T his year has seen a boom in religious horror, from occult pre-boot The First Omen to Immaculate ’s nunsploitation with a feminist twist. The debut feature from writer-director Ben Bigelow follows these illustrious forerunners, but lacks the flair or originality of either. Immaculate serves as a pro-choice parable and the Omen franchise allegorises a destructive lust for power, but Bigelow’s film about a minister seduced by the devil just doesn’t seem to have much to say.
In a somewhat uncertain setup, a family of four led by preacher Ezekiel Thatcher are stranded in the sprawling western wilderness of the 1860s. While they attempt to find their bearings, Thatcher hears a mysterious and apparently miraculous keening sound, and resolves to build a church to what he thinks is the voice of God. Despite proficient performances from an accomplished cast, the film largely fails to sell its inelegant script.
The anachronisms in particular are hard to stomach, with moments of wincingly clumsy political correctness. Thatcher, for example, is incongruously accepting of Indigenous sovereignty of the land, while a lascivious Satanic figure stops short of ravishing the virginal teenaged Abigail Thatcher for fear of “making her uncomfortable”. But despite these missteps, there are moments of real enjoyment to be found in the deft exposition and the exceptional original score by Jacques Brautbar.
The standout performer is Lea Zawada, in the role of the mutinous daughter. Hannah C.
