Cults are a problem that continue to plague society. We as outsiders particularly find them fascinating in regard to their practices and way of life. Films about cults typically do well, from The Village to Eyes Wide Shut to The Master.
Children of Sorrow tells the story of Ellen (Hannah Levien) who attempts to locate her missing sister by joining a religious cult in an isolated desert location, where her sister was last known to be. The cult, being lead by Simon Leach (Bill Oberst Jr.) consists of several members who all have different backstories and are looking for belonging, community and acceptance. However after a short period of time from arriving, Ellen discovers just how insane Simon and his followers eventually become and finds that much darker things are going on.
Perhaps the creepiest thing that can be said about this film is that it portrays cults realistically and that, in reality, these cults are not fictitious. For centuries cultic groups have risen up, lead by so-called prophets. From the deCloud and Manson families to Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple to Heavens Gate, these groups often end with tragic results with their members being brainwashed into committing drastic actions.
Most of the film is shot from a first person perspective. Ever since the hugely successful horror film The Blair Witch Project was released in 1999, the camcorder filming style has become a favored technique of filming with independent filmmakers for its simplicity and ability to work on a micro budget, which this film definitely falls under. If you are a fan of this particular genre, this film might be worth watching.
https://youtu.be/CW_FRa5HhNE
This film accomplishes what is set out to do, which is to shoot a realistic looking mockumentary. Hannah Levien and Bill Oberst Jr. give the best performances in this movie. Most of the other actors do a decent job in portraying everyday people who slowly become more and more brainwashed. The characters are given some backstory which leads to better character development than other horror films. But overall there isn’t anything special this film adds or contributes that hasn’t been done before.[amzn_product_inline asin=’B00GOYHSBU’]
One thing this film can be sometimes is slow. It takes awhile for things to really get interesting and might become boring for some viewers. Also, even though this is filmed with the camcorder technique, sometimes the camera shakes a lot. So much that it sometimes becomes irritating and can distract us from dramatic moments.
Watching the members of this cult being brainwashed into believing Simon Leach is an elevated human being is sometimes creepy. But I felt the transition from calm to extreme creepiness is a little too fast. A slower build up to insanity would have worked better for this film. This is director Jourdan McClure’s second film and his first time producing and also writing, and it’s certainly not too bad. If you’re a fan of the “found footage” genre, you might enjoy this movie. But if you’re not too cracked up about the genre, I’d suggest passing this one by.
MOVIE RATING
Reviewed by Ivan Karhoff
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