Def by Temptation (1990) User Reviews

Not bad

[guyfromjerzee · 6/10 · 5 November 2004]

I think most of the bad reviews for this movie are from people who aren't familiar with the Troma franchise. Troma is an independent film company that showcases unique, unusual and often very twisted projects from up-and-coming filmmakers who can't get a break from other (more hypocritical) film companies. "Def by Temptation" is certainly the work of an amateur, but I can tell that James Bond III put his passion into the movie and he did make a moderately good effort. I can't lie and say that the movie doesn't look low-budget, but its cheapness adds to its charm. And there's never a dull moment. The acting is often good, since quite a few of the actors are alumni from Spike Lee's films. Bill Nunn, who many might remember as Radio Raheem in "Do the Right Thing," gives the strongest performance and to this day I feel like he's one of the many underrated actors who never gets proper recognition for his talent. As you can expect, though Samuel L. Jackson is on the cover of the DVD and video, he's only in the movie for about 15 minutes. Once again, cashing in on the popularity of a big-name actor, who wasn't such a big name at the time. Kadeem Hardison, who many remember as Dwayne Wayne on "A Different World," does a fine job in the lead role, as does the female lead who plays the Temptress. About the only bad apple in the bunch is the director himself, who plays second lead. Bond's performance just seems way too subdued and his emotions seem forced.

I understand he's supposed to play a laid-back, repressed, Bible-toting individual, but he plays the role a little too low-key. The concept of an all-black horror movie has been done before in films like "Blacula," but it's not a concept that has been repeated very frequently. Even in our supposedly politically correct times, the black characters still tend to die off significantly quicker than the white characters in scary movies. Some of the dialogue is a little too cheesy, but there's also a lot of funny dialogue. The movie takes itself more seriously than you'd expect, but it never gets too serious. Nowadays, we see tons of campy horror flicks that seem 90 percent comedy and 10 percent horror, so it's cool that Bond didn't want to go that route. From a technical standpoint, the film's best aspect is its lighting, especially during the bar scenes. The DP is Ernest Dickerson, who's worked on Spike Lee's films. The camera-work is sometimes shoddy, with some bad eyeline matching during the dialogue scenes, but the lighting is great. It was also fun to listen to the movie's hip soundtrack, mostly composed of R & B from the early 90's. It helps date the film, but not in a bad way. "Def by Temptation" is far from a masterpiece, but it's entertaining and unique. Just don't expect to see Sammy L. in a big role and you won't be disappointed.

What Llloyd said

[kosmasp · 5/10 · 29 November 2010]

Though I'm not sure if that's a badge of honor or not. Lloyd Kaufman (Mr. Troma himself) says in an intro video to the movie, that this is the best movie Troma has done ... ever. That might be saying more about the other movies than this one I guess ... But seriously though, I remember this from the first time I watched it and when I did re-watch it recently it did not age that badly. Especially if you consider the fact that it has no budget and many things that were "in" in the 80s, but look ridiculous now!

Don't be fooled by Samuel L. Jacksons face on the cover. Yes he is in the movie, but of course not really that much. The star of the movie is someone else. The dialogue seems crazy at times, but one particular dialogue is almost enough to rate this a "10" (no I haven't but the scene is really hilarious!) -> Reply being "we've got to do all that ...". You'll know it, when you hear it! I'm looking forward to listen to the audio commentary.

Another Below Average Black Exploitation Horror Film

[Blackace · 5/10 · 8 June 2000]

The only reason I'm even putting any comments in for this film is because I just finished reading an interview of Samuel L Jackson and someone asked him if he was still in contact with Troma. Jackson quickly said, "Hell No!!" And I can understand why. Def by Temptation is an all black cast vampire movie starring the writer/director James Bond III, Kadeem Hardinson and Mr. Samuel L Jackson himself. It centers around a black vampire Tempest who is seducing black men and then killing them through sucking their blood. The special effects are gory and the story is pretty predictable. The acting is pretty bad, but in a funny kind of way. As a whole the movie is definitely a bit below average. It's about as good as Eddie Murphy's Vampire In Brooklyn, but funnier and scarier at times. Is it worth seeing? Sure, it's worth at least one rental if there is absolutely nothing else at Blockbuster that you want to see. Otherwise, drive a stake into this movie, cause it's dead.

