Many religions have received negative treatment in the movies. In “Diabolic,” it’s the turn of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), commonly known as the Mormons. More specifically, its the FLDS, a Fundamental group that splintered from the LDS when the mother church renounced polygamy.
This film relates to some of the activities of the FLDS under the leadership of Warren Jeffs, who was convicted of child rape (he claimed the children were his wives) and is currently imprisoned for life. The abuse of children is alluded to in the film as is the practice of “baptizing into the church” those who have died years before, thus making them eligible for the Mormon heaven.
Elise was born and raised in the FLDS. She participated in the “baptism” of dead persons, whom she represented during full immersion. In their faith, her body was briefly possessed by the spirit of the dead during this baptism. But one night, the spirit of a witch, Larue, was “baptized” through Elise by order of the church council. The result was devastating.
The film picks up 10 years later. Elise (Elizabeth Cullen – “Elvis”) is free of the FLDS, an artist, in a loving relationship with Adam (John Kim – “Purple Hearts”), but tormented by blackouts during which she does unpredictable things. Desperate to find a cure, she agrees to undergo a “healing” by members of the church she has rejected. The healing turns out to be akin to an exorcism.
Director/writer Daniel J. Phillips (“Awoken”) along with writers Mike Harding and Tisha Madsen have conjured up a tale based on the precepts of a real cult, mixed with the familiar occult trope of a vengeful spirit seeking re-entry into the world of the living. While the story is far from original, it is told in an engrossing manner, with a long slow buildup of tension and some nice twists at the end. The character of Larue (Saraphine Harley – “Man Eater”), while with little screen time, represents the revenge of women wronged by cults like the FLDS. According to director Phillips in interviews he’s given, this is at the heart of the story’s motivation.
The acting is strong, and the cinematography is great with lots of detail cut into the filming – the sort that enriches a scene. Sadly, the soundtrack is average, with some very irritating electronic tonalities during the initial scene in the baptismal chapel.
Some folks may find the pacing slow, and it is, but Phillips uses it well to create an atmosphere of growing dread as Elise begins to recall the terrible situation she found herself in 10 years before. That said, the confusing wanderings in the woods at night could have been edited down.
Note: One of the screenwriters, Ticia Madsen, brought her real life experiences in the Mormon church to the project, including her ex-communication and rejection by the community.
Runtime: One hour, 35 minutes
Availability: Currently available on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital outlets
. . .
Join us on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/itsjustmovies!