Did you ever wonder what it would be like to live in a world where things both scary and beautiful dwell? Where all of your sins are forgiven and you get to live in the night forever? How about a place where the monsters are the heroes and the humans are the villains? If you answered yes to any of the above then this may be the flick for you. Clive Barker brings the underground world of Midian and the Night Breed to life in the movie version of his book Cabal.

The story opens with Aaron Boone (Craig Sheffer) a psychiatric patient who dreams of a place called Midian. A world inhabited by an ancient race of monsters some of which are pretty scary but also some that are beautiful. He confides in his shrink, Dr. Decker (David Cronenberg). Decker manages to convince Boone that he has committed unspeakable crimes because of these murders that Boone has described in his dreams.

Boone finds his way to Midian, an old cemetery far off the beaten track. He falls asleep there and awakes after dark. When the monsters come out and play he finds himself ready to be a tasty snack. He is bitten by one of the monsters and manages to get away. There's a chase through the cemetery and then right into the waiting headlights of quite a few policemen and Dr. Decker. I don't think Decker is the type of guy I'd trust my mental stability to. He tricks the police into shooting Boone and killing him. He's taken to morgue, where he wakes up. He then returns to Midian and joins the Night Breed.

Decker, determined to find the last of the Night Breed and wipe them out of existence, rallies the local police against them. He convinces them that they are in danger and they must be destroyed. The hunt is on and there could possible even be a body count in the not so distant future!

Are you hooked yet? To find out what happens next, you'll have to check it out for yourself. This is one of my all time personal favorites. I've always loved the idea of the monsters being the good guys and for once this movie comes through. There is almost a sense of history when you watch this. The storyline is connected to an ancient prophecy, you see it documented deep in the heart of Midian. It picks up form the moment Boone is bitten and carries through to the end. The Night Breed are as old as the humans they're hiding from. They have been hunted and persecuted all through out time. These are not just your mindless, wandering zombies, bumping around in the dark with little or no direction, they have personalities and traits that make them individuals. They live in a society that consists of rules and ritual and there's significance to the fact that they're hiding from their biggest danger...Humans. You get the impression that the true monsters of this tale are the humans themselves. I love that about this movie!

The movie also moves along at a great pace, there aren't to many slow parts. The music (Danny Elfman) sets the tone and mood with out being a distraction. The lighting and the total creation of the cemetery and of Midian were done beautifully. The Tabernacle, in the heart of Midian, has the look and feel of a place of worship. It seems vast and timeless. The colors are rich and there is so much detail, you almost have to watch the movie more than once to take it all in. The scenes themselves make the world of Midian complete. Not to mention the make up effects! I loved the time and care that was put into making each character an individual. There are no two monsters that look alike. I love when make up is done with out the aid of computers. You go back to the older movies and see the progression of some pale grease paint and black eyes and you then move on to the appliances that took four hours to put on. Not to mention the time it took to make them! There was a lot of thought put into matching the make up with each character's personality. When you put that much time into each and every monster, it's almost impossible not to appreciate the end product.

I love a good horror movie. Especially one with more than your normal gore and cheesy catch phrases. I highly recommend this one to all who are somewhat critical when it comes to storylines. This is a movie I enjoy and find myself watching over and over again. I still manage to catch things I missed and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.