More of a Religious movie than a Horror movie

[larry-522 · 27 June 2006]

This movie had more of a religious theme than a horror theme. I enjoyed it and recommend it. It is low-budget but a good first effort for James Bond, III. There are a lot of know people from the 80's and 90's in the movie who, I am sure, were just there for the publicity; however, some of the actors actually did a pretty good job, including James Bond, III, who also played in Spike Lee's SchoolDaze along with Samuel L. Jackson. There are movies with bigger budgets that are nowhere near as good as this movie. The storyline and creative aspect of the movie are much better than the set and location. If this movie would have had at least a couple more million dollars in the budget, It would have been a hit and everyone would know about it.

Wack - Don't be tempted to see it!

[FieCrier · 2/10 · 31 January 2004]

Atmospheric, erotic, sleek, poignant, original? Def By Temptation is none of these. Painfully slow, painfully boring. Terrible cinematography, lighting and editing. Terrible acting. Terrible music. Nothing worth seeing.

Samuel L. Jackson is prominently featured on the front and back of the DVD box, and the DVD menu, and his name appears first on the front and back of the box's credits. He's barely in it!

The DVD box states there is "Commentary by Fangoria Managing Editor Michael Gingold" and "Commentary by VideoHound author Mike Mayo." Think that means there's feature- length audio commentary by them? Think again! They are seen talking about the movie for less than two minutes each in videos in the special features section. There is only one audio track for the movie, and no commentary track by anyone.

Cynthia Bond, playing the "Temptress" is not pictured or even credited on the box. Little wonder! She's a very homely looking middle-aged woman. Still, she's one of the main stars of the movie, and that's hardly fair to her to not credit her on the box.

Not sure what this what was shot on. DVD has full-frame presentation only.

New York is wild - nothing seems normal - everything seems out of place.

[film-critic · 3/10 · 11 August 2005]

When you look at the title of this film, what do you think the word Def means? At first, I thought that it may have something to do with the hearing of the main character. Perhaps he would fight this evil while having a physical defect. If you thought the same as I, well ... I hate to tell you this ... but you are wrong. I believe that this is actually a misspelling of the word "death". Now, I cannot be certain, but if you watch this film than look at the title it only makes sense. Imagine if this film were called Death by Temptation, wouldn't you know more about what this film was about than if it were called Def By Temptation? I believe that by shortening the title, the filmmaker lost some of their audience. A word of advise to those looking to title films out there ... always complete the entire title no matter the length, you will yield better results.

Now, let's get into the "nitty gritty" of this film. The acting was amateur, the cinematography was preschool standards, and the overall plot of this film reached further than I could when I was in high school. Kadeem and Samuel L. Jackson headline this film, but it is really a film about Joel. Why isn't his face on the cover of this film? This may have helped as well because then viewers would not have been so anxious to see just Jackson or Hardison, they would have wanted to see what this film was truly about. This was nothing more than Troma capitalizing on two more famous people than the main character played by James Bond III. Not even Jackson could perform well in this film. His portrayal of a father/minister seemed too over-the-top and controlling. I needed more substance, and I think this is what was generally missing from this film. Substance. By the second succubus killing, I didn't care anymore. I felt that they had spent too much time on her, because she was the "beauty" part of this film, and therefore rushing the remaining portion of the movie.

