidden secrets and the metaphor for the film (though not expertly articulated) seems to be, "be careful when you dig up the past" which may have been a better tag line than "Hell is Forever".

With some good action pieces let down only by limited budget and an interest array of characters (some portrayed more convincingly than others) this is a film well worth seeing. And unlike most action films where the female lead is there for eye candy or to scream, director Kevin McDonagh subtly makes Lucy Lake (Stephanie Elliot) a smart and involved female character.

With the villains Bain (Matthew Sheppard) and Father Calvert (Eley Furrell - chewing the scenery perfectly for this panto style villainous character) the film is at least not dull.

I gave it 10/10 mainly for effort as few film maker try such exciting and action packed films as this for their first and the fact they come up short is only to be expected, but they had a damn good go!

Irish/English re-do of Indiana Jones for the 'Tweens.

[guestar57 · 6/10 · 10 March 2011]

OK,Hold on this is an English/Irish co-production based on Indiana Jones. Some scenes are definitely similar to original 'Raiders Of The Lost Ark',But,'Tween influences like cool cars and spiffy bad guys. This is a possible DVD series from Chemical Burn, Hope they build on more challenging action traditions. Plot moves well,lots of action fighting,Car stunts and explosions.

Some characters reminded us of...Halle Berry's babies daddy-Gabriel Aubrey as a villain with a conscious about halfway thru.

Another villain was Steven Tyler-esque or Mick Jagger and then he got his foppish hat knocked off,And we swear Michael Hutchence arose ?