pagan is a movie I’ve been looking forward to watching, especially because, a long time ago I served on a mission for the Mormon Church, so I was curious to see how Hollywood would handle the Mormon missionary experience in a horror movie .
I even had an idea of my own for a Mormon missionary-themed horror movie, but to be honest, I never thought anyone in Hollywood would actually make one.
Yet here we are, with paganThe film delves into some of the philosophical questions surrounding faith, doubt, and the nature of faith. It questions the entire concept of religion.
what do i like best pagan is how effectively it balances horror elements with great dialogue and character development. The film also has some interesting discussions about faith and religion, questioning the nature of faith and what it means to truly have faith.
To me, these moments are the best parts of the movie. Through dialogue, we really get to know the characters, including the two missionary sisters and the sinister Mr. Reed. Hugh Grant.
Grant, who received much well-deserved praise for his performance, brought an unsettling charisma to his role, playing a seemingly harmless man who is soon revealed to have a darker side.
His interaction with the nun missionary is illustrated by Chloe East and Sophie Thatcherwas interesting, especially because their discussions about faith and life echoed conversations I’ve had with people through my own experiences.
At one point, there was a conversation involving Monopoly that mirrored what I was going through when I was talking to someone who, luckily, didn’t end up trying to kill me. It’s a really fun and engaging conversation that adds a layer of eerie familiarity.
The Mormon missionaries were surprisingly accurate. East and Thatcher’s portrayal of the sister missionaries captures the sincere, sometimes naive enthusiasm and sincerity that is often the hallmark of Mormon missionaries.
Seeing this authenticity makes it easy to become invested in their characters and the journeys they take, especially since the dialogue and themes explored feel so real.
But while the first two acts keep you glued to the screen with intense philosophical dialogue and rising tension, the third act disappointingly veers into more familiar horror territory.
As the film shifts from psychological suspense to more traditional horror tropes, it loses some of the originality and edge that made it so appealing. I was completely captivated until about halfway through the third act when I felt like the movie fell into more typical horror movie mode.
it seems like pagan Swapping its introspective exploration of faith for the kind of horror scenes we’ve all seen before, while effective, feels like a missed opportunity to elevate the film into something truly remarkable.
in spite of, pagan It’s a solid film that largely succeeds in blending elements of psychological horror with a critique of faith and religion.
in the end, pagan It’s an interesting watch but doesn’t quite reach its potential.
Scott Baker and Brian Woodsthe screenwriters behind quiet placeTo their credit, their interesting approach to the story is more layered and complex than your average horror story.
