1. A rite
believed to be a means of or visible form of grace, especially.
From one
addiction to another, a group of lost souls build a Commune deep within a South
American jungle to escape the violent world. There they fall under the godspell
of Father whose secret ambitions may be worse. Director Ti West uses the “found
footage” genre to re-create a modern version of the Jonestown Massacre, where
those failing to understand the past are destined to repeat it. Ti West’s film
becomes a warning about the corrupting influence of religion especially when
focused through one charismatic figure, with ethics as ethereal as light separated
by a multifaceted prism.
The film begins
with talking heads on the VICE Channel, a peripheral news network seemingly
more concerned with entertainment than actual facts and supporting evidence,
who are speaking directly to the camera . We are quickly introduced to the main
characters Patrick (the fashion photographer), Sam (the interviewer) and Jake
(the cameraman). These three decide to travel together to interview Patrick’s
troubled sister Caroline who has joined a Commune and written a letter asking
her brother to visit. The directions are vague and cryptic and the three soon
decide it would make a great story. Ti West uses the setup of an entertainment
channel (think Entertainment Tonight) to propel the subjectivity of the “found
footage” viewpoint to reveal much of the narrative. However, he soon rips that
POV apart and edits it within the parameters of a standard subjective viewpoint
of a horror film. It works fairly well and the viewer quickly forgets who is
filming what, or why we are seeing medium close-ups perfectly framed while
Jake’s camera is shooting another angle or is turned off.
Though it’s not
hard to guess what happens (as we all know the Jonestown Massacre, right?) Ti
West takes his time and builds the suspense step by step in a realistic and
believable manner. As they set down in a clearing after flying for presumably
hours over impenetrable jungle, Patrick, Sam and Jake’s first sign of trouble
is the men wielding machine guns who are to take them to Eden Parish. Why would
a peaceful commune need weapons? Here it becomes obvious that the three
“reporters” have not been honest because only Patrick requested a visit with
his sister and not the whole crew. A tense argument erupts and one doesn’t
argue with an armed guide! However they are allowed to proceed and meet
Caroline at the entrance.
Now the tension
slowly builds as Patrick is separated from them and Sam and Jake roam the
compound trying to interview members. Most people hide their faces and shuffle
uncomfortably away. A mute little girl tries to make contact but she is quickly
called away by her mother. On the surface everything seems fine as a few people
spout mundane accomplishments and even the hospital seems well stocked and
antiseptic. But Sam wonders how a small field hospital can care for so many
elderly residents and support the newborn babies. Here it is revealed that Sam
is awaiting his own first child back in the world which sets up more tension as
he eventually fights for his life.
Soon an interview
with Father before the whole congregation is granted and Sam and Jake prepare
rather mundane questions. Though they both have a slight feeling of being led
astray or lied to, Father is an engaging and charismatic man. He is also
excellently portrayed by Gene Jones (any relation to Jim?) and really carries
the whole weight of the film: if he’s not believable then the structure
crumbles and the story doesn’t work. But Jones is up to the task and is
wonderful and forthright as the spiritual center of the compound. He expounds
upon the members who have given up everything to build this new beginning, away
from the negativity and violence that Sam and Jake are still blinded by. Though
Father speaks with a hypnotically loving voice and has kind mannerisms, he can
also be understood to speak in masked threats. Sam is shaken up and overwhelmed
and almost comes under his spell. Soon things all over the compound are shaken
up!
The outsiders
soon bring the promise of corruption to Eden Parish and Father now flexes his
religious and spiritual muscle. An inebriated Caroline reveals that father is
trying to seduce her brother into staying so their wealthy parents will send
money. Father realizes that when this story breaks to the world that his vision
is doomed. So Father has them all gather and offer their very lives to the
Lord: it’s not suicide, it’s a Sacrament. Some resist but most drink the
blood-colored Kool-Aid and those who don’t are shot. Meanwhile the three
protagonists are struggling to survive by hiding from gunmen all night and
trying to reach the helicopter which will return at daybreak. In one brutally
realistic scene Caroline injects her brother with poison as he’s tied to a
chair. He struggles and screams and fights against the onrushing darkness as
his body jumps and convulses. Ti West is not masking the physical horror in
this religious fanaticism: we see a child’s throat slit, brains and clumps of
hair, vomiting and slow death. The path to their god is littered with violent
intentions.
Sam and Jake
eventually make it back to the helicopter but they are far from safe. The pilot
has been shot and as they take off and circle the compound, we get one last
long look at the cruelty and violence that was supposedly left behind in the
real world. Here, condensed in microcosm, is a reflection of that world.
Final Grade: (B)
