While most people know Noel Fitzpatrick as Channel 4’s The Supervet, before the 57-year-old was making bionic legs for animals, he was appearing in a number of other shows including the underrated 2003 horror flick, Ghost Rig.
Also known as The Devil’s Tattoo, the movie tells the eerie tale of environmental activists who board an abandoned oil rig to protest its destruction, only to find it completely deserted.
Noel plays Crawford, a wheelchair-bound oil rig worker who joins the group. It turns out he was injured on the same rig and wants to help save it.
While things begin happily for the bunch, it isn’t long before strange incidents begin to happen. One activist is fatally bitten by a rat, while an unknown sinister presence stalks the others. As tension mounts, survival becomes a nightmare of paranoia and possession, leading to a final twist that shocks.
Starring actor Jamie Bamber, who is best known for his turn as Lee Adama in Battlestar Galactica, Waterloo Road’s Heather Peace, and Game of Thrones Rory McCann.
Reaction to the film was mixed, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a modest 33% rating and noting that while the film veers toward cliché, some viewers found the atmosphere and twists intriguing.
One dedicated horror blogger wrote that, though it’s “not overly thrilling for most of the film… the last twenty minutes or so (which includes more than one plot twist) were pretty enjoyable. Noel Fitzpatrick in particular does a good job”.
For fans of Fitzpatrick (or lovers of low-budget horror) The Devil’s Tattoo is a rare chance to see the now-famous vet behind the camera, demonstrating early acting talent in a chilling setting.
Following his debut in horror, Fitzpatrick went on to take the lead in Live for the Moment (2004) and later appeared as Inspector Beckett in the thriller Framed (2008). After that, his acting credits gave way to veterinary pioneering. Now, Fitzpatrick’s TV fame comes from saving animals rather than fighting evil ghosts.
You can watch Ghost Rig/The Devil’s Tattoo on Amazon Video and Prime Video