This Dutch variation on the Native American legend also used in the William Girdler film, 'The Manitou', is very often better, and in a few spots worse. Never marketed as in any way related to or inspired by Manitou, nonetheless several involved in the film have stated that the Girdler film was partly inspirational for 'The Johnsons', yet the films are different enough to maintain a distance.
If you see both, you will see the similarities easily enough, such as the names Manitou vs Manixou, and the whole Native American legend of the demonic god who initially appears as a fetus.
This variation is extremely promising most of the way through the film. There's a very nicely developed plot line with a mystery involving 7 brothers who are mute psychopathic murderers. They are under some sort of spell to search for a sister with the end result being the birth of the demonic god. I won't give away more to the story, except to say it is a well-done sequence of suspenseful events.
Up to the ending, this variation is better than Girdler's Manitou, yet the ending here deflates all of the great buildup. It's the weakest moment in the whole film, and ends in a abrupt and rather silly manner. It's too bad, for everything up to this point is fine. In this respect, the ending to Girdler's Manitou is much better and if I had to choose between the two, the nod goes to Girdler by a very small margin.
If you see both, you will see the similarities easily enough, such as the names Manitou vs Manixou, and the whole Native American legend of the demonic god who initially appears as a fetus.
This variation is extremely promising most of the way through the film. There's a very nicely developed plot line with a mystery involving 7 brothers who are mute psychopathic murderers. They are under some sort of spell to search for a sister with the end result being the birth of the demonic god. I won't give away more to the story, except to say it is a well-done sequence of suspenseful events.
Up to the ending, this variation is better than Girdler's Manitou, yet the ending here deflates all of the great buildup. It's the weakest moment in the whole film, and ends in a abrupt and rather silly manner. It's too bad, for everything up to this point is fine. In this respect, the ending to Girdler's Manitou is much better and if I had to choose between the two, the nod goes to Girdler by a very small margin.