Fact-checked by Grok 2 weeks ago

The Devil Below

The Devil Below is a directed by Bradley Parker. The movie follows a group of amateur adventurers who specialize in exploring remote and abandoned locations as they investigate Shookum Hills, a deserted town in the remote that was reportedly destroyed years earlier by a coal mine fire. Upon arrival, the team encounters eerie phenomena and unearths a horrifying entity lurking in the underground mines. The film stars Alicia Sanz as Arianne, the team's leader; (d. 2024) as Darren; as the reclusive local resident Schuttmann; along with Zach Avery, Chinaza Uche, and in supporting roles. Written by Stefan Jaworski and Eric Scherbarth, it was distributed by and released theatrically in limited markets as well as on in the United States on March 5, 2021. Originally developed under the working title Shookum Hills, the project draws on themes of , folklore-inspired creatures, and subterranean terror typical of the creature feature subgenre. Critically, The Devil Below received largely negative reviews, earning a 17% approval rating on based on 12 critic reviews, with praise for its atmospheric in the wilderness but criticism for pacing and underdeveloped characters. On , it holds a 4.3 out of 10 rating from over 6,000 user votes, reflecting divided audience opinions on its blend of found-footage elements and practical creature effects. Despite its modest budget and direct-to-streaming availability on platforms like , the film is noted for its claustrophobic mine sequences and demonic antagonist design.

Synopsis

Plot summary

In the 1970s, a mining crew working deep in the Shookum Hills Coal Mine drills into an unknown subterranean chamber, unleashing a horrific creature that attacks and slaughters the workers, triggering a catastrophic collapse that engulfs the entire town above, burying over 1,000 residents alive. Decades later, a team of investigators led by geologist Arianne, accompanied by her colleagues Darren, Shawn, Terry, and Jaime, ventures into the forsaken region to study the site's anomalies. Upon arrival, they find the remnants of the abandoned town encircled by towering electrified fences and riddled with unstable sinkholes, remnants of the long-burning underground seam. Seeking shelter, the group approaches a dilapidated farmhouse occupied by a reclusive local named Schuttmann who urgently warns them of the dangers below and urges them to depart immediately. As the team delves deeper, they uncover evidence of a persistent subterranean fire and deposits of a rare conductive mineral that generates intense electromagnetic fields, drawing them toward the mine's entrance. Their exploration quickly turns nightmarish when pale, elongated worm-like monsters—elongated humanoids with translucent skin and razor-sharp features—begin erupting from fissures in the earth, hunting the intruders with relentless ferocity. Terry is the first to fall, dragged into the mine while scanning the area. Shawn is subsequently killed when sucked up by one of the larger monsters. Jaime attempts to fight back but dies in a grenade explosion during the chaos at the farmhouse, his body dragged away by the creatures. Fleeing into the mine's labyrinthine tunnels, Arianne and discover ' hive at the core, ruled by a colossal queen entity with a gaping, fanged that coordinates the attacks. Arming herself with scavenged explosives, Arianne confronts and destroys in an explosive climax, collapsing parts of the tunnel and creating an escape route. sacrifices himself by cutting and falling with a monster to allow Arianne's escape. Arianne claws her way back to the surface, emerging bloodied but alive, where she vows to Schuttmann to aid in purging the lingering threat from the hills.

Themes

The film The Devil Below employs elements rooted in subterranean fears, portraying the as a of inescapable where characters confront terrors in a perpetually burning coal mine. This motif amplifies isolation in rural , with the abandoned town of Shookum Hills serving as a desolate backdrop that heightens the sense of vulnerability and entrapment for the scientific team venturing into forbidden depths. manifests through the creatures' pale, elongated forms—described as having white surfaces, maws, and snail-like skulls—evoking parasitic behaviors that distort human bodies upon contact, symbolizing invasion and corruption from below. Environmental themes underscore the narrative by linking the coal mine fire and a rare mineral to the perils of industrial exploitation, drawing direct inspiration from the real-life of , where an underground coal fire has rendered the area uninhabitable since 1962. The film's depiction of unchecked in forgotten communities highlights pollution's long-term consequences, portraying the earth itself as retaliating against human greed through geological instability and toxic emissions that sustain the infernal blaze. This critiques resource extraction's environmental toll, transforming the mine into a for buried ecological sins that resurface violently. Human drives the plot's conflict, as the team's scientific leads them to dismiss local warnings from a reclusive , embodying a reckless pursuit of knowledge that parallels historical disasters. Director Bradley Parker explicitly frames this as a between and , where investigators' arrogance in probing the unknown invites catastrophe, underscoring the folly of ignoring indigenous lore and natural boundaries. Biblical allusions permeate the story through the title's reference to "the devil below," evoking a geological where creatures emerge as manifestations of buried sins, akin to opening the gates to infernal realms. This symbolism ties the subterranean horrors to motifs of into perdition, with the mine fire representing eternal and the parasites as demonic afflictions punishing the intruders' transgressions.

