I Joined a Cult

For horror and found footage fans, this movie absolutely delivers, checking off all the essentials for fanatics of the genre. The acting is solid solid, with the cast delivering believable performances that pull you into the story from start to finish. The setting is tense and atmospheric, creating a perfect backdrop for the creepy cult setting. There's a dash of unexpected twists and turns that keep you guessing without feeling overdone or forced, keeping the plot engaging and unpredictable.

On top of that, the b-plot side-stories add just the right amount of depth, giving you more than just the main storyline to sink your teeth into. The characters experience noticeable growth, making their journey feel meaningful and worth investing in emotionally. And perhaps one of the best parts? The runtime is perfectly paced - it gets the job done without dragging on or overstaying its welcome, leaving you feeling satisfied rather than exhausted. For fans of the genre, this one is a must-watch.

I am writing this review as a a PSA, in fact, I'm writing this review as a way to save lives. This movie was hot garbage, and this is coming from someone who is not hard to please when it comes to Found Footage movies. The special effects, we're essentially non-existent, and a few times where special effects were needed, they were so poorly done that it looked comical. There are low budget movies, but in this case, it was a no budget movie. The acting? Very poor, very rigid, and one of the characters literally sounded like he was reading off of a piece of paper, that's how bad it was. And the ending? What the hell was that? Was that supposed to be a twist? Because if so, it was literally telegraphed in the first half of the movie. What a let down. You watch the movie waiting for something to happen, and nothing happens. I am all for low budget horror, I've seen at least a couple hundred or more low budget horror movies, but this one has to be the worst I've ever seen. The only redeeming quality this movie has is its run time which is a little over an hour and 10 minutes, an hour and 10 minutes which, unfortunately I will never get back.

I'm not quite sure how to start with this one. It's an indie horror about a journalist who, as the title suggests joins a cult.

The set up isn't long and we find out the lead is suffering from loss, very stubborn and pretty annoying. I think it would probably have helped if she was a little less of both the latter things because it limited the sympathy I had for her.

However the actual story, on obviously a very low budget, is pretty good and the acting and script was fine.

It's a pity they couldn't have set it somewhere a bit creepier but I get that that's probably budget related.

Anyway it's not too long and definitely worth watching if you like this sort of thing although in no way a hidden gem or anything out of the ordinary (Few movies are, budget or not)

Score

+2 Filming and sound +1 Content and acting +1 Decent story.

+1 They actually made a movie.

I like films about cults and other than documentaries they are usually low budget and not so good which is why this was a nice find. After watching the trailer, I decided that the film makers had at least done some research on how cults work. It was different in that the cult found their purpose was to speak with the dead, but it worked. I think it mainly worked because of the solid performances which I find rare in low budget films, but this was very watchable. I wonder what they could have done with a bigger budget. As per the usual I had to suspend belief a time or two, but it all worked and was fun.

This movie was a blast to watch. The cast delivered a truly compelling ensemble performance, spearheaded by a powerful female lead who brilliantly portrays a complicated, flawed, and layered character you can't take your eyes off.

While watching, I found myself reminded of performers like Jamie Lee Curtis, Toni Collette, Bruce Campbell, and Mia Farrow-all of whom made early career credits in the low-fi horror genre. I'm eager to see what comes next for this cast and these filmmakers, and I don't doubt that it will also be a pleasure to watch.

If you only like the MCU, bloated remakes, or movies starring The Rock and Sydney Sweeney, skip it. However, if you enjoy cults, found footage, and getting an early front-row view of budding careers, Prime it now.