The First Power (1990) review

LAPD detective Logan (Lou Diamond Phillips) is in hot pursuit of serial killer Channing (Jeff Kober) - whose "trademark" is carving a pentagram into the skin of his victims - and eventually captures him, the state executes him and then he comes back in demonic form (with the ability to "possess" people) which requires the help of psychic Tess Seaton (Tracy Griffith).  I remember seeing this when I was a kid and being a little creeped out (twelve-year-olds with active imaginations are its ideal demographic), because as an adult I can't believe it cost $10 million dollars to make something this unintentionally hilarious (Mykelti Williamson getting trampled by a horse! the Irish bag lady! the Sacred Crucifix Knife!) with truly terrible dialogue and acting (Griffith, in particular, is quite bad). Phillips does his best to take it seriously, but there's really no saving it - the "scare" ending suggests they were thinking of making a sequel, and it's a good thing they didn't.