First of all, Billy Zane's performance was outstanding! He plays a good "bad guy" and is believable. This movie made me question: what is worse, manipulating people or being dumb enough to be manipulated? The characters were mindless zombies. They couldn't think, say "no" or know right from wrong. The lead character did everything he said solely because her sister died at birth and her parents were bad, which we never see them being bad parents. He was like, you need to be a prostitute and she be like ok and does it for years and gives him all the money. Why? Why doesn't she tell her parents? Why not go to the police? She didn't question anything. She was just like I like BDSM. Everyone is calling her a "victim" she wasn't though. She was an adult and made her choice. I couldn't feel sorry for any of these stupid college people.

I feel bad for Billy Zane having to stoop to this. It's been a long time since I've watched a Lifetime movie, but the production was worse than I remember. I've watched the documentary about the Slonim 9, and I don't feel like this movie did those kids justice, especially knowing how broken the real Claudia actually was. The portrayal of the victims made them look like caricatures of Gen Z, with over-the-top, childlike performance rather than naive adults stepping out into the world for the first time. The changes made to the story were odd decisions as well. Some changes seemed to have little reason behind them, some were downright stupid (the spider subplot?), and some were icky (Why was Claudia with the reporter? Ew.) Having the whole third act focus on the sex work was strange, as that was just a minor footnote in the whole story. I'm not sure how I feel about Isabella being portrayed as a villain, rather than a victim who is still brainwashed. I'm not sure it was a bad choice, but it was definitely simplified.

I will preface this by saying I hate Lifetime movies. They have very little substance and they are pretty much the generic my boyfriend is stalking/trying to kill me fare.

My previous viewing of the Hulu documentary, "Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence," piqued my curiosity. Billy Zane solidified it. Whatever he's in, Zane literally eats up every scene. And he doesn't disappoint even in a Lifetime movie, he delivers one of the best method acting turns the channel has ever or will see. He's literally unhinged but not in a campy way. In short, his effort including significant weight gain is Emmy worthy or at least worth a viewing.

Besides Zane's acting, the script is lightweight, typical of Lifetime. And that's disappointing because the story of this cult is gripping.