Celia Rand—Artifact: Devil

       Devil (2010), produced by M. Night Shyamalan, is a psychological horror film in which five strangers are trapped in an elevator while a series of mysterious and violent deaths occur. As tension rises, the film reveals that one of the people inside the elevator is Satan himself, punishing those who have committed moral wrongs in their past. I chose Devil because it presents Satan not as a monstrous, horned demon, but as something far more unsettling: an ordinary human presence hidden in plain sight. This portrayal aligns strongly with cultural fears surrounding trust, guilt, and moral corruption in modern urban life.

Connection to Seven Theses:

Thesis 1: Cohen says monsters represent the fears of the culture that creates them. In Devil, Satan represents modern fears about guilt, crime, and not knowing who to trust. The elevator setting reflects fear of being trapped with strangers in city life.

Thesis 2: Cohen explains that monsters never fully disappear. In Devil, even after Satan is revealed, the movie suggests he can return whenever people act selfishly or harm others. This shows that evil cannot be completely stopped.

Thesis 3: Cohen says monsters blur clear categories. In Devil, Satan looks like a normal person, not a demon. This makes it hard to tell the difference between human and monster.

Thesis 4: Each character is isolated by their secrets and moral failures. Satan exploits these differences, showing how division and mistrust allow evil to thrive.

Thesis 5: Cohen argues that monsters warn people not to cross certain lines. In Devil, Satan punishes people for their past wrong actions. The movie suggests that immoral behavior will eventually have consequences.

Thesis 6: Cohen says people are scared of monsters but also drawn to them. While watching Devil, viewers want to know who Satan is and who will survive. The movie makes the audience judge the characters, which creates interest and tension.

Thesis 7: Cohen says monsters keep returning because they reflect human behavior. In Devil, Satan appears when people lie, hurt others, or act selfishly. The movie suggests the Devil exists because humans continue to create the conditions for evil.