In recent years, religious horror movies have explored more than just Catholicism and Christianity. Diabolic looks into the world of the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints. Elise (Elisabeth Cullen) was raised in the FLDS church. After leaving and continuing to live with the trauma, she makes the odd decision to go back for healing. She becomes the target of a vengeful witch.
Unsurprisingly, Diabolic is filled with jump scares. What is surprising is how they tend to follow genre tropes. There are some that delve into built-in horror the FLDS. These are the best ones since they are based in reality and they also play into the film’s central conceit of overcoming trauma. But most of them could be put in any horror movie.
This issue of never diving completely into the material is a recurring problem. Elsie has no memories of her childhood, and it is clear that this is the source of her current problems. Diabolic gives very little insight into her past. In essence, Diabolic only scratches the surface of the character.
But in the moments that Diabolic does find its groove, it is an unsettling watch. Director Daniel J. Phillips uses elements of folk horror to bring an eerie atmosphere. The terror eventually becomes less in your face which suits the film better. The ending will feel out of place to some, but it fits the mood of the story being told.
Even though the writing is erratic, Cullen is consistently fantastic. Along with being frightened, she is angry and frustrated. Since Emotionally, she has layers, making her much more interesting. The pairing makes for a satisfying watch.
Diabolic releases in select theaters February, Friday the 13th.
