The Movie:

In the 1943 Universal monster flick Son of Dracula, Lon Chaney Jr. got his chance to play the titular vampire. He travels, in this Dracula sequel, from Europe to the Deep South of the United States, not-so-cleverly disguising himself as Count Alucard. This backwards word trick fools everyone except an elderly character who, upon seeing the name Alucard, pauses and starts reciting the letters backwards - as if pointing out the ruse to the film's audience like they didn't get it.

A similar moment occurs in Necessary Evil, an otherwise completely unrelated direct-to-video horror film released some 66 years later by Lionsgate. For you see, a neon green drug plays a central role in the storyline, and this movie designs several camera shots that manage to pan upon the drug's name in print. Reficul. And, in case this backwards trick baffles you, there's a scene similar to that in Son of Dracula where the heroine writes REFICUL in big letters on a sheet of paper. She then writes LUCIFER underneath it and underlines the word for emphasis.

Yes, Necessary Evil's story, penned by Christopher James Harvill, Eric Feldman, and Peter J. Eaton, feels the need to show off its cleverness, in case the audience doesn't get it. Oh well. The movie actually has some novel ideas, but it gets waylaid by a screenplay that overplays its hand with some cringe worthy dialogue and a budget too low to properly execute its ideas.

Lionsgate's cover art for this mess plays up cult actors Lance Henriksen (Aliens, Terminator, etc) and Danny Trejo (From Dusk Till Dawn, etc.), who both appear in the film. Indeed, Henriksen is one of the leads, and he amps up the evil factor of his mad scientist role, Dr. Fibrian, to the point where it becomes a caricature. However, the main character here is the heroine referenced above, Deborah Fielding (Kathryn Fiore). Deborah is an odd girl. She's pregnant, yet she runs what seem to be marathon jogs. She's an organic type of woman, yet she agrees to take Reficul at her doctor's insistence - he provides her with a prescription bottle of the drug and she doesn't ask why he's not writing a prescription for it. This last bit is strange considering she's also a journalism major at college, working on an expose of the evil Edgewater Psychiatric Institute where Dr. Fibrian works.

Ah, but sinister goings-on are afoot. The people in Deborah's life seem to have ulterior motives and engage in evil behavior around her. Could it have something to do with her journalism research? Could it have something to do with her pregnancy? Could it have something to do with the ultra-evil Dr. Fibrian? Could it have something to do with an evil force that gets unearthed 16 years earlier in Babylon during the film's prologue?

I don't want to spoil anything per se - but of course, the answer is yes. Henriksen provides additional narration, written in the character of Dr. Fibrian, to help set up and explain the unnecessarily complex plot for what amounts to a rather straightforward and simple premise. The screenplay seems pulpish throughout, but it does afford some interesting ideas. And, a few effective jump scares occur throughout, especially during the second half when Deborah is exposed to the insides of the Edgewater Psychiatric Institute.

Unfortunately, Necessary Evil could have used another script rewrite or two. Backwards drug names aside, some of the dialogue and character interactions just seem off, in a too-unrealistic manner. This is especially true for a secondary detective character who seems to have stepped off of some bad 1960s television show. An infusion of some money, primarily for effects work, to better realize the storyline would have also been nice.

As is, Necessary Evil hardly seems necessary, though it's still worth a rental if you're a horror film fan.

The DVD

Video:

Lionsgate gives Necessary Evil an anamorphic widescreen presentation with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. Details seemed fine, and the image had only light film noise. Colors appeared muted at times, though intentionally so.

Sound:

The lone audio track is an English language Dolby Digital 5.1 affair. Dialogue tended be clear, although Lance Henriksen's narration sounds a little distant at times.

Optional subtitles are available in English and Spanish.

Extras:

Trailers for Retribution Road, Legend of the Bog, Harder They Fall, and Dead Wood, as well as an ad for the website Break.com precede the main menu. They're accessible via an Also From Lionsgate link in the Previews submenu, as is an additional trailer for Necessary Evil itself. That's it for extras, however.

Final Thoughts:

Necessary Evil is hardly a necessary film for even horror fans to see. It has some interesting ideas, but a convoluted plot and lack of budget limit its potential. On the plus side, long-time genre vets Lance Henriksen and Danny Trejo provide over-the-top performances. Rent it, but only if you're curious.

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