The Devil Conspiracy is a 2022 science fiction horror film written and produced by Ed Alan and directed by Nathan Frankowski. It stars Alice Orr-Ewing, Joe Doyle, Eveline Hall, Peter Mensah, Joe Anderson, Spencer Wilding, Brian Caspe and James Faulkner.

Filmed in the Czech Republic it was released at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival on September 10, 2022, and in theaters on January 13, 2023. The film received generally negative reviews from critics.

Plot
  

Lucifer leads a rebellion of fallen angels; God casts him down into Hell. The archangel Michael travels to Hell to chain his brother forever. Lucifer begs Michael to side with him, which he denies. 

In modern times, at a display of the Shroud of Turin, Laura Milton writes a thesis about good and evil. Father Marconi, a friend, gains her access to the exhibit, and details the battle of the angels, by a statue of Michael defeating Lucifer. Laura is skeptical, but stays to draw images of the art.

Meanwhile, Doctor Laurent showcases his biotech firm, which is able to resurrect past geniuses such as Michelangelo. However, the company is secretly a cult which wishes to break Lucifer out of Hell. The cult's leader, Liz, sneaks into the exhibit and kills a guard, using his head to deactivate the Shroud's security system. Marconi runs to stop her. Laura hides in a confession booth and witnesses Liz stab Marconi through the chest and recover the Shroud, while her men find and take Laura. Before Marconi dies, he asks Michael to use his body to stop them; Michael possesses it and travels out of the city. 

Michael uses information from priests and finds Cardinal Vincini, who holds him at gunpoint before realizing he is an archangel. Vincini explains the prophecy that the wicked woman and a beast of the Earth are to bring a child into the world as Lucifer's vessel. Michael realizes this is why the cult stole the Shroud, as a normal human body would not suffice, but cloning the DNA of Jesus might. A tremor breaks the rock sealing Lucifer, who breaks his chains and frees himself.

Laura is brought to the cult's facility along with three other women: Sophia, Brenda and Mia. Brenda keeps panicking; the others try to calm her. Medical staff gather blood from each woman. The women plan to escape by Mia pretending to be dead, but fail as more men arrive to subdue them. Laura and Sophia are brought to the castle's square dressed in wedding gowns, with cult members watching. They are chained while the Beast of the Earth grabs both women to depart down a chasm dividing Earth and Hell. Demons grab both of them and the spirit of Lucifer enters Sophia and kills her due to her inadequacy, and possesses Laura as she is a perfect match.

Michael enters the facility, kills guards, and breaks Laura out. They encounter the Beast and Laura is captured by guards while Michael escapes through the portal to Hell. He encounters Mammon and three other fallen angels, who explain that Michael is trapped and that the cult will prevail by bringing Hell on Earth. They leave and Michael is approached by trapped humans, who were previous unsuccessful sacrifices. He asks them to find his sword. Demons attack and chase them off. 

Liz tells Laura that Lucifer was justified in turning against God, and that her sacrifice will be glorious. It is revealed that Laura lost a child at birth and is angry at Liz tormenting her. Lucifer tempts Laura into killing Liz and joining him. She agrees and storms out, possessed by Lucifer. After stomping a guard's head, Laura breaks free of Lucifer's control and tries killing the fetus with bleach. Liz and Laurent arrive, with Lucifer possessing Laura to stop her. Meanwhile, the children find Michael's sword; Michael kills one of the fallen before they retreat. He promises to later return to save the children and flies back to Earth. 

Michael repossesses Marconi's body and heads back to the facility. He tries to help Laura but she is still possessed, and stabs him in the neck. Lucifer exhibits his plan of using humanity to destroy the world, but Michael details that this was God's plan all along, and says the child was to destroy Lucifer. Lucifer ragingly runs away and begs Liz to kill the child, but Liz denies and goes with the plan. Laura later gives birth to a healthy baby boy, and Liz takes him away to the square, having the Beast of Earth dispose of Laura in the chasm to Hell. Liz walks into the square with all the cult members bowing before the baby. Liz states that instead of baptizing him in holy water, he must be baptized in blood. Then, the beast kills all of the cult members to cover up the truth. Laurent holds and kisses the baby before Liz orders the beast to kill him. 

Michael saves Laura, and the two attack Liz, saving the child; Michael tells Liz the truth. She denies it and Laura drives away with the baby, with Michael going to the portal to close it. Many demons make for the portal: Michael closes it, but is attacked by the Beast, who re-opens it. Michael then destroys the portal using unused explosives meant to get rid of evidence of Hell, killing the Beast and destroying the facility. Vincini notices this and rejoices. 

Laura and Vincini bring the child to the Vatican. Michael frees the children from Hell. He then narrates that the world is saved and asks God to protect the now-older child. Liz later sees the child in a forest and whispers "Lucifer"; Lucifer's mist escapes his nose, but the child reabsorbs it.

Cast

Production
Principal photography took place in Prague and other Czech Republic locations from March to April 2019, under the tile, dEvil.

Release and box office
The Devil Conspiracy was released at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival on September 10, 2022. It was released  theatrically on January 13, 2023, in the United States and Canada.  It grossed $765,218 in the United States and Canada.  In Russia it grossed $193,793 and grossed $25,330 in Colombia, making a worldwide total of $984,341.

Critical reception
 

Dennis Harvey writing for Variety said "If they're game for CGI-laden eye candy that treats Biblical prophesies with about as much respectful seriousness as the National Treasure franchise did American history, they’ll be rewarded with a lively if overstuffed popcorn diversion".  Describing it as a mashup of The Da Vinci Code and Rosemary's Baby, he praised Frankowski's "colorful stylistic" direction but called Alan's script "jumbled".  Matt Donato from IGN gave the film a score of six out of ten, saying The Devil Conspiracy is a high-concept religious action flick with horror influences that sells its ambitions short but still entertains despite itself".

References

External links
 
 
 
 
 

2020s English-language films
2020s Italian-language films
American science fiction horror films
Czech science fiction horror films
Samuel Goldwyn Films films
Films shot in Prague
Films set in Prague
Films shot in the Czech Republic
Films set in the Czech Republic
Films about religion