"Deadly sect" is a movie of surprises, we are inserted into a cliche horror movie, with young people, sex and blood, all of this is really present in Kevin Smith's work, but there is more, it has an authorial, modern and intelligent direction. wonderful performances, the low expectation gained by the viewer for a weak start is replaced by hatred, fear and tension.

The script is basic in its form, which basically serves as an excuse to develop its characters, so yes, we have a greater care, with several characters that come and go, are striking and brief, each with their drama that talks to the main plot, this is wonderful, since the story choices themselves have problems, especially in the first act.

"Deadly Sect" is a film that talks about religious fanaticism and intolerance, in a sadistic and straightforward way, the sect's presentation is wonderful and all its members make up a whole. At no point does the film bother to be very reflective. This even makes the movie more empty, but it still works very well because the features of the direction help the script a lot.

The direction in question is great, it starts very discreet and begins to appear slowly, at times when the script is bad and not enchanting, small details draw attention, such as cameras running and stuck to actors, camera, soundtrack and photography, then when the film slightly improves its plot and Michael Parks's acting enters the film completely changes the tone, and the late and wonderful actor completely steals the scene, a masterful performance, a physical and linguistic performance, the actor even blurs a bit of the rest of the work given its total surrender to the role, the rest of the cast still has good actors, like John Goodman who makes a focused and dubious performance, a character who comes in late, but has a very deep depth and great importance. Although it could have been better used, the rest of the cast is average to bad.

"Deadly Sect" is a lousy first act and wonderful second act, with a good but unsettling conclusion, the director's touches and hints of black humor remind us that the work has Kevin Smith in charge, a director who is not brilliant but well authored, great acting by MIchael Parks, good action scenes and suspense but a poor script make up the good and surprising long. NOTE 7.5 / 10

This moves at a clip unbelievable. Not unrelated, I'd have to believe, is Kevin Smith's role as editor -- like Steven Soderbergh (whose done plenty of his own films, under a pseudonym), the Coens (under the name "Roderick Jaynes"), John Sayles, and a surprising number more-than-you'd-think of directors, this seems to put more of the film "in hand."

And how!

In this case, Smith eschews humor almost (but not quite) entirely; even the jokes in the film are for the characters to respond to ("Zing!") without leaving room for the audience to respond as such. The pace is breathless without losing the viewer, contemporary without being preachy or pedantic, and draws off recent events (through the '90s) as though our sense of the world is viewed differently, altered and updated without parroting or mimicking said events ... you'll just have to see it for yourself!

People who keep up with current events will be rewarded -- particularly since this means getting a sense of the *beating pulse* of the humans behind the actions, not just some ideological stance. John Goodman's given more to do than in most (non-Coens) films you've seen him in lately, and he relishes and runs with it.

Is this movie funny, clever, scary, unsettling? You betcha!

From Kevin Smith? Holy s***!

(Where's the next one, referred to in the end credits? Sadly, this one went over too poorly to merit a pick-up ... so far!)

Mike Smith you did it again another Great Film. Melissa was Awesome in this