4 star restoration of a very metal horror film.
The Devil’s Candy is a 2017 haunted house horror, the second feature film from the talented and imaginative Australian writer and director Sean Byrne (The Loved ONes, Dangerous Animals).
This disturbing and atmospheric film has enjoyed a 4K UHD restoration and is available in the UK on Limited Edition and Standard Edition 4K UHD from 25th May 2026, courtesy of Second Sight Films.
“Okay, by law I have to fess up to any death in the house and in this case there were two.”
Jesse (Ethan Embry – Creepshow, Sweet Home Alabama) is a struggling artist and heavy metal enthusiast. He has found the home of his dreams and is in the process of moving in with his wife Astrid (Shiri Appleby – Roswell (TV Series), Lemon) and daughter Zooey (Kiara Glasco – Copper (TV Series), Maps to the Stars). Zooey shares his love of all things heavy metal and wants nothing more from life than a red Gibson Flying V electric guitar.
There is slight hesitation when the estate agent reveals that the previous owners died in tragic circumstances, but the house seems perfect so they move in anyway. All seems good, but Jesse is beginning to hear a strange voice, compelling him to change his painting style and recreate disturbing imagery. They also have an unwelcome visit from Ray (Pruitt Taylor Vince – Angel Heart, Constantine), the very large, awkward and disturbed son of the previous owners.
He takes an interest in Zooey and gifts her his Flying V guitar, much to the chagrin of her parents. We find that Ray too hears the voices, but interprets them in a much more sinister fashion. Jesse becomes more obsessed with his painting, even trying to sell to shady art gallery owner Belial (Tony Amendola – New Life, Lone Star) and while he is distracted, the threat against his family grows. Can they withstand the evil forces within their home?
“I need to come home now. This is Mommy and Daddy’s house. They’re dead.”
The Devil’s Candy is an excellent horror film. The use of heavy metal music throughout is very clever and they certainly don’t hold back.
I also enjoyed the way the music becomes the norm, you know something is wrong when things go quiet.
The acting is superb and I thoroughly enjoyed the story telling. It’s quite refreshing, not relying on haunted house tropes and never really explaining anything, rather letting your own imagination run away with you. The cinematography is also very good, with artful use of light and shade to add to the building atmosphere.
The acting is superb and the film’s concentration on family above other themes is brought to life by excellent chemistry between the leads. Some people may find the lack of explanations frustrating, but I thought it worked very well. and it’s extremely disturbing, definitely not for the faint hearted.
The conversion is excellent, the picture is crisp and clear and the all important soundtrack is spot on, rattling the windows at all the right moments. Another solid release from Second Sight Films, packed with special features (see below) and well worth adding to your collection. Make sure to turn it up to eleven.
“I’ve never had a muse before. I don’t remember painting this. It’s like…it’s like something…it flowed through me.”
The Devil’s Candy is available to own now on Limited Edition and Standard Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray.
Special Features
- New 4K Producer restoration
- Dual format edition including both UHD and Blu-ray with main feature and bonus features on both discs
- UHD presented in HDR with Dolby Vision
- Audio commentary with Director Sean Byrne
- Into the Fire: a new interview with Director Sean Byrne
- Those Fragile Things: a new interview with Actor Ethan Embry
- Devil in the Details: a new interview with Director of Photography Simon Chapman
- The Cutting Room: a new interview with Editor Andy Canny
- A Big Step Forward: a new interview with Production Designer Tom Hammock
- Behind the Scenes: VFX
- Sean Byrne’s Short films: Advantage Satan, Ben and Work?
Limited Edition Contents
- Rigid slipcase with new artwork by Huan Do
- 120-page book with new essays by Anton Bitel, Reyna Cervantes, Becca Johnson, Joe Lipsett, Mary Beth McAndrews and Zoe Rose Smith
- 6 collectors’ art cards
| Director | Sean Byrne |
| Genre | Horror |
| Starring | Ethan Embry, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Shiri Appleby, Kiara Glasco |