If you were to ask me the question about "K" and Joel being friends, I would not have believed it. The characters were so poorly written and acted that you could tell that they were just going through the motions. Then, as if brought out of thin air, "K" befriends Dougy (the undercover Federal Agent) to fight this evil creature. AND ... where did Grandma come from? These actions were taking place over the course of one night, how could she suddenly get from North Carolina to New York without being winded? If I were "K" or even Joel, I would question the Grandmother more than the succubus. If you watch some of the comments before the film, there is an interview with a gentleman from Troma that talks about how the camera guy left at the end of the film to "bigger and better things", and you shouldn't be able to tell the difference in one camera style from the other. Well, this was yet again another wrong statement. The end of this film was nothing like the beginning, and the change of camera style was very evident. Needless-to-say, I was impressed with one aspect of this film. There was one scene when "K" was chewed into the television, and I thought that was a very well produced shot. Why couldn't the rest of the film be more like this?

Overall, I wasn't impressed with this one. It did make me interested in seeing more Troma films, but definitely stay clear of the one entitled Def By Temptation.

Grade: * out of *****

Don't let the Def tempt you

[labratst · 1/10 · 27 August 2001]

***SPOILER***

Like the moron I must be, I rented this movie because I like vampire films and I like Samuel L. Jackson. Maybe I didn't do enough research or something, because when the video box says that the movie "stars" Samuel L. Jackson and is what Vampire in Brooklyn should have been, I foolishly thought that (a)Samuel L. Jackson would be in the movie for more than 5 minutes (b) It would be about a vampire (c) it would be better than Vampire in Brooklyn. Boy was I wrong. I respect it as an ambitious independent film but I would have been more impressed had it been the first attempt at film-making. This was amateurish with a capital "A". A few genuinely frightening moments, but they were bookended by some genuinely terrible moments. If you are looking for a fun movie to "MST" with friends at a late night Halloween party...this is a good choice. Otherwise, beware of this temptation.

Good Elements, but Missing that Spark

[Reviews_of_the_Dead · 7/10 · 15 March 2023]

This is a movie that I'm not entirely sure when I first heard about it. I knew that it existed and that it was a more modern take on blaxploitation, but that was about the extent. I watched this in celebration of Black Appreciation month. It also doubles as Women Appreciation since it features Cynthia Bond as the temptress.

Synopsis: an evil succubus is preying on libidinous black men in New York City and all that stands in her way is a minister-in-training, an aspiring actor and a cop who specializes in cases involving the supernatural.

We start this off in the present day of NYC. The movie introduces us to a bartender, John Canada Terrell, who doesn't have much in the way of morals. He is setting up a rendezvous with a married woman when Temptation (Bond) shows interest. We see that she has a dark secret though.

From there, the movie then takes us into the past. It is in North Carolina where Minister Garth (Samuel L. Jackson) is practicing his sermon. In one of the pews is Joel (Z. Wright). We see a figure behind him. That night Garth dies in a car accident. Joel (played by James Bond III as an adult) wakes up from a nightmare.

Then we go back to NYC. There we are following K (Kadeem Hardison). He is an independent actor. He likes to go to a local bar where Dougy (Bill Nunn) hits on women that come there, but not successfully. This is the same bar that Temptation frequents. There is a new bartender though, this other one is Guy Davis. This place is quite popular and Temptation can take a different guy home each night. Even K is entranced and falls for her charm.

Joel then comes to visit. He isn't quite ready for a city like this, which causes him to butt heads with K. It doesn't help that Temptation doesn't seem to acknowledge that she knows him. She is more interested in Joel. K tries to warn him, but he won't hear any of it. He is faced with a crisis of faith that could cost him even more.

That is where I'll leave my recap and introduction to the character. Where I want to start is that this is an interesting little movie. What is intriguing here is that we have limited sets, but it doesn't feel that contained. Looking back there is the house in North Carolina, the bar, K's apartment and Temptation's place. Each one is distinct and realistic. The bar feels like one I've been to, the house in NC feels authentic. The best two locations though are K's and Temptation's places. They have character in different ways.

