Def by Temptation

The story is set in New York City and revolves around the relationship between two childhood best friends: "Joel", who is raised by his religious grandmother after both of his parents are killed in a car accident and "K" who abandons his religious upbringing and moves to New York to become a movie star. The story opens as Joel (now a minister like his deceased father), becomes somewhat disillusioned with Christianity and decides to take a trip to New York to visit his friend, K. While awaiting Joel's arrival, K (played by Kadeem Hardison) visits the local bar and meets the perfect woman (played by Cynthia Bond)--who, in reality, is a succubus seeking blood and vengeance against any and all men foolish enough to be tempted by her.

Her 1st victim is a bartender who she took home after meeting him at the town bar. Her 2nd "victim" is a married man named Norman whom, she has given a Aids and back slashes to, which is a result of his wife shooting & killing him for sleeping with another woman. Her 3rd victim is a man named Jonathan who happens to be homosexual. Meanwhile, Dougy, a cop who deals in supernatural cases and K's friend, notices the men's disappearances after they leave with the Temptress.

While awaiting Joel's arrival K meets the Temptress at the bar, with a new bartender already replacing the 1st bartender. K and the Temptress spend most of the night together at the bar. Refusing to go home with her, K, having to be home in time to help Joel get settled in, practically saving his life. K catches up with Joel telling him about his career, his weapons, New York and about the Temptress he met.

The next night, Joel and K go to the bar to hang out. While K goes to the bathroom, Joel meets the Temptress, who pretends not to have met K before, leaving K confused and suspicious and Dougy tells K that the woman gives him weird vibes. Later that night, Joel and K talk about how Joel has been sheltered most of his life and how he can take care of himself.

The next morning, Joel prepared to go out on a date with the Temptress, she comes by the house still pretending like she doesn't know K. K, fully frustrated over having his feelings played with, calls her out over the pretending act, until he notices her not casting reflection in the mirror. The Temptress then grows hostile towards K. Joel and the Temptress leave, leaving K scared and certain of what he just saw.

At the bar, where Dougy is, K goes to inform him about his suspicions. Dougy tells K that he is finally certain about his suspicions about her. They look over past cases that Dougy has worked, showing K, that the men who leave with her are never to be seen again. K and Dougy go and see Madam Sonia, a fortune teller who reveals that the woman is a Succubus who murders men who are tempted by her and she then possesses Sonia to threaten K and Dougy.

K decides to tell Joel that he has already met the woman at the bar before Joel arrived. Joel refuses to believe the accusations and K tells Joel to go home for his safety. K then calls Joel's grandmother and informs her of the situations that have occurred for her to come to New York to save Joel.

Meanwhile, K and Dougy go to the bar, where the Temptress is, to tell the bartender to put blessed holy water in her drink and then to get away fast. The Temptress then has a reaction to the drink. K and Dougie run out of the bar, noticing K's car gone, they both split up. Dougie gets chased by a car, then getting in the backseat of another car, driven by the bartender who is actually a demon. Dougy is then attacked by another demon in the backseat.

Meanwhile, K, at his house, gets sucked into his TV, then blood & inner organ parts explode from the screen in geyser form leaving K stuck and screaming in the TV.

Joel then goes to the Temptress' house and is drugged by her. He then has a dream where the his father walks into his bedroom and seeing the woman in his bed naked. Joel, knowing his father is dead, doesn't believe it's really him. Joel then wakes up as his grandmother enters the room to be attacked the demon. Joel then grabs a cross and rebukes the Succubus, killing her once and for all. Joel and grandma then hug, happily surviving the attacks.

Later, Dougy arrives at the bar in a limo with K as his driver. Dougy then sits down at the bar, having a woman light his cigarette for him. Quoting an earlier suggestion by the Temptress, it has been revealed that he is now an Incubus.

The film ends with the recurring dream sequence of Joel running through smokey streets of New York.

• James Bond III as Joel Garth
  • Z. Wright as young Joel
• Kadeem Hardison as K
• Samuel L. Jackson as Minister Garth
• Bill Nunn as Dougy
• Cynthia Bond as Temptress
• Minnie Gentry as Grandma
• Melba Moore as Madam Sonia
• Najee as himself
• Freddie Jackson as himself
• Steven Van Cleef as Jonathan
• Sundra Jean Williams as Mrs. Garth
• Michael Michele (film debut) as Lady #6

Def by Temptation was theatrically released on May 11, 1990 and earned $54,582 in eleven venues.[3] At the end of its run, the film grossed $2,218,579.[2]

• Def by Temptation at IMDb
• Def by Temptation at AllMovie
• Def by Temptation at Box Office Mojo
• Def by Temptation at Rotten Tomatoes
• Def by Temptation – at the Troma Entertainment film database