Cast and crew

Cast

The principal cast of The Devil Below features Alicia Sanz in the lead role of Arianne, the determined heading the investigative team into the abandoned town. portrays Darren, Arianne's fellow researcher and a key member of the expedition. plays Shawn, another team member assisting in the exploration. In supporting roles, appears as , part of the research group navigating the eerie terrain. takes on the role of Terry, an additional explorer accompanying the team. Jesse LaTourette has a minor role as Shelby, contributing to the ensemble of investigators. Will Patton delivers a standout performance as Schuttmann, the grizzled local farmer who encounters the team and provides cryptic warnings about the site's dangers.

Crew

The crew of The Devil Below was led by director Bradley Parker, a visual effects supervisor who transitioned into directing horror films, having previously helmed Chernobyl Diaries (2012) after contributing to high-profile projects such as War for the Planet of the Apes (2017) and (2019). Parker's experience in informed the film's creature design and subterranean sequences, leveraging practical and digital elements to create a muted, atmospheric palette that enhanced the horror. The screenplay was written by Eric Scherbarth and Stefan Jaworski, who developed the original script centered on explorers encountering forces in an abandoned mine. Their narrative layered themes of intrusion and isolation, building tension through environmental dread rather than overt exposition. Producing duties were handled by Alejandro De Leon, Diego Hallivis, Julio Hallivis, and Andres Rosende under 1inMM Productions, with serving as distributor; this independent team managed the low-budget production to deliver a contained experience focused on practical locations and effects. Cinematographer Susser captured the film's claustrophobic visuals with chaotic, handheld shots that amplified the disorientation of the mine's dark confines. Composer provided the ominous score and , incorporating shivery creature effects and grating audio cues to heighten unease. Editor Kashevaroff paced the suspenseful build-up and action sequences, tightening the film's runtime to maintain momentum despite narrative lulls.

Production

Development

The development of The Devil Below began as an independent project announced in 2018 under the working title Shookum Hills. The was written by Eric Scherbarth and Stefan Jaworski, who crafted a creature feature narrative centered on a team of researchers investigating an abandoned mining town, incorporating elements of scientific exploration amid supernatural threats. This approach blended traditional monster with a grounded premise, drawing inspiration from real-world abandoned mining sites like —a evacuated due to an underground coal fire that has burned since 1962. Director Bradley Parker, known for (2012), was brought on board after producers presented him with the script, which appealed to his interest in adventure-horror stories set in isolated, foreboding locations. The project emphasized folklore surrounding forsaken towns and subterranean dangers, aiming to evoke the eerie atmosphere of regions plagued by mining disasters and unexplained disappearances. Funding was secured on a limited budget typical of independent productions, allowing for practical effects and authentic while leveraging Parker's expertise to enhance the creature designs and underground sequences. As advanced, the title was changed from Shookum Hills to The Devil Below to better highlight 's supernatural and infernal undertones. became involved as the distributor, partnering to bring the film to wider audiences through theatrical and on-demand release, marking a key step in transitioning the project from independent development to commercial viability.

Filming

Principal photography for The Devil Below took place in May 2018 throughout various locations in , selected for the state's terrain that provided an authentic backdrop of rural isolation and abandoned mining areas. Specific sites included caves and quarries in Mt. Vernon, Louisville, Berea, and , as well as sequences shot at Carter Caves State Resort Park to capture the film's eerie underground and forested environments. These natural settings, reminiscent of real like , enhanced the horror atmosphere without relying on constructed sets. The production emphasized practical effects to depict key elements such as sinkholes, electrified fences, and the creatures' designs, with contributions from Autonomous F/X for realistic prosthetics and rigs that articulated features like moving mouths under low-light conditions. Creature suits were worn by performers, avoiding full due to budget constraints, while minimal was employed solely to augment underground sequences where practical limitations arose. This approach maintained a grounded, old-school aesthetic, steering clear of overreliance on digital enhancements. The 88-minute runtime was realized through a tightly controlled shooting schedule that raced through daily requirements amid challenging outdoor conditions, including remote night shoots in rugged caves and quarries. With casting decisions finalized prior to , the production avoided major delays, prioritizing efficiency to wrap filming within the allotted timeframe.