What carries this movie though is the acting. I was glad to see Haridson in this. He's an actor that I don't see a lot of, but when he is, he has a quirkiness about him that I like. Nunn is solid in his awkward character. There is a reveal that I didn't necessarily see coming. He's funny ahead of that. James Bond III is on the weaker side. I understand being the writer/director and casting yourself. He's fine as this naïve character. I also think that Cynthia Bond is solid as the temptress. Other than that, I don't mind the Jackson cameo. Minnie Gentry is solid as the grandmother. The rest of the cast, including the victims are solid.

I'll then shift over to the creature in this one. I know people refer to it as a vampire, but it is a succubus. This is an underutilize monster in movies so I like that this one does. There is a gripe that I'm also going slide in as well. If you don't know, a succubus is a female demon that preys on men. Cynthia Bond is attractive and uses her sexual well so that fits. What I like is that she tortures the men in a way. She attacks them and ravages their bodies. These demons are also supposed to use dreams which this one does as well. I even thought that having her name be Temptation was good. What I don't like is the title Def by Temptation. When it clicked home what they're doing, it works on multiple levels and a pun. I groaned when it connected. It is a joke that I would make with my wife and she would react that way so I shouldn't be too hard either.

I should then take this over to the crux of the film. This is a film about religion and the crisis of faith. This gets introduced from the beginning with the nightmare. Once Joel shows up, he becomes the focus of Temptation. It seems that she knows that his faith in God could be her downfall so her goal is to entice him. I don't mind this idea even though I'm not religious. Since we are dealing with a demon, this is a fitting story to tell.

The only other aspect of the story deals with Dougy. Originally, I thought they were just using him as comic relief. There is a reveal to him that is brought up in the synopsis. He's coming to this bar for a reason. He's also focusing on Temptation. I did notice that she is there and could probably hit it off with her, but he doesn't. He is always focusing on other women. His game isn't very good which is why I thought he was in this for laughs. There is more to it. I don't know if I fully love it though. It does add a bit more and helps with explaining things so I understand why it is here.

All that is left then to go into would be with the filmmaking. The cinematography here is fine. That is probably the strongest part of the movie along with the effects. We get an interesting scene with K in his apartment that involves his television. The dreamlike look of Temptation's apartment. The nightmares that Joel has as well. I'd say that how they're shot and framed are good with the effects helping bring different things to life. Other than that, there is the soundtrack. I thought that it fit for what was needed without necessarily standing out.

In conclusion, this movie is an interesting one. It would technically fall into blaxploitation, but with how it is managed, it does it with a serious tone. It is interesting that this is a Troma film as it is on the tamer side for them during this era. I liked the entity that we get here. It is one that we don't necessarily see a lot of. There are good elements, while others that don't work as well. I think cutting out parts of the comedy would help. There is a solid enough cast and this is well-made. Won't be for everyone, but an odd movie from the early 1990s.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10.

Great waste of time

[owi2001 · 1/10 · 21 February 2009]

Well, I really tried! But it didn't help. This movie is so bad it hurts. Dull screenplay, amateurish acting and very bad visuals. And though Ernest R. Dickerson might be the only artist/technician on this project, it didn't amount to nothing but the look of a home-video. And then the soundtrack: O boy, this is even worse than the famous Glen-or-Glenda soundtrack! The sound-quality is very low (home video again) and the music is just horrible and without any connection to the plot whatsoever. I really like low-budget movies, as far as there is any vision you can explore or at least: something. There's nothing here, I can assure you.

This blaxploitation horror is a dog of a film

[Leofwine_draca · 2/10 · 14 July 2016]

This cheap and cheesy all-black horror film is about a female demon in human form who goes around killing sexually promiscuous men. It's as simple as that, and a plot that's not necessarily bad given the right treatment. A pity, then, that the execution is all wrong in this often laughable amateurish effort, which was unsurprisingly distributed by the team at Troma.

Everything about this film is bad, from the dated attempts at stylish direction to the rubbish acting (the possessed woman goes way over the top) and the even-more awful gooey effects. I used to see this film around on VHS and DVD back in the day although I never got around to purchasing it, and now I can see why.

