God Machine

In this slow-paced psychological horror thriller from Gifune (Midnight Gods), Chris Tallo, a disgraced former police officer turned hotel security guard, is shocked to find a young runaway dead in one of the rooms. The girl appears to have disemboweled herself and painted arcane symbols on the wall in her own blood. Investigating the bizarre death brings up painful memories of Chris’s daughter, who died five years prior. Since then, his marriage has collapsed and he’s descended into debilitating alcoholism. When his inquiry leads Chris to infiltrate a shadowy cult in possession of an arcane device that threatens to bring about the end of the world, he must decide whom he can trust if he’s to make it out with his mind and body intact. Gifune’s punchy, pulpy style works well for this kind of story, and the dialogue is rarely dull. The plot, however, suffers from an abundance of crime thriller clichés and repetitive emotional beats. The ending is satisfyingly bloody, however, and worth the trip to reach it. It’s a rocky ride, but it should please Gifune’s fans. (Dec.)