I remember when The Devil’s Candy first dropped back in 2017. I liked it. Solid 3-star territory at the time. But revisiting it now, especially in this stacked new Second Sight limited edition, it hits harder. This thing probably deserved more love from me the first go-around.
First off, Ethan Embry. The guy is one of those actors who just quietly delivers every single time. I have been a fan since Dutch, grew up watching All I Want for Christmas, then eventually hit the teen years with Vegas Vacation and Can’t Hardly Wait. And later on, he absolutely crushed it in Cheap Thrills, which is still one of my go-to recommendations when someone asks for something wild. I even got to meet him at Texas Frightmare, and yeah, in this case, meet your heroes. Total class act.
Same goes for Sean Byrne. After loving The Loved Ones and The Devil’s Candy, I jumped at the chance to check out more of his work, and eventually even got to interview him for Dangerous Animals. Another one where the dude absolutely delivers. Byrne has a knack for making horror feel loud, personal, and just a little unhinged in the best way.
And that brings us back to The Devil’s Candy. This movie is metal as hell.
Not just because of the soundtrack, though that definitely rips, but because of how the entire film feels. It is loud, abrasive, and soaked in atmosphere. The imagery is striking, with Byrne and cinematographer Simon Chapman giving us these heavy, shadow-drenched compositions that feel like they were pulled straight from an album cover. There is a constant sense of dread simmering underneath, even when things appear calm.
At its core, this is a possession story, but it sidesteps the usual exorcism clichés. Instead of going full ritual mode, it leans into something more psychological and oppressive. The evil here seeps into creativity, family, and identity, which makes it feel fresh compared to the usual genre beats. As someone who watches a ton of horror, that kind of originality is always appreciated.
Ethan Embry carries a lot of that weight. His performance as Jesse, a struggling artist trying to hold his family together, feels real. You buy into his love for his wife and daughter, which makes the unraveling all the more effective.
Then you have Pruitt Taylor Vince as Ray. And yeah, it is always great seeing him pop up in anything, but he is especially effective here. His performance is deeply unsettling without going over the top. There is a sadness to him, but also a volatility that keeps you on edge every time he is on screen.
The finale is where everything really locks in. The tension builds in a way that feels earned, not rushed, and Byrne knows exactly how long to let things breathe before snapping the line. It is the kind of ending that sticks with you.
Now, let’s talk about this physical release, because this is where things get really exciting. Second Sight has given The Devil’s Candy the full collector treatment with this limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray box set.
You get a brand new 4K restoration with HDR and Dolby Vision, and the film absolutely benefits from it. The darker scenes have more depth, the highlights pop without blowing out, and all that gritty, shadowy imagery finally gets room to breathe. This is the best the film has ever looked, no question.
On top of that, the set is loaded with extras. There is an audio commentary from Sean Byrne, along with multiple new interviews with Byrne, Ethan Embry, and key crew like the cinematographer and editor. You also get behind-the-scenes material, a short film from Byrne titled Advantage Satan, and a ton of production insight that gives you a deeper appreciation for how this thing came together.
Physically, the package is exactly what collectors want. A rigid slipcase with new artwork, a 120-page book filled with essays, and a set of art cards round it out. It feels premium, not just like a disc tossed in a case.
This is one of those releases where the film and the packaging complement each other perfectly. A cult favorite that always deserved a little more attention finally getting the kind of treatment that makes people revisit it.
At the end of the day, The Devil’s Candy is absolutely a must-watch. It is a fresh take on possession horror, anchored by great performances, killer visuals, and a tone that hits like a distortion pedal cranked all the way up. And now, thanks to Second Sight, it is also a must-own.
Jessie Hobson