The Sacrament"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." Matthew 7:15. People seek comfort for their troubles, and guidance through the stormy waters of life. People find this solace through a variety of means, including religion, the faith in a higher power. It is a covenant of trust when people forsake their former lives to begin again under the direction of a cause dedicated toward the preservation of their immortal souls. But history has shown that occasionally, there are those who take advantage of this faith, and use it to propel a horrifying ethos in the name of God.
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The Sacrament is a horror film; not of the supernatural variety, but of the kinds of horrors recollected from the headlines of notorious cults and communes which became infamous as a result of some terrible but inevitable tragedy befalling them. Directed by Ti West (who also writes and edits), The Sacrament (and its setting, the ominously named "Eden Parish") is most heavily inspired by the shocking events of the Jonestown Massacre of 1978, which resulted in the deaths of over nine hundred people, including U.S. congressman Leo Ryan. Would that you never knew that The Sacrament was destined for a monstrous end, you would still feel the palpable tension and unsettling sense of artificial placidity in the locale that you cannot shake, which grips you like a wire waiting to snap. The Sacrament poses as a "found footage" film--although occasional titles and background suggest it has found its way to civilization and been made presentable for an expose of the events at Eden Parish. This style is an apt choice, given that the film is fundamentally about the kind of "guerrilla journalism" which Sam (A.J. Bowen) and his other crew members representing a cutting edge media outlet engage in frequently enough, based on their own discourse. While The Sacrament peels away the fears of off-the-grid cults like Eden Parish, the film is also satirical of media like cable news, and Sam's method of exploiting his colleague Patrick (Kentucker Audley), who receives an invitation by his sister, Caroline (Amy Seimetz)--presumably recovered from her past as a drug addict--to visit the commune somewhere in the jungles of a foreign country and see the workings of her revolutionary transformation. The opening credits--accompanied by the futuristic sounds of The Knife's song, "Heartbeats"--is shown via a cable news-style ticker, maintaining a thoroughly modern vibe running through this thriller, which in turn exploits our own media-driven popular perceptions of news, religion, drugs, foreign countries, etc. A lingering title at the beginning describes Sam's style of journalism as "immersionism", indicating that the viewers--in this case, the audience of The Sacrament--are involved in the events by the persistent rolling camera, putting us right in the heart of darkness.
For the most part, our eyes in The Sacrament are those of Sam's cameraman, Jake (Joe Swanberg), who is perhaps the most skeptical of the commune's ability to sustain the multitude of residents, even with regards to crucial elements like medical attention. From the moment they set down in the clearing, taken in by helicopter, they are beset by armed guards, who bark at the trio to "turn off the camera". It becomes clear that only Patrick was expected to take up Caroline on the invitation to Eden Parish, but the community is prepared for the representatives of "Vice Entertainment", the name of the media group which sponsors Sam, Jake, and Patrick. The Sacrament excels at creating the sense that Eden Parish is an authentic location, with cabins for the residents, a meeting hall, and a vast open space carved out of the wilderness. The voice of the commune's leader--an enigmatic figure referred to only as "Father" (Gene Jones)--comes forth from the loudspeakers, espousing his gospel and offering words of guidance unto his flock. Sam and his crew are skeptical--even flippant--at the apparently primitive community, their own perspectives dictated by modern technology and a first-world mindset. They do not comprehend a society like that of Eden Parish; but what if their suspicions are right, and ours, too? What if it is too weird, too perfect to be believed? While Caroline takes Patrick away for them to reminisce, Sam and Jake interview a few members of the community, an apparently diverse demographic of residents, reinforcing the claim these people make that they have found a "Heaven on Earth", free of strife, racism, drugs, and so many other vices. The only dissenter speaks in an aside while coming to retrieve her presumably mute daughter, Savannah (Talia Dobbins), who speaks of Sam and the others as "outsiders". When Sam finally gets the opportunity to interview Father, it is not in private, but on display for the entire commune to witness. He makes his entrance like a faith healer on broadcast television, with fanfare and applause. His iconic sunglasses make him appear more like a Central American dictator than a man of the cloth, but his southern speech and gentility give him an almost amiable charm. But Sam's quickly loses control of the interview, plucked away by the charismatic appeal of Father, who diverts Sam's probing questions and uses the attention to spread the gospel of Eden Parish. Father claims he has nothing to hide, but ironically spends very little time actually looking at Sam, but at his audience, the commune. In a way, Father resembles not so much a prophet, but a politician, speaking with vague misdirection and professing the beneficience of his gift to his people in the face of the terrible, outside world. Still, even after all of that, Sam confesses he felt some power from Father's presence, and can gather why people would find peace in such a remote escape in their tranquil garden. But then, Savannah brings that cryptic note, and the thin veneer of peace slips away forever. The Sacrament is a creepy film which resonates in the wake of tragedies committed in the name of religion, reported on at length by the media. It is a terrifying revisiting of these events which sends a chill down your spine; not because this tragedy happened, but others like it actually did.
