Holy Hell is a movie that attempts to show what life inside a cult is really like. The movie starts out interesting for sure. The archival footage is engaging and some of it seems very beautiful for the people participating.
However, at some point in the movie the whole plot devolves into the cliché "cult propganda" buzzwords we hear so much about in Hollywood. Brainwashing, sexual perversion, etc...
I saw this film at Sundance because the news articles about it discussed how many of the former members came forward to tell their experience. Unfortunately in the film what I saw were a close group of friends who all had the same story. When I watch a documentary I expect to see all the points of view that culminate in me, the viewer, being allowed to reach my own decision. Instead what I saw was a carefully constructed narrative to lead the viewer to a specific conclusion. By the end of the film I felt like I was having Will Allen's point of view thrown at me, without any exploration of the supposed 100s of other people involved.
In short, the film trades in it's initial joy and wonder for a run of the mill "this guy made me do it" cult story.
However, at some point in the movie the whole plot devolves into the cliché "cult propganda" buzzwords we hear so much about in Hollywood. Brainwashing, sexual perversion, etc...
I saw this film at Sundance because the news articles about it discussed how many of the former members came forward to tell their experience. Unfortunately in the film what I saw were a close group of friends who all had the same story. When I watch a documentary I expect to see all the points of view that culminate in me, the viewer, being allowed to reach my own decision. Instead what I saw was a carefully constructed narrative to lead the viewer to a specific conclusion. By the end of the film I felt like I was having Will Allen's point of view thrown at me, without any exploration of the supposed 100s of other people involved.
In short, the film trades in it's initial joy and wonder for a run of the mill "this guy made me do it" cult story.