Pluskylang Great Film overall

Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Baseshment I like movies that are aware of what they are selling... without [any] greater aspirations than to make people laugh and that's it.

RedfordJack As they say, "Fiction is better than fact" -- or they should say that if they were honest.For one thing, aside from throwing Dante's fiction away, this movie keeps switching between an evangelical point of view and a Catholic point of view. I don't think even Pentecostal Catholics hold the positions that were represented in this film. For that reason alone, none of these characters are actually real. (But maybe I'm not quite in tune with Evangelical Catholics -- quite possible.) But secondly, there was a set-up at the beginning about a coven. Up to the half-way point of the movie, there was some sort of clan in the woods that seemed to be building on this concept. But this is basically dropped as far as the plot goes, except for an amusement park spot, which moves the plot forward only slightly and not nearly as much as the opening suggests.Thirdly, the movie takes time to set up some interesting theological concerns either about Catholicism itself or Christianity in general. To this end, some decent, if not nuanced, dialog was written. And then, oops, where'd that go? And why have Eisenberg in the field at all? This makes little sense from a monetary perspective. He talks for 20 seconds in the film, maybe? (Correct me someone.) All in all, it promises interesting philosophical insight, but doesn't fulfill. The problem is, it could have: Good cast, good questions, and then... ....what?!?Maybe the director will tell me that I just don't get it, but then it's not my job to get something that is intentionally or unintentionally obscured from me.

lueschow No one will argue that they overspent on sets, special effects, cast, or polishing. I think the term I used after watching it was Campy with no pun intended.That being said - I love any movie that can tell a compelling story with good honest dialog and emotion. This movie did that; and beyond that it showed me that there was a world beyond the limited stage set that I was allowed to see. I became interested in the "People of Hope" and how their society is organized. I wondered what happened beyond the walls of the camp. I felt compassion for these teens that are oppressed by their society and taught to deny their very selves in hope of a better afterlife.I also was much more frightened of the priest then any potential demon roaming those woods.Finally: It was good to see Dana Delany and Andrew McCarthy

LeonLouisRicci A psychological study of the horrors of fundamentalist indoctrination. It's a competent, well mounted, and professional looking film for a low-budget effort.The movie delivers some creepy moments and a scene or two that scares (in the Horror movie method). But it is not a slasher, gore, or monster movie. One gets the impression that the anti-religious elements are soft-peddled somewhat. Could the Writer/Director still be suffering from a real-life repression of his feelings ("based on true events" says the credits). The villainous brain-washers are portrayed as good-natured, sincere, folks doing God's work and don't have any real threat or diabolical intent. Isn't that the "horror" of it all? The harm and damage done by this type of closed-minded inculcation of young people. One gets the feeling that the reality is that these people, deep in their souls, know exactly what they are doing and are nothing more than evil, power-mad "monks" and it is disturbing that so many people fall for it. That is truly scary.

cliftonphotographer Why a 4? Because it will flash back and forth from some normalcy to scary images LOUDLY and that will give you a shock. Albeit so would a cymbal smash from nowhere! To the reviewer that said this was a 90 minute ad for Christians I say. "Wow! You could NOT have watched this movie at all and must be one of those people that attack religion for no reason to make yourself feel important." Really this movie would put more people off religion than on it. The movie is slow paced,kind of interesting,but not scary. Toward the end has a really interesting event happen (don't want to spoil it) but then am the end, the main kid's point of view makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! We never understand exactly why the events are happening and with so many people that are stars in this movie I have to wonder why they were in it. Skip this movie. Oh,and the only thing I waited for in this movie was for that statue to move because it wasn't a statue!! Way too obvious!!