Recommended for: Fans of an unsettling horror film presented like a miraculously recovered archive of a tragic unfolding of a cult and the perversity which led toward horrific events. It's documentary-like style is key to getting right under your skin.
For the most part, our eyes in The Sacrament are those of Sam's cameraman, Jake (Joe Swanberg), who is perhaps the most skeptical of the commune's ability to sustain the multitude of residents, even with regards to crucial elements like medical attention. From the moment they set down in the clearing, taken in by helicopter, they are beset by armed guards, who bark at the trio to "turn off the camera". It becomes clear that only Patrick was expected to take up Caroline on the invitation to Eden Parish, but the community is prepared for the representatives of "Vice Entertainment", the name of the media group which sponsors Sam, Jake, and Patrick. The Sacrament excels at creating the sense that Eden Parish is an authentic location, with cabins for the residents, a meeting hall, and a vast open space carved out of the wilderness. The voice of the commune's leader--an enigmatic figure referred to only as "Father" (Gene Jones)--comes forth from the loudspeakers, espousing his gospel and offering words of guidance unto his flock. Sam and his crew are skeptical--even flippant--at the apparently primitive community, their own perspectives dictated by modern technology and a first-world mindset. They do not comprehend a society like that of Eden Parish; but what if their suspicions are right, and ours, too? What if it is too weird, too perfect to be believed? While Caroline takes Patrick away for them to reminisce, Sam and Jake interview a few members of the community, an apparently diverse demographic of residents, reinforcing the claim these people make that they have found a "Heaven on Earth", free of strife, racism, drugs, and so many other vices. The only dissenter speaks in an aside while coming to retrieve her presumably mute daughter, Savannah (Talia Dobbins), who speaks of Sam and the others as "outsiders". When Sam finally gets the opportunity to interview Father, it is not in private, but on display for the entire commune to witness. He makes his entrance like a faith healer on broadcast television, with fanfare and applause. His iconic sunglasses make him appear more like a Central American dictator than a man of the cloth, but his southern speech and gentility give him an almost amiable charm. But Sam's quickly loses control of the interview, plucked away by the charismatic appeal of Father, who diverts Sam's probing questions and uses the attention to spread the gospel of Eden Parish. Father claims he has nothing to hide, but ironically spends very little time actually looking at Sam, but at his audience, the commune. In a way, Father resembles not so much a prophet, but a politician, speaking with vague misdirection and professing the beneficience of his gift to his people in the face of the terrible, outside world. Still, even after all of that, Sam confesses he felt some power from Father's presence, and can gather why people would find peace in such a remote escape in their tranquil garden. But then, Savannah brings that cryptic note, and the thin veneer of peace slips away forever. The Sacrament is a creepy film which resonates in the wake of tragedies committed in the name of religion, reported on at length by the media. It is a terrifying revisiting of these events which sends a chill down your spine; not because this tragedy happened, but others like it actually did.
Recommended for: Fans of an unsettling horror film presented like a miraculously recovered archive of a tragic unfolding of a cult and the perversity which led toward horrific events. It's documentary-like style is key to getting right under your skin.