Really, the only reason anyone would go out of their way to watch this film these days is to see a few famous actors in early roles. Bill Nunn (SPIDER-MAN) is here as an erstwhile hero while Samuel L. Jackson plays a preacher. Kadeem Hardison (DRIVE) is also present. The blame for this film's failure can be laid at the door of writer/director/star James Bond III, who definitely bit off more than he could chew. As a blaxploitation horror film, it's a dog.

Def by Temptation

[Scarecrow-88 · 8/10 · 1 February 2007]

K(Kadeem Hardison)must find away to stop a succubus/vampire/temptress(Cynthia Bond)from securing the desires of his young minister brother, Joel(James Bond III, who also produced and directed)who is visiting him from a bible belt town from North Carolina. He'll seek help from ladies' man wannabe Dougy(Bill Nunn, well cast)who frequents a popular pick-up bar. The temptress, as seen in flashbacks through Joel's nightmares, caused the car crash and death of his parents. This would be the ultimate victory for the succubus if she could cause a man of God to follow his fleshy lust and fornicate. We see the succubus claim several male victims she picks up in bars through various vicious attacks(Dickerson often shades the violence through some creative photography and set-ups perhaps because the money for the budget was tight and using the imagination was crucial). Will Joel remain faithful to the Lord or surrender his lusts to a demon? Can his brother, K, somehow help Joel before it's too late?

Exceptionally well made considering it's minuscule budget thanks to cinematographer Ernest Dickerson's amazing, imaginative camera-work. The acting is off at times, providing some awkward moments, but the direction is potent enough to hold interest. The plot and decision to use all black performers adds a special ingredient to the horror genre. James Bond III is weak in the lead, but has enough charismatic supporters around him to sell the picture. The low rating on this site is ridiculous.

I Should Have Been Wise To DVD Blurbs By Now

[Theo Robertson · 3/10 · 19 August 2003]

I saw this on DVD and if you`ve seen the DVD case I`m talking about you`ll know that both the name and face of Samuel L Jackson is the most prominent thing on the DVD cover but don`t be fooled because when you play the DVD you`ll notice Jackson is credited fourth in the opening credits . So let`s see Jackson`s face and name are plastered all over the front cover and he`s credited as being fourth in the opening credits behind three other actors I`ve never heard of ! You really do feel this might not be a star vehicle for Hollywood`s funkiest black dude . Well guess what - It`s not , and DEF BY TEMPTATION isn`t the only DVD cover to con a potential audience into thinking they`re going to be watching a star name in a recent movie . Have you ever noticed DVD covers never mention what year the film was made ? They only mention when the DVD was issued .

That aside I wasn`t all that taken with the movie itself . It probably did have potential but all the potential is suffocated by a non exsistent budget , the camera work is very static while there doesn`t seem to be more than three or four sets . Strangely though despite it having a grade Z budget the cast give performances far in excess than the film probably deserves , but the story is just basically " Female vampire goes on the prowl for victims " which isn`t exactly riviting

Please note that Samuel L Jackson only appears in three short scenes

Grade 'A' 'B' Movie!

[sylvar-3 · 6 February 2001]

This is more than a, 'blaxplotation' film. It has deep, 'religious overtone's' Director Bond was attempting to make a point to that, 'male unsatisfied lust'! Doing this by way of a scary demon temptress called, 'Temptation'! It was meant to scare, and make you think. (Unfortunately a fixed film budget can only go so far when you're making a horror film which requires special effect's on the order of the, 'Exorcist'.) Mr. Bonds point was well taken here! I recommend the rental!

Licensed to make weak horror movies.

[BA_Harrison · 4/10 · 21 January 2019]

Directed by and starring James Bond III from '70s TV show The Red Hand Gang, Def by Temptation is an all-black horror ruined by dreadful dialogue (much of which sounds like it was improvised?), choppy editing, zero scares and an ending that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

Kadeem Hardison plays 'K', a streetwise New Yorker who meets an attractive woman (Cynthia Bond) in a bar who is, in reality, a succubus who picks up men, has sex with them and then feeds on them. Before 'K' can become lunch for the demoness, his best friend Joel (James Bond III), a minister in training, catches her eye. When 'K' realises the truth about the temptress, he teams up with an undercover government agent to try and save his pal from becoming prey.

