Cameron is not a normal boy, even though he seems like one. His father also knows that Cameron is something special, a boy who can do things no other can do. There is a slight problem, though, because even though his father loves him, he is also scared of what Cameron can do, what he is capable of. His fears are realized that night as Cameron dreams, and when they come alive, his father dies. Cameron soon moves in with his mother, and his abilities that were previously cultivated and somewhat held in check by his father are now free to cause untold carnage. When a cop and a psychiatrist try to help after the death of Cameron’s mother’s boyfriend, they discover that it is not all Cameron’s fault, but an ancient evil that has found a perfect host.

For the most part, Cameron’s Closet feels more like an ABC movie of the week than a horror film, yet when those moments of terror show up, they are quite gory, and they make the audience pause and realize that, yes, this is a horror movie. There may not be a lot of it, nor even much atmosphere to suggest this would feature anything bloody or what have one, but when director Armand Mastroianni decides to give his viewers a bit of a fright, he does so in the best possible way. When these moments hit, they are without a doubt the best thing this feature has going for it, as the rest of it is just kind of there. The pace is slow, and Mastroianni builds very little suspense, which makes it feel even slower. Would that the story be a little stronger, maybe a little more focus upon the idol and its history, of the horror that came before, it might have lent a little more gravitas to the situation, but such as it was, it managed to do okay.

As for those who starred in it, there is nobody of note other than Tab Hunter, who was killed off early in the film; the budget probably went toward special effects rather than the cast. Not a bad thing, really, to make the film look as good as it can while hoping the people recruited can hold up their end. The jock actor was perhaps the funniest of the bunch, unintentional most likely, as he was so over the top, but he was at least memorable whereas the rest were not. Even the little boy, played by Scott Curtis, fails to hold one’s attention, yet he was more talented than many actors in horror movies like these.

The final act was the best part of the movie: the showdown between good and evil, and while one might hope for something unexpected, the makers delivered a happy ending to send viewers off with peace of mind. Cameron’s Closet isn’t a film anyone will have heard of today, and the more time marches on, the further it fades into obscurity. There is nothing to recommend it over other movies, but it is decent, middle-of-the-road fare that will occupy some time, at the very least.

2.5 out of 5