SACRILEGE
Directed by: David Creed
Starring: Tamaryn Payne, Sia Abraham, Emily Wyatt, Noami Willow, Ian Champion, Rory Wilton, Ian Glasgow, Conner McKensie
When Kayla discovers the man who assaulted her is now out of prison, she convinces her best friends to go on a spontaneous weekend in the countryside. However when they are invited to watch a local pagan festival, they unwittingly become sacrifices for the goddess Maybon, who exploits peoples' fears and turns them against them…
Sacriliege is an independent horror film which struggles to find its feet at first but eventually delivers on some very interesting ideas.
Kayla and her best friend/housmate Stacy head to their local hangout where their friend Blake works, only to be hit with a double whammy. First her cheating ex-girlfriend Trish arrives, only to drop the news that the man who had beaten her had been released from prison. At first angry that the Authorities hadn't warned her, she realises she'd given a cursory glance at an official envelope earlier at home. Even worse is the fact that the guy has the audacity to visit the same bar, knowing she would likely be there…
Kayla uses the situation to convince her mates - including Trish - to go away for a weekend in the countryside, to help forget about all the stress. They readily agree and soon they are off in Blakes' yellow version of the Mystery Machine. Along the way they meet hitch-hiker Vinnie, who mentions the Solstice festival and entices them to attend…
Whilst we were treated to sense of foreboding earlier (the film starts with an impressive man-on-fire stunt), its not until the women attend the pagan solstice festival that we really get a sense of horror. This is drawn from the effigy of the goddess Maybon, whom the villagers worship. In reality Maybon is the name given to the Autumnal Equinox, but the film provides a mythical manifestation in the form of an effigy made of twigs, branches, horns and antlers. The design is excellent and the superb cinematography almost brings it to life. Even though it is lifeless and has no eyes, you will be forgiven for thinking it was watching you…
The fears that each of the women write down - and therefore share with Maybon - are
Straightforward enough, and audiences will likely empathise with them. Each fear is manifested on screen very well, although Trish's initial scene where she is freaking out over insects might be missing some special fx, but Emily Wyatt does an excellent job of conveying her character’s terror. Stacy is shown to be rather vainglorious and has a fear of growing old and losing her looks, which results in some very good CGI aging scenes. Blake meanwhile has a very tense and entertaining scene when she is confronted by a large Rottweiler. However it is Kayla's fear, of being confronted by her assailant, which is going to resonate the most.
Sacrilege's main strength lies in the ambiguity surrounding the Pagan ritual and its focus, the Goddess Maybon. Father Saxon leads the local villagers through the rituals of the Solstice, each person writing down their worst fears and relying on Maybon to ensure they don't come to fruition. But who is actually running the show? Is Maybon real, or is Father Saxon preying on the traditions and prejudices of the locals, and to what end? The film downplays any hint of the supernatural - Maybon, or her effigy, neither speaks nor moves of her own accord. Are the girls being attacked, or are they victims of a shared psychotic event (the local weed is VERY potent…)?
THE VERDICT
Sacrelige struggles to find firm footing early on but once the setting changes it certainly improves and the four female leads are very engaging. Writer/Director Creed ensures we spend enough time getting to know them before things start going bump in the night. Moreover he's developed a folklore which a) can be read on different levels and b) can be revisited. Special mention for the score, by Colin McGuinness, which gives this modest budgeted indie horror an extra level of sheen.