Tales From the Crypt Presents Demon Knight

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Tales From the Crypt Presents Demon Knight

R

Released Jan 13, 1995

1h 32m

Horror

Action

Fantasy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

44%

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39 Reviews

65%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Ex-soldier Frank Brayker (William Sadler) is the guardian of an ancient key that can unlock tremendous evil; the sinister but charming Collector (Billy Zane) is a demon who wants the key so he can initiate the apocalypse. On the run from wicked mercenaries for almost 90 years, Brayker finally stops in at a boarding house in New Mexico where -- with the help of its quirky residents -- he plans to face off against the Collector and his band of ghouls, preventing them from ever seizing the key.

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Critics Consensus

The usual pulp delights of Tales From the Crypt are too few and far between in Demon Knight -- a disappointingly slack and by the numbers siege flick.

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Quentin Curtis

Independent (UK)

Good horror films are thin on the ground right now; this one will do nicely.

Nov 17, 2017

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

To call Demon Knight a popcorn movie is to give it too much credit — I doubt it would raise the pulse of Orville Redenbacher.

Rated: D+

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Variety Staff

Variety

Pic is neither funny enough nor scary enough to be fully satisfying as either a shocker or a spoof.

May 19, 2008

Full Review

Douglas Davidson

Elements of Madness

It has one of the best Zane performances in his career, delivers a simply pulpy horror tale, and breaks new ground in the process. New ground which is now carried forward by a strong line of actors and actresses who survive through the credits

Apr 12, 2025

Full Review

Kristy Strouse

Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying

It is a campy homage that doesn’t promise any thought-provoking resonance but will provide some easy thrills and stellar kills. Demon Knight knows what it is and doesn’t hide from it.

Dec 1, 2023

Full Review

Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

It’s a seedy 'Grand Hotel' by way of 'The Exorcist' as a siege thriller, cooked up with plenty of gore and a smattering of sex, and served with dry wit.

Oct 27, 2023

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Jonathan O

A huge blast and entertaining and Billy Zane is knocking out the park he's performance as the collector is having a blast and really incredible special make-up effects and is so much fun that you wanna watch over and over again.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/20/25

Full Review

Audience Member

30 years later and this is still an entertaining film debut for 'Tales from The Crypt' based on the hit TV show Director Ernest Dickerson, executive producers Joel Silver, Robert Zemeckis, and Richard Donner bring the show to the big screen this time with a story of good vs evil survival plot instead of the usual comeuppance angle a young and hip cast, amazing practical special effects, great gore, and the filmmakers manage to insert quite a few break-the-fourth-wall jokes this story actually gave me a few frights The mystery is decently set up in the beginning and the actors leave quite an impression it's pretty much the premise lifted from 'Night of The Demons' but with a rather unique, slick twist of its own these people have to survive a night of demons unleashed from Hell and a certain warrior slays them to save humanity and it juggles around with a few Biblical influences to heighten the plot and really, is there anything more wacky and fun that watching Billy Zane having a ball? who knows? He expertly plays this servant of Hell playing on these people’s desires while being so suave being over the top ‘Demon Knight’ is loads of fun and entertaining, has lots of imagination, great performances, witty lines, a sense of humor, and manages to hook you in this is a nice film feature debut for 'Tales from The Crypt' fans and horror movie lovers

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/13/25

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Antoine T

Une histoire correcte, a mi chemin entre Evil Dead et le Prince des Ténèbres. Billy Zane y est dantesque.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/08/24

Full Review

Sharell B

Tales From The Crypt gives a unique take on demon hunting by giving more world building than most tv shows do in an entire season. This movie would do well as a remake or a tv show.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/11/23

Full Review

Alex O

So much wacky fun. Terrific practical effects.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/19/23

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Odell C

I thought the creatures were great in this one , I liked the main guy in this one and his backstory solid watch for the HBO series coming with a movie .

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/16/23

Full Review

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Ernest R. Dickerson

Director

Billy Zane

The Collector

William Sadler

Brayker

Jada Pinkett Smith

Jeryline

Brenda Bakke

Cordelia

CCH Pounder

Irene

Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - You Ain't Such a Bad Fella

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - Possessed Uncle Willy

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - Demonic Hooker

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - Hot and Squishy

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - I'm Gonna Take Your Heart

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - Condemned to Hell

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - Blood-Covered Badass

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - I Can Give You Love

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Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight: Official Clip - Demons At The Door

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Synopsis

Ex-soldier Frank Brayker (William Sadler) is the guardian of an ancient key that can unlock tremendous evil; the sinister but charming Collector (Billy Zane) is a demon who wants the key so he can initiate the apocalypse. On the run from wicked mercenaries for almost 90 years, Brayker finally stops in at a boarding house in New Mexico where -- with the help of its quirky residents -- he plans to face off against the Collector and his band of ghouls, preventing them from ever seizing the key.

Director: Ernest R. Dickerson
Producer: Gilbert Adler, A L Katz
Screenwriter: Ethan Reiff, Cyrus Voris, Mark Bishop
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Action, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 13, 1995, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.9M
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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