In a small town near Seattle, Ig (Radcliffe) and Merrin (Temple) have been in love since they were children. When she's violently murdered, Ig becomes the prime suspect, attracting media attention while preparing a defence with his lawyer Lee (Minghella), a childhood pal and the only person in town who believes that he's innocent. Even his parents (Remar and Quinlan) and brother (Anderson) aren't sure. Then one day he sprouts horns on his head and discovers that people reveal their inner thoughts in his presence, so he sets out to catch the real killer.

This demonic transformation is linked to the film's relentless religious imagery, with churches, crosses, snakes and pitchforks everywhere, although the script never delves into these true-believer ideas. Meanwhile, director Aja packs the screen with visually inventive touches, from the dreamy woods to an outrageous drug trip. But there's little connective tissue as the story unfolds in flashbacks and revelations that slowly drop each puzzle piece into place. It's fast-paced and freewheeling, but so jarringly erratic that it feels overlong.

At the centre, Radcliffe gives a full-on performance that occasionally clicks sharply into focus even if the character is far too tightly wound, roaring around town in his beat-up red Gremlin as he breathlessly narrates the story. He just about manages to keep Ig likeable as he starts doing some pretty nasty things. Around him, the solid cast adds quirky edges, although each character drifts into broad silliness along the way.

Indeed, the entire film is overdramatic and hyperactive, leaping from one random scene to another while the mystery resolves in the background. The question is whether this is a cartoonish black comedy or an amusing horror movie. But there are continually witty touches that keep us chuckling, plus vivid production design that plays with light, shadow and colours across the wide screen. The final hour is a crazed series of huge face-offs that are neither surprising not emotionally satisfying. But it is devilishly grisly.

themes, language, violence, sexuality, drugs

20.Oct.14