Plot
A newsteam trails a man as he travels to an undisclosed location to find his missing sister. Upon entering "Eden Parish" and meeting the community's leader, it becomes apparent to the newcomers that this paradise may not be as it seems.
Release Year: 2013
Rating: 6.3/10 (1,678 voted)
Critic's Score: 53/100
Director: Ti West
Stars: Joe Swanberg, AJ Bowen, Kentucker Audley
Storyline
A newsteam trails a man as he travels to an undisclosed location to find his missing sister. Upon entering "Eden Parish" and meeting the community's leader, it becomes apparent to the newcomers that this paradise may not be as it seems.
Cast: Amy Seimetz -
Caroline
Joe Swanberg -
Jake
Kate Lyn Sheil -
Sarah
AJ Bowen -
Sam
Gene Jones -
Father
Kentucker Audley -
Patrick
Shawn Parsons -
Carpenter
Donna Biscoe -
Wendy
Derek Roberts -
Guide #2
Cal Johnson -
Villager #1
Madison Absher -
Laundry Girl
Shaun Clay -
Robert
(as Lashaun Clay)
Alisa Locke -
Eden Parish School Teacher
Conphidance -
Guide #1
Millie Wannamaker -
Eden Parish Member
Trivia:
Two retired members of the Harlem Globetrotters played background roles in this movie. See more »
Quotes:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 4/10
What starts out as a promising look into a religious cult, quickly
turns into a jumbled mess of incoherent storytelling, baffling
motivations, and annoying camera work.
The problem is none of the characters are well rounded or defined
beyond the absolute basics (and they do incredibly stupid things
throughout the film, especially in the second half). So when things
start going bad, it's hard to care. The film seems to want to offer a
deep, nuanced look into the world of cults, but West doesn't seem to be
able to paint anyone with more than a primary colored brush. Everyone
is a caricature ...especially "Father", who is little more than a
mouthpiece for religious mumbo jumbo.
The decision to make this found footage becomes the film's biggest
flaw, as the extremely limited use of the camera gives every scene a
flat incomplete feeling, totally stripping the film of any gravitas or
meaning. Found footage has become a lazy, tired cliché in the horror
genre and West is no where near talented enough to make it work. West
is quickly becoming a hackneyed presence in the world of horror, and
it's a mystery why people make such a big deal of him.
And I am wondering where the hell the $4 Million budget went, since the
cinematography is bare bones, we're only ever in a single location, and
there are no explosions or huge actions scenes. I mean you could've
made this for less than a million dollars and it would've been exactly
the same movie.
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