Jeryline Survives A Terrifyingly Monstrous “Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight”

Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight film poster. 

After some gratuitous nudity and murder, the humorous Crypt Keeper of the Tales From the Crypt television series introduces Demon Knight. 

A volatile car crash begins a random evening in Wormwood, New Mexico. It turns deadly still due to the unexpected arrival of those two drivers— a blue-eyed, quiet stranger named Brayker and The Collector, a charming, albeit humorous demon, that soon comes after him. Uncle Willy, an old man who loves to drink, leads Brayker to safety. That safety is The Mission— an old church turned hotel. Irene, the brash owner, overworks Jeryline and believes the girl shows her no gratitude. 

“If I hadn’t made a place for her, she’d be behind bars or dead,” Irene gripes to the guests including Brayker eating a plate of unattractive gruel that Jeryline just made for him. 

Jeryline (Jada Pinkett-Smith) locks eyes with the stranger Brayker....

Just as Irene (CCH Pounder) hands her the keys to Brayker’s room— number six of course. 

Irene and Jeryline’s relationship embodies a bitter business transaction as opposed to resembling a positively healthy mentee/mentor or mother/daughter type camaraderie between colleagues. Irene treats Jeryline as though she were still the thief sentenced to juvenile detention and not a young adult hoping for a change. Yet Irene softens to Wally, the fired mailman accused of stealing mail and Cordelia, the prostitute. Apparently in Irene’s eyes, these two symbolize higher contributors of polite society while Jeryline, who must harbor a more criminal intent, is made such a prime example that even Cordelia tries bossing Jeryline around. 

Irene (CCH Pounder), Jeryline (Jada Pinkett-Smith) and Brayker (William Sadler) look down on the gruesome remains of the decapitated cop. 

So Irene underhandedly calls the police on Brayker and the police have The Collector with them, not knowing how evil this wisecracking threat can be. This begins a night of horrors for the poor souls at The Mission: Irene, Jeryline, Brayker, Cordelia, Wally, Uncle Willy, Cleo— Jeryline’s little black cat, and Roach—Cordelia’s psychotic lover. Once they arrive, one cop is killed by The Collector. Others are viciously gored to bits one by one. Turncoat Roach is fully responsible for Irene’s arm being ripped apart by a demon and this mutilation is especially heinous. 

Irene (CCH Pounder) and Jeryline (Jada Pinkett-Smith) plan to make tea despite the alarming mess (dead demon bodies) in the kitchen. 

While the others are seduced by The Collector’s shallow promises (The Collector cannot physically enter the enchanted hotel sealed by Brayker’s blood relic, he can penetrate minds), Jeryline and Irene are the ones who fight him off— although it does take a moment for Jeryline to break the hold. Deputy Bob also did not succumb, though he has no scene deceptions like the others. Jeryline is shown travels to Italy and model photo shoots and Irene is shown a new replacement arm centering a decorated fruit platter. This perhaps calls to the lives these women lived prior to these dark events. That the hard, gritty small city life has no American dreams for Black people, for Black women. Jeryline and Irene’s prior circumstances let The Collector know that they not desire his falsely advertised lies. 

Jeryline (Jada Pinkett-Smith) is pulled in a surreal dream space, mostly white and Puritan, tying in with the biblical ties the film suggests. 

The Collector (Billy Zane) has a whole arm waiting for Irene. 

And Irene (CCH Pounder) doesn’t take the bait! 

But oh how quickly Cordelia, Wally, Uncle Willy, and Roach were quick to believe. 

Irene’s eventual sacrifice is reminiscent of Jacqui’s in The Walking Dead’s first season. Both older Black women ultimately use their bodies as weapons to protect others. Jacqui felt that since she lost her whole family, she had no reason to move forward in the zombie apocalypse and blows up in a military compound. Irene, most likely feeling useless with having one arm and no way of surviving a single night without receiving proper medical care, straps herself up with grenades. Thus, she wanted Jeryline, Brayker, and Danny, the stray child, to survive a night that she couldn’t. She is not alone either. Bob is right there with her. Also like Jacqui, Irene has someone willing to go the long haul. Still, it is never an easy watch, even in this fictionalized horror film, seeing a Black woman willingly die. 

Brayker (William Sadler), Jeryline (Jada Pinkett-Smith), and Cleo head up before the explosion ignited by Irene and Bob. 

Possessed Uncle Willy and Danny both badly wound Brayker. With his last breath, Brayker exchanges the relic with Jeryline, telling her she is the new Chosen and the seven stars appear on her hand. Unfortunately due to Brayker’s death, the seals made by the blood relic are gone and that leaves Jeryline to handle The Collector by herself. 

And let’s just say that she uses knowledge and instinct to kick serious butt. 

Tidbits— William Sadler who stars as Brayker played Sheriff Jim Valenti on Roswell (also set in New Mexico), a favorite television shows during high school tenure. Jada Pinkett-Smith plays Jeryline also is the lone survivor in Set It Off, leaving again on a bus here and in Jason’s Lyric. CCH Pounder plays Irene and appeared as Brenda, the headstrong owner, in Bagdad Cafe. Rick Bota, the cinematographer (applause for the photo stills), also worked as DP on the Tales From The Crypt TV series and the film director Ernest Dickerson vouched high for Pinkett-Smith over the studio’s preference for Cameron Diaz. Thank heavens for that. 

Jeryline (Jada Pinkett-Smith) manages to save herself. Cleo’s life is unknown. 

Other than that, Tales From The Crypt: Demon Knight mixes weird humor and jump-scare moments and feels heavily steeped in its outdated material, but it’s nice to see Black women unafraid to be brave, to fight the monsters in the dark. Just wish we saw what happened to the little black cat though.