Dreadful early '90s fashion, lots of neon and smoke, and a surfeit of tacky directorial stylings (the worst being the sex scene during which a saxophone player, silhouetted in the background, warbles a tune) all go to make this an amusing time capsule, but as a horror film it's a dud.

The aforementioned incomprehensible finale sees Hardison eaten by a television (his remains spewed out of the screen), and Joel somehow transported to the home of his mother (at least I think that's what happens), where he is confronted by his dead father (Samuel L. Jackson in a role he'd probably rather forget) before finally defeating the succubus with his glowing wooden cross.

Anything But Def

[view_and_review · 4/10 · 20 March 2020]

For all the hip-hop heads and cats older than 35 you know that the term def was synonymous with dope, bad, raw, tight, fly, sick, ill, noice, fresh, or more recently, fire. If a person said "those shoes are def" or "that song is def" that meant they really liked it. Even still, with a title like "Def by Temptation" you expect the movie to be boo boo. And it was.

A fine and promiscuous barfly was bedding one man after another and killing them. Her ultimate goal was to destroy Joel (James Bond III), a minister in training. Joel had an inexplicable urge to go to New York and stay with his life long friend K (Kadeem Hardison). Little did he know he was subconsciously heeding the siren call of the fly demon (that's fly as in def).

K figured out what the haps was and hooked up with his homie Dougy (Bill Nunn) to waste the murdering mistress. They failed to do so, but Joel, through his strong faith, was able to conquer the she-demon known as Temptation.

Like I said, the movie was wack. The woman was a demon that had the characteristics of a vampire. I mean, she had no reflection for goodness sake--that is the mark of a vampire if there ever was one.

For my time I wanted to see Kadeem Hardison, Bill Nunn, and Samuel L. Jackson, three well known actors. Kadeem was a comedic breath of fresh air while SLJ had a tiny role and Bill Nunn's character was pretty weak. No way they do such a movie as this later in their careers, but when you're just starting out work is work.

The movie was clearly low budget. In fact, I'm sure all the actors were paid in IOU's. The movie looked like one long 90's music video. If they played Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, and Jodeci songs throughout I would have believed it was a music video. Just think of the old school late night BET commercials for selling love song CDs---that's the look this movie had.

John Canada Terrell

[londa1201 · 2/10 · 13 June 2012]

The movie was poorly written but i thought it was some really funny scenes in there. The ugly Grandma, John Canada Terrell's ding dong jangling all the way to the door until the beast tore him up. Dwayne Wayne getting sucked through the TV hilarious. I even wrote John C Terrell on Facebook and told him was jangling that little ding-dong. Almost forgot when the Demon lady stuck her claws all the way up the homo's butt that took the cake. Boy did she get really ugly in the end i wonder if John C Terrell will get naked in something again that was such a funny scene to watch will never forget it. There is stuff he can take for shrinkage.

AVOID AVOID AVOID ~ this is trash of the worst kind

[FountainPen · 1/10 · 25 February 2018]

RUBBISH ! I note that IMDb member "babygraceblue" rated this film 10/10, titling his/her review "Def By Temptation: High Caliber Horror". Hmmm... yet another very suspicious rating, and when I checked the member's record, I find he/she has reviewed only TWO movies in 17 years! So is the person a cast or crew member, or a friend or relative? That sort of review is plain ridiculous and does a disservice to the IMDb, frankly. This "movie" is not worthy of being called a movie ~ and do the people playing the characters actually consider themselves actors? Really? They come across as hideous caricatures. Another bad joke. The sex scenes are asinine and embarrassing, disgusting, in awful taste. This picture is a painful, amateurish attempt at movie-making, pitiful and despicable. The cinematography stinks; I honestly cannot think of one good point about this dreadful flick. Was it supposed to be a horror film? Well, it sure was horrible! AVOID it at all costs. I've rated and reviewed thousands of movies over decades (horror is one of my favourite genres), and recommend running away from this horrible thing. 1/10.

