The Sacrament
Eli Roth and Ti West team up to deliver a bone-chilling, horrifically realistic horror movie in The Sacrament.
After Patrick's (Kentucker Audley) sister Caroline (Amy Seimetz) sends Patrick a postcard about her whereabouts, Patrick feels uneasy about the getaway she is currently on. He enlists the help from his friends Jake (Joe Swanberg) and Sam (AJ Bowen) to come down to the Eden Parish and film a story for their New York based website, VICE.
Once the crew is assembled, they head down to meet up with Caroline, but immediately can tell that something is wrong with "Heaven on Earth". Caroline, along with many others at the parish, always mention Father, but never go into much detail about the enigmatic, yet beloved leader of the group. Sam forces Caroline to get a one-on-one interview with the leader and after making a rare exception, Father (Gene Jones) agrees.
The tension-filled interview is conducted at the stage pictured to the right and it is as creepy as it appears. Sam and Father have a unique back and forth that sets up the final, unbelievable half-hour of the film. Jaw dropping and disturbing, The Sacrament does everything it set out to accomplish.
The film, if watched closely, is eerily reminiscent of the Jonestown Massacre, one of the largest mass suicides of all-time, or at least in recorded history. The charismatic leader who brainwashes his massive following of lost souls is a very apparent theme that is near impossible to miss. West does a fantastic job building the story to the point where the viewer feels uneasy watching the film and feels a need to look away every once in a while just to get a break from the increasing tension.
Another aspect that The Sacrament does incredibly well is the realism of the film. All of the actors involved had great chemistry and the dialogue did not feel forced at all. While the film is shot in a documentary-like format, it gives the events an authenticity to them. Usually when watching horror films of similar nature, the audience expects ghost stories like Paranormal Activity, however, The Sacrament does not play any tricks with the audience. It is raw, it is disturbing, it is violent and it will affect the viewers.
This is a film that sticks with you for a long time and remember, DO NOT DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
Rating: 7/10
After Patrick's (Kentucker Audley) sister Caroline (Amy Seimetz) sends Patrick a postcard about her whereabouts, Patrick feels uneasy about the getaway she is currently on. He enlists the help from his friends Jake (Joe Swanberg) and Sam (AJ Bowen) to come down to the Eden Parish and film a story for their New York based website, VICE.
Once the crew is assembled, they head down to meet up with Caroline, but immediately can tell that something is wrong with "Heaven on Earth". Caroline, along with many others at the parish, always mention Father, but never go into much detail about the enigmatic, yet beloved leader of the group. Sam forces Caroline to get a one-on-one interview with the leader and after making a rare exception, Father (Gene Jones) agrees.
The tension-filled interview is conducted at the stage pictured to the right and it is as creepy as it appears. Sam and Father have a unique back and forth that sets up the final, unbelievable half-hour of the film. Jaw dropping and disturbing, The Sacrament does everything it set out to accomplish.
The film, if watched closely, is eerily reminiscent of the Jonestown Massacre, one of the largest mass suicides of all-time, or at least in recorded history. The charismatic leader who brainwashes his massive following of lost souls is a very apparent theme that is near impossible to miss. West does a fantastic job building the story to the point where the viewer feels uneasy watching the film and feels a need to look away every once in a while just to get a break from the increasing tension.
Another aspect that The Sacrament does incredibly well is the realism of the film. All of the actors involved had great chemistry and the dialogue did not feel forced at all. While the film is shot in a documentary-like format, it gives the events an authenticity to them. Usually when watching horror films of similar nature, the audience expects ghost stories like Paranormal Activity, however, The Sacrament does not play any tricks with the audience. It is raw, it is disturbing, it is violent and it will affect the viewers.
This is a film that sticks with you for a long time and remember, DO NOT DRINK THE KOOL-AID.
Rating: 7/10
