**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**
“Open your eyes and you will see…”
Believer (2024) premiered on Demand on September 13th 2024. The cult horror thriller film stars Ella Ballentine, Lauren Lee Smith, Ilan O’Driscoll, Peter Mooney, and Martin Roach. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-eight minutes.
While working on a book about a cult leader convicted of mind control and mass murder, a writer is targeted and attacked by him while he is on trial. Soon after, she forgets what happened and begins to hallucinate while staying with her sister’s family.
Here is the trailer:
Believer is eerie and disturbing with an intriguing mystery at its core. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…
The Pros:
A terrifying mystery.
Cult mysteries always haunt me in a different way. It’s scary to think about how someone can be manipulated or controlled by what others believe. There was this lingering feeling of uneasiness throughout the film. In a lot of ways, it channeled the same vibe as Longlegs. The muted lighting worked to the film’s advantage and I thought the mystery was a solid one.
The opening really hooked me (similar to Longlegs). It was unnerving and it managed to capture my full attention. I had a lot of working theories around this particular mystery. It did a great job of keeping me guessing, unraveling into a layered story worth exploring.
Starts and ends strong!
I was worried that the film wouldn’t be able to hold the momentum from the opening. There were some pacing issues, but I thought the film finished strong and delivered (especially the last thirty minutes). It shattered any theory I had and branched off into something even more brutal and shocking. I’m still not sure how I felt about it, but at least it tried something different.
The Cons:
Be prepared for a slow burn.
This wasn’t a major con, but things definitely slowed down A LOT after that killer opening. I kind of expected this, but we could have sped things up a little bit more. Don’t get me wrong, it still held my attention and it did jolt me with some scares and creepy moments, but I think this could have been tweaked a little bit more to make this more of a seamless watch.
There was also one particular scene I could have done without…
So am I in or out?
I’m in about 75 percent…
Believer features a dark and chilling mystery, but it takes a while to get there.
If you enjoy cult thrillers, this is one to add to your watchlist.
I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Believer (2024) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!
Best,
Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl
PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…
A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!
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