I enjoyed this film very much.

[robert-259-28954 · 9/10 · 8 December 2012]

I give this film high marks in spite of its limitations, which are primarily budgetary only. I thought the casting was perfect, particularly in Kadeem Hardison (who's career I had thought should have been, by rights, much larger), and Cynthia Bond, who's feature turn as the succubus was terrific—both terrifying and seductive at the same time. There were references to this film being firmly in the genre of "blackspoitation," but again, given the obviously low budget and other factors, I thought they did a bang up job with what they had to work with. Compared to say, "Vampire In Brooklyn," a big budget studio film starring Eddie Murphy, this little film succeeded in every important way, and in comparison fared so much better for all the reasons you watch a movie in the first place, two hours of solid entertainment. In this regard, I think the film succeeds quite well—funny, scary, hip and funky, with a strong undercurrent of the mystery of faith. I loved it.

Def By Temptation: High Caliber Horror

[babygraceblue · 10/10 · 13 March 2001]

"Def by Temptation" is one of the sleekest, most genuine independent horror films to come out in the past 20 years. It is easy to dismiss its credibility due to the reputation Troma has built for itself (and the film does include plenty of creative gore), but it is one of the most poignant and original works of the modern horror genre. An original story, talented actors, great low-budget special effects and a skilled eye on the part of director (and writer/producer/actor) James Bond III for genuinely creepy visuals make this a horror film on the same scale of such other cult classics as "The Hunger" and "Nadja". It is a rarity to find a horror film that still focuses on old-fashioned traditions such as plot and character development, and this film has a refreshing amount of both. James Bond III is pioneer in the spirit of Oscar Micheaux, and has truly created a horror masterpiece with "Def by Temptation."

One of the scariest movie ever

[tampaaries · 10/10 · 10 November 2021]

This movie was scary and creepy, all that devil stuff is something that's real. This movie was low budget but it wasn't exactly a terrible movie. It definitely had alot of creepy scenes and a few well know actors were in this movie.

Supremely Underrated

[queeroid · 9/10 · 17 March 2020]

How this film has not gained a rabid cult following in the decades since its release, I truly have no idea. It rightfully deserves a place on any "Classic Horror" list.

One of the best movies with which Troma ever got involved.

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 29 February 2012]

James Bond III's ambitious "Def by Temptation" has entertaining characters, is done with style, and its theme is pretty universal; it doesn't necessarily have to apply just to religion. It deals with the challenges one faces on their way to finding their purpose in the world and the battles they fight with themselves.

The writer / producer / director also stars, as Joel, a divinity student from North Carolina who's uncertain of his future and thinks that visiting his brother 'K' (Kadeem Hardison), a film actor, in NYC will really do him some good. He finds that the city is, in his own words, a "wild" place. He won't find a better example of this aspect than the super sexy form of a predatory barfly, known only as Temptress (Cynthia Bond). She targets the horny men around her, and is in actuality a demon who knows that her greatest achievement will be the corruption of a pure soul such as Joel. 'K' comes to realize that this lady is bad news and tries desperately to save his brother.

The movie is enhanced by the moody and striking lighting schemes courtesy of the talented Ernest Dickerson, who of course went on to be a fine director in his own right, although Dickerson would have to leave the production early, forcing Troma boss Lloyd Kaufman to step in. Bonds' movie is equal turns gory, atmospheric, comedic, and erotic, and is overall an impressive effort.