Release and reception

Release

The Devil Below premiered on March 5, 2021, through a and (VOD) distribution in the United States by . The film, with an 88-minute runtime, became available on streaming platforms including and shortly after its initial release. It earned approximately $12,000 at the worldwide . Due to the ongoing , the film did not receive a wide international theatrical rollout and instead emphasized markets globally, with internet releases in countries such as on the same premiere date. Marketing efforts included official trailers released by in early February 2021, which highlighted the film's central "" and its eerie coal mine setting to build anticipation for the .

Reception

Upon its release, The Devil Below garnered overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics, reflected in its low aggregated scores. On , the film holds a 17% Tomatometer approval rating based on 12 reviews (as of November 2025). Similarly, it earned a 4.3 out of 10 average rating on from over 6,300 user votes (as of November 2025). Critics frequently highlighted the film's shortcomings in writing and execution, pointing to weak , predictable plotting, and a lack of genuine that undermined its elements. Jeffrey M. Anderson of criticized it as "poorly shot and written... too dark, with no suspense and with characters we don't care about," emphasizing the one-dimensional protagonists and shaky camerawork that failed to engage viewers. Additional complaints targeted the unoriginal creature design, which felt derivative and underdeveloped, alongside forgettable characters whose decisions strained credibility. While praise was sparse, some reviewers commended the minimal effective aspects, such as the monster visuals and certain performances. Anderson noted that were "kind of cool" with impressive designs featuring face-fulls of teeth, providing brief visual intrigue amid the film's flaws. Will Patton's portrayal of a grizzled local was also highlighted for adding reliability to the cast, though it could not salvage the overall narrative. Audience reception mirrored the critical disdain, with a 16% audience score on from over 100 ratings (as of November 2025), indicating widespread disappointment. Reviewers and viewers alike drew unfavorable comparisons to superior cave-horror films like (2005) and (2014), faulting The Devil Below for borrowing their subterranean tension-building tropes without achieving comparable atmospheric dread or character depth.

References

  1. [1]
    The Devil Below (2021) - IMDb
    Rating 4.3/10 (6,362) A group of four amateur adventurers who specialize in exploring remote and forsaken places pay a visit to Shookum Hills, a town in the remote Appalachian ...Full cast & crew · User reviews · Parents guide · Plot
  2. [2]
    The Devil Below - Rotten Tomatoes
    Rating 17% (12) When a team of researchers try to find out how the fires started, they soon discover something more startling than the mystery that sent them there: they're ...Reviews · Video · Cast and Crew
  3. [3]
    Watch The Devil Below - Netflix
    When a team of researchers tries to find out what started a fire in a coal mine, they quickly discover that the disaster is anything but natural.
  4. [4]
    The Devil Below Ending Explained - Screen Rant
    Jun 17, 2021 · The Devil Below tells the story of Arianne, a scientist/adventurer haunted by an incident where she once had to cut a hiking partner loose to ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  5. [5]
    The Devil Below (2021) - Plot - IMDb
    Plot. The Devil Below. Jump to. Summaries (2), Synopsis (1). Edit. Summaries. A group of four amateur adventurers who specialize in exploring remote and ...
  6. [6]
    THE DEVIL BELOW Interview: Director Bradley Parker Talks Making ...
    We recently caught up with filmmaker Bradley Parker (Chernobyl Diaries) to discuss his new movie The Devil Below, and he talks about designing demonic ...
  7. [7]
    The Devil Below (2021) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
    The Devil Below (2021) - Cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
  8. [8]
    Bradley Parker - IMDb
    Bradley Parker(I). Visual Effects; Second Unit Director or Assistant Director; Director. IMDbProStarmeterSee rank. Brad Parker on location The Devil Below.Missing: background | Show results with:background
  9. [9]
    The Devil Below | Cast and Crew | Rotten Tomatoes
    Discover the cast and crew of The Devil Below on Rotten Tomatoes. See actors, directors, and more behind the scenes. Explore now!<|control11|><|separator|>
  10. [10]
    [Review] Creature Feature THE DEVIL BELOW Sees Subterranean ...
    Mar 5, 2021 · A literal hotbed of otherworldly activity is happening beneath Appalachian country and no one can explain why just yet in The Devil Below.
  11. [11]
    BRADLEY PARKER TALKS THE DEVIL BELOW - THE HORROR ...
    BRADLEY PARKER TALKS THE DEVIL BELOW. Posted on: March 4th, 2021. Bradley Parker has been working as a visual effects supervisor and second unit director on ...
  12. [12]
    https://www.screamhorrormag.com/bradley-parker-digs-into-the-details-of-the-devil-below/
  13. [13]
    Film Review: The Devil Below | Disc Dish
    Mar 5, 2021 · STUDIO: Vertical Entertainment | DIRECTOR: Bradley Parker | CAST ... In The Devil Below, directed by visual effects specialist Bradley ...
  14. [14]
    This Is Where The Devil Below Was Really Filmed - Looper
    Jun 15, 2021 · According to a blog post he wrote, filmmakers from the production (which was then titled "Shookum Hills") approached the brand to provide the ...
  15. [15]
    Will Patton in Gritty Coal Mine Monster Movie 'The Devil Below' Trailer
    Feb 8, 2021 · The Devil Below, formerly known as Shookum Hills, is directed by ... The screenplay is written by Stefan Jaworski and Eric Scherbarth.Missing: announcement 2018
  16. [16]
    Bradley Parker On Returning to Horror with The Devil Below
    Mar 6, 2021 · Bradley Parker returns to the director's chair for The Devil Below. Read the exclusive interview with LRM Online.Missing: Shookum Hills development
  17. [17]
    Where Was 'The Devil Below' Filmed? - Decider
    Jun 18, 2021 · The Devil Below is set in deep Appalachia where coal mines have had horrible fires, causing sinkholes that may be responsible for a Kentucky town called ...Missing: Arianne Peter Clara
  18. [18]
    Where Was The Devil Below Filmed? - The Cinemaholic
    Jun 15, 2021 · Louisville is the primary filming location of the movie. The cast and crew shot scenes across various parts of the city located in Jefferson ...
  19. [19]
    The Devil Below (2021) - Filming & production - IMDb
    The Devil Below. Edit. Filming locations. Mt Vernon, Kentucky, USA. Helpful•16. 1 ... Production dates. It looks like we don't have any production dates for this ...
  20. [20]
    The Devil Below - Movie Review - TheTwoOhSix
    Mar 11, 2021 · Overall, it has good scares and a solid story with believable special effects that never get overblown. There's no super flashy CGI that ...
  21. [21]
    Watch The Devil Below | Prime Video - Amazon.com
    Rating 3.8 (6,459) · 30-day returnsA group of four amateur adventurers who specialize in exploring remote and forsaken places pay a visit to Shookum Hills, a town in the remote Appalachian ...<|control11|><|separator|>
  22. [22]
    The Devil Below (2021) - Release info - IMDb
    The Devil Below. Jump to. Release date (8), Also known as (AKA) (24). Edit. Release date. Italy. March 5, 2021(internet).
  23. [23]
    Everything You Need to Know About The Devil Below Movie (2021)
    Rating 3.0 (6) Who's making The Devil Below: Crew List. A look at the The Devil Below behind-the-scenes crew and production team. Director. Bradley Parker. Screenwriters.
  24. [24]
    The Devil Below | Official Trailer (HD) | Vertical Entertainment
    Feb 8, 2021 · A group of four amateur adventurers who specialize in exploring remote and forsaken places pay a visit to Shookum Hills, a town in the ...
  25. [25]
    Exclusive trailer and poster for The Devil Below - SYFY
    Feb 5, 2021 · The trailer for The Devil Below has a team of researchers discovering they're not alone in an abandoned coal mine.
  26. [26]
    The Devil Below Movie Review | Common Sense Media
    Rating 2.0 · Review by Jeffrey M. AndersonThe Devil Below is a monster movie about five explorers who go looking for a town that has disappeared and find a deadly secret instead.
  27. [27]
    REVIEW: “The Devil Below” (2021) | Keith & the Movies
    Feb 24, 2021 · REVIEW: “The Devil Below” (2021). DEVILpost. In the upcoming horror thriller “The Devil Below” from director Brad Parker an abandoned ...Missing: summary - | Show results with:summary -