Yea this was fun. It's a lil meh towards the end when it starts pretending we gaf about this D-tier story but the movie still gives plenty of what we came for and it's well-paced throughout.
Of note, it does alot of this in really meta-smart ways, particularly the indirect ambiguousness in how they handled some of the younger victims in terms of gore. This kinda thing stands out as kind of a big middle finger to larger studios that would never allow that, while toeing the line just enough to keep it within reason. If this Damien Leone understands anything, it is the anatomy of a kill scene. It's where he shines and thankfully where the movie focuses a good bulk of its runtime.
If I could have one wish, it'd be to forget the larger story almost entirely. I just do not care. But noone expecting well built characters and riveting lore here, so all I can really ask is that any lore they try to build...stupid as it is...doesn't detract from what attracts people to the franchise and thankfully it doesn't too much.
***Stop here to avoid two very minor, mostly inconsequential spoilers***
**I'm serious it gives away basically nothing but spoiler warning anyway**
*If you really don't want spoilers why are you reading reviews in the first place?*
All it's added is a couple narrative hats that change very little (spoilers he's a demon now, noone cares, changes nothing), which is fine and inoffensive, and they added one or two core mechanics to their wierd supernatural power system...though if I had a preference it'd be that if there must be a magic system, it be soft magic (does whatever, no clear rules) rather than hard magic (has strict, clear rules and therefore is exploitable) but hey, I've seen much, much worse. The only thing I really have any issue with is Art's new ability to talk through a proxy...although the words and personality match his physical performance, he should probably stay stfu to keep his sole appeal: that mimes are actually kinda cool. That's his thing and he should stick to it.