Bond himself is admittedly quite low key in the lead role, but is inherently likable and one does want to see this guy rise to the challenge he's facing. Hardison lends his strong comic energy to his role; one particularly funny scene has Joel modelling various choices in clothing. Cynthia Bond is extremely alluring in the antagonist role; we can see that she would be pretty hard to resist. Bill Nunn is highly amusing as barfly Dougy whose attempts to pick up the ladies too often don't work out. It turns out, though, that Dougy has a surprise in store for characters and viewers alike. Melba Moore has a fantastic cameo as Madam Sonya, and it's likewise great to see Samuel L. Jackson as Joels' minister father, although fair warning to those who want to watch this movie for him: his screen time is quite limited.

There's a lot of blood splashed around for all of us gore hounds watching; an early scene where the red stuff pours out of a shower faucet is visually powerful; the eventual demon makeup is not too bad although Bond never does stress the horror elements of his movie too much. There IS a fun moment where a character is yanked into a TV, and that's certainly one of the highlights.

Those looking for B genre pictures that are above the norm would be advised to give "Def by Temptation" a look, as it really is nicely done.

Eight out of 10.

One of the most underrated vampire movies of the 90's!

[TalesfromTheCryptfan · 8/10 · 30 May 2006]

In New York City, there is a beautiful temptress (Cynthia Bond) who seduces men at bars then takes them to her place only to murder them and drain their blood as she's actually a vampire. Joel (James Bond III) is a student from out-of-town who just came to the city to seek the advice of his actor friend named K ( Kadeem Hardisan), he also shows Joel a good time around the big apple especially at bars then has the help of Joel and a detective to find out what's behind these bizarre murders.

Very interesting and underrated vampire blaxplotation thriller from writer-director-producer-star James Bond III. What works in this movie is a good storyline with some sex and violence around, the movie was released by the popular independent studio known as "Troma" in theaters and has gained a small cult following. The acting is very good especially the writing on the dialog, there's also some great cinematography that captures the mood and feel of this flick.

If your into vampire flicks or supernatural horror movies then i suggest you watch this one!

Also recommended: "Vamp", "Dracula" (1931), "The Hunger", "Vampire Hunter D", "Basic Instinct", "Bram Stoker's Dracula", "Near Dark", "Buffy The Vampire Slayer"( Movie and Show), "The Forsaken", "Innocent Blood", "Blackula", "Tales from The Hood", "Fright Night 1 & 2", "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust", "Blood The Last Vampire", "Blade Trilogy", "American Werewolf in London", "The Lost Boys", "Daughters of Darkness", "John Carpenter's Vampires", "From Dusk Till Dawn", "Salem's Lot" ( 1979 and 2004), "Once Bitten", "Lifeforce", "Demons", "Suspiria", "Interview with the vampire", "Queen of the Damned", "The Night Flier", "Evil Dead II", "Lair of the White Worm", and "Martin".

Stylish erotic horror film really takes the bite!

[emm · 8/10 · 22 January 1999]

Rarely does Troma release a "high-quality" movie. That's a big surprise! Every time, we get the puzzled feeling of their reputation in bringing us the best of the worst. DEF BY TEMPTATION is an exception, however, so it's no big deal that Tromaville gets whatever their fans can chew on. Even with an all-black cast, it's a very well made flick on an independent level. The dark atmosphere is what really makes this hot and spicy. It has a style of its very own, a vampire horror opus that involves seduction, eroticism, and redrum...er, murder. Noteworthy is Samuel L. Jackson as a priest, but for an early screen appearance, don't expect much. If you're used to those 70s blaxploitation horror classics, including ABBY or SUGAR HILL, then consider this to be a special alternative to those glory days, only in a more updated fashion. A rock-solid example of how to make a personal movie, ladies and gentlemen.

Don't be tempted to see this loser!

[Michael_Pilkington · 21 April 1999]

There's nothing great about Troma's "blaxploitation" horror outing about a seductive vamp preying on men in New York. Ernest Dickerson's ("Jungle Fever," "Do the Right Thing") cinematography and Samuel L. Jackson's supporting performance as a priest are just some of the assets going for this trash, but nothing more. Personally, I prefer Pam Grier's 70s films over this loser. My evaluation: * out of ****.