Introduction
Wrong day, wrong time—I am not entirely sure—but I had a difficult time connecting with Leviticus. I had seen the trailer beforehand, and it looked like it might be a variation on Smile (2022), albeit with a heavy dose of religious and moral commentary mixed into the horror.
Synopsis
Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, Leviticus follows Naim (Joe Bird), a teenager whose mother has recently moved them to a new town after finding what she believes is a welcoming faith community. The community, however, is deeply conservative and holds a decidedly negative view of homosexuality. Naim, who is gay, begins a relationship with Ryan (Stacy Clausen). Believing they have found love, Naim is devastated to discover that Ryan has been unfaithful with the pastor’s son.
In a moment of anger, he exposes the relationship to the pastor, leading to both boys being subjected to an exorcism-like ceremony. The ritual unleashes something far worse than either of them could have imagined. A vindictive spirit begins haunting them, appearing in the form of the people they care about most. What follows is a relentless supernatural nightmare that does not end as long as its victims remain alive.
Discussion
The film’s greatest strength is its horror. Chiarella creates a genuinely disturbing entity, and the sequences involving the demon are often unsettling and effective. Watching the creature shift from loving and comforting to violent and homicidal in a matter of moments creates some of the film’s best scenes. These moments are creepy, tense, and memorable, and they showcase what the movie does well.
Unfortunately, I found the characters much less compelling. Naim never fully connected with me as a protagonist, and while Ryan is somewhat more sympathetic, neither character is given enough depth to make their suffering particularly affecting. Much of the film depends on the audience caring about these young men, and I never felt Chiarella gave his actors enough material to earn that emotional investment.
The religious elements felt authentic in some respects. The worship services and community dynamics resemble many modern praise centered churches. My issue is not that the film critiques a hyper-conservative religious environment; that is a valid subject for exploration. The problem is that Leviticus often feels less interested in criticizing specific beliefs or behaviors than in condemning Christianity as a whole.
Whether that was Chiarella’s intention or not, that is how the film came across to me. There are few, if any, positive expressions of faith presented as a counterbalance to the intolerance on display. The result is a message that feels heavy-handed and overshadows the story. Rather than allowing the horror to emerge naturally from the characters and their circumstances, the film repeatedly pushes its point of view to the forefront.
Conclusion
Leviticus contains some effective scares and a genuinely creepy central monster. The horror sequences are often excellent, and there is no denying Chiarella’s ability to create disturbing imagery. However, weak character development and a message that feels broader and harsher than necessary kept me from fully engaging with the film. Your mileage may vary, but for me, the themes ultimately overwhelmed the story.
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