Deathkeeper

There’s an old-fashioned fantastical element to this Australian horror about an angel Luke (Charles Cottier) cursed to age ten years when he saves a life yet forced to kill to remain young and stay alive. All the while guarding a Book of Souls from the demon Malagor (George Pullar) who wants the book for to raise an army that would put him on collision course with Hell and Heaven.

Luke is drawn to Julie (Isabella Procida) as lost souls tend to. Only they both carry secrets with them. Meanwhile Malagor is building up an army and getting ready to make his move.

Wrapped into this is Father Muldoon (Matthew Caffoe), a cop Trevor (Peter Thurnwald), and a n other Yasmin (Shuang Hu). Between them they manage to get attacked, possessed, cock up an exorcism and betray Luke.

Luke’s older self is played by Danny Brown who appears periodically. It’s an essential part of the story (told in three Acts) but ensures the film at times appears fragmented. This doesn’t do much for the building of tension or dread, there is however a good deal of gore especially when Yasmin goes haywire.

Directed by Tristan Barr, co-written with Sandra Sciberras, and based on the books by Vasilios Bouzas (which I haven’t read), Deathkeeper is ambitious in scope though limited by the budget. That isn’t a reason to knock the film, the issue is that at around 95 minutes Deathkeeper is not long but does at times feel sludgy, lacking engagement and bordering on dull interspersed with violence.

This makes for a frustrating film to watch, and the demon’s silly voice is barely understandable at times.

Deathkeeper had its world premiere at FrightFest Glasgow 2026.