The Irrefutable Truth about Demons

The Irrefutable Truth about Demons, a New Zealand horror film from 2000, was directed by Glenn Standring and features Karl Urban, Katie Wolfe, and Jonathon Hendry. Its UK DVD release is titled The Truth About Demons.

In the plot, Harry Ballard (Urban), an arrogant anthropology professor, receives a disturbing videotape in which a cult known as the Black Lodge rants about a demonic conspiracy. Harry’s brother, Richard, died by suicide months earlier under strange circumstances possibly linked to the cult, and this loss haunts Harry, straining his relationship with his girlfriend (Sally Stockwell). A young woman named Benny (Wolfe), who appears schizophrenic and inexplicably lights sparklers in alleys, follows Harry and rescues him after he falls into the cult’s clutches. The cult’s devilish leader, Le Valliant (Hendry), has major plans for Harry, and the protagonist’s grip on reality deteriorates as the cult targets him for an upcoming ritual.

The film was released in 2000 and screened at several film festivals, including Cannes.

Critical reception varied. AllMovie gave a positive review, calling it “a clever, gleefully ludicrous flick.” Variety noted that “while the generic plot doesn't bear close examination and the dialogue is not always Pulitzer material, writer-director Glenn Standring conjures a creepy, brooding atmosphere and enough thrills to keep young horror enthusiasts glued.” Russell Baillie of *The New Zealand Herald* was more critical, awarding two stars. Poonam Khanna of *Exclaim!* also criticized it, calling it “just plain bad” and faulting the acting and writing. In a 2020 review for *Bloody Disgusting*, Ryan Larson remarked that the film is “so incredibly *millennium*” and “a fun flashback into the era; every subordinate in the cult looks primed and ready to be dancing to Nine Inch Nails in an old goth club, and so many rooms are candle lit with writing on the walls you can’t help but smile.”