One of Us

Now when i say "cult movie", i mean a literal cult movie, that is, a movie about cults. i found the depiction of the cult leader and his subjects to be very realistic and educational. i've had some experience deprogramming some of these type of people and let me tell you this movie gets the facts right. The leader does not come across as some raving lunatic, but rather as a friendly father figure or surrogate. Very well made movie with some great performances, particularly from the cult leader and the young women playing the cult members that have been indoctrinated.

Worried, an investigative journalist pokes around into the disappearance of her best friend, and gets drawn into a small town religious cult. We enter their world through her eyes, at a seemingly benign coffee shop staffed with helpful, if peculiar, young women.

After following the women back to their compound and getting caught trespassing she's greeted warmly by their charismatic leader and only male in the group. It quickly becomes apparent that things are less idyllic than they appear.

The world is revealed in an authentic way at a pace that keeps the audience in its seat; story is weaved in a way that is both effective and creepy.

Give it a watch.

How in world did this bland snooze fest get labeled as a horror movie? It's barely even a psychological thriller. I've seen Disney channel originals with more tension and better acting. By the time it was over I was past caring what happened. I kept thinking that any minute something exciting would happen, but I was sorely disappointed. I mean, if your grandma came over and you wanted something tame to watch, this could work. I have a feeling that all of the good reviews for this movie are from people who made it. Save yourself the time and watch a Lifetime movie, where at least they're aware that the movie they're making is ridiculous.

I am a big fan of hippie-commune-cult horror movies. Now, this one didn't quite move me as much as Midsommar did, but it was deliciously engaging. Who wouldn't want to join a cult led by that fine man, Brent? Damn, I know I'd be in. This movie was good.

My initial review for 'One of Us' was deleted for being too harsh. I suppose I just really wanted to get across how much I did not like this film. I will now rewrite my review and simply present the facts, whilst trying not to sound overly hate-filled. Here we go.

'One of Us' is flawed in many areas. The biggest one would have to be the acting. The acting is bad from almost the entire cast, however the most important role they got wrong was that of 'Brent' played by Derek Smith. This role really needed someone with some genuine charisma to sell the story that they are trying to tell. Smith simply didn't have it sadly.

The next flaw lies in the dialogue the actors have to work with. It's not written well. It's clunky and unnatural almost throughout the entire film. They just needed someone to come in with some expertise and strengthen the script up a bit.

The final problem lies in the blandness of the whole experience. I've seen children's movies with more violence than this film gets away with. Anything that does happen is off screen. Were the sensors on them that heavily that they felt this was necessary, or was this an creative decision on the director's part? Either way it makes for a very dull experience.

It's tough to find any positives worth mentioning for 'One of Us'. It's not a film that I could recommend spending your time or money on.