Woodyanders
Two journalists follow a man who's searching for his missing sister to a remote religious woodland retreat called Eden Parish which turns out to be anything but the paradise that it initially appears to be. Writer/director Ti West ably crafts a subtle, yet still potently unsettling sense of pure dread and unease that gradually culminates in a positively bloodcurdling mass suicide at the startling climax. Moreover, West grounds the compelling premise in a thoroughly believable everyday reality; it's the fact that the events depicted in this film are within the realm of possibility that in turn gives this picture an extra chilling power, with the obvious similarities to the infamous Jonestown massacre in particular providing an additional frightening plausibility. The excellent acting by the capable cast further keep this movie humming: Joe Swanberg as cynical cameraman Jake Williams, AJ Bowen as eager reporter Sam Turner, Kentucker Audley as the concerned Patrick, and Amy Seimetz as perky ex-junkie Caroline. Character actor Gene Jones contributes a stand-out portrayal of affable and charismatic cult leader Father. A supremely strong and unnerving winner.
MattBirk
A slow burn horror movie that builds up atmosphere and dread, The Sacrament is a wild ride! This is a movie that demands a developed attention span because it slowly builds up the setting before the climatic 3rd act. I went into the movie knowing nothing about the real life events of 'Jonestown', which made this a very welcomed surprise. It's crazy to see how someone can manipulate people and basically convince them of anything you tell them. You may know where the movie is heading, but you don't necessarily know how they get to that point and that's what makes the movie exciting.The ending definitely does not shy away from the brutality of the story and more than makes up for the intensity of those events. My only real complaint is about the ending where guns come into play and sort of complicate things. They are obviously there as a reason to put the main characters in immediate danger, but it felt out of place to me.Outside of that, if you don't know anything about 'Jonestown', this will certainly be a pleasant surprise. It immediately inspired me to look into the real events which the movie was based on, which is a great thing for a movie accomplish.
David Arnold
Patrick, a young photographer, receives a letter from his sister, Caroline, inviting him to come along to a place she has been staying at called Eden Parish. Seeing an opportunity for a story, two of Patrick's friends, reporter Sam and cameraman Jake, decide to go along too. When they arrive, however, they are greeted by armed guards, but are eventually allowed to pass when Caroline meets them. She explains everything about the community and that it's run by a religious leader they all call Father. Sam asks Caroline if they can interview Father, and after consulting with him, she arranges it. They interview some Parish members as well, and the duo believe that it all seems too good to be true. Their fears start coming to light when they are secretly met by Sarah who tries to explain that Eden Parish is indeed not what it seems to be.The very first thing you think of when you start to watch The Sacrament is "this is Jonestown", and you'd be right as this is pretty much a film adaptation of those true events. If you've never seen anything to do with Jonestown then you may enjoy this film as you have nothing to compare it with. If you know all about Jonestown, however, while you may still enjoy this movie, you might feel a bit let down KNOWING that it's basically a film version of what happened in 1978. I'm of the latter in that I knew about Jonestown and the events that happened, but I still enjoyed this film. Granted, there are no surprises and, like Titanic, you knew what was going to happen, but it's still a decent addition to the lost footage found/documentary style genre.The film is acted & played out pretty well, and has a few good tense moments in the latter half, and while it's not a creepy/spooky film, it IS scary in the sense of how one person can manipulate others to his own will & beliefs all because of his own paranoia towards "outsiders".Overall, while The Sacrament isn't a masterpiece, it's still a decent movie that's worth a watch.
Steve Pulaski
The Sacrament feels like the gathering of the independent filmmakers, which, on that basis alone, makes it sound like nothing more than a gaggle of pals, who had the urge to shoot something, getting together, making a film, and cherishing a few laughs. However, The Sacrament is a crafty slowburn horror film by the same man who made The Innkeepers, one of my favorite horror films from a few years back. He's Ti West and, for the last couple years, has directed several different films along with acting in various horror films as well. In a time when so many forget the craft to go straight for the scare, West knows it's all about articulation, suspense, and artistry when it comes to making horror films, which is why he takes the first forty minutes of The Sacrament to allow for dread to loom and almost engulf us on screen before allowing the insanity to flow.The film is loosely based on the real life murders in Jonestown in 1978, concerning two VICE reporters, Sam (AJ Bowen) and Jake (independent filmmaker Joe Swanberg), and their fashion photographer friend Patrick (Kentucker Audley, another independent filmmaker). One day, Patrick receives a letter from his drug addict sister Caroline (Amy Seimetz) who states she has been recovering for several months and is living in Eden Parish, a utopian commune boasting sober living and Christian values. She offers Patrick to spend a day in the commune, which he must access by helicopter, and, in a bout of uncertainty, agrees to let his pals Sam and Jake tag along to film the experience. Upon arrival, the gang is initially unsettled by the presence of guards with large assault rifles guarding the commune until Caroline appears and looks refreshed as ever. She apologizes for the alleged misunderstanding and invites them in, revealing a beautiful, open community of small homes, gardens, a medical center, and practically everything one would think a small, seceded society would need to thrive.Caroline speaks of a man by whom they call "Father" (Gene Jones), whose voice can be heard over the loud speaker quite frequently, initiating meetings or informing his community of events occurring in Eden Parish. "Father" is the godlike figure of the commune, with everyone praising him for his ability to create, sustain, and cherish the community he has built. While Patrick spends most of his time with his sister, Sam and Jake do what they do best, which is circle around the community and speak to various individuals living in the community, all of whom seem happier and more refreshed as they praise the nonjudgmental, connected community of Eden Parish while denouncing and criticizing America and their sensationalized, media-reliant culture.Ti West clearly has a great deal of fun shooting in the limitless, outdoor environment of Eden Parish, as most of his films up until this point (The House of the Devil and The Innkeepers) took place indoors). West moves his camera(s) liberally through the wide open meadows of the commune, with the commune itself evoking an eerily suburban feel, where everything seems carefully calculated and the positioning of homes and gardens seems meticulously micromanaged. The environment of Eden Parish plays a big part in why the film is so fun to watch, since you know never know where you're going to end up or what will be revealed.In addition, West has already established himself as a fan of slowburn horror filmmaking, and with The Sacrament, nothing changes with his approach; the first forty minutes of the film carefully set up Eden Parish, digging deep and asking questions about the commune's location, code of ethics, structure, and so on, much of which is covered during Sam's interview with "Father." During this time, a frightening sense of dread builds, which hovers over viewers throughout the entire film as we see what this location reveals and what its characters are doing for one another.West is a storyteller, above all, functioning in a genre that either negates the story lines it provides or projects them in a twisted web of confusion and ridiculousness. The Sacrament is where West can finally show that by creating a film in which no paranormal entities, a topic he has handled in the past, can be found and the evil at hand comes straight from the people. Thanks to a cast of champions, many of whom independent filmmakers - and a wickedly haunting Gene Davis - and a methodical approach to a rich story, West overwhelmingly succeeds, officially solidifying him in my book as one of the strongest men in horror working today.Starring: AJ Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Kentucker Audley, Amy Seimetz, and Gene Davis. Directed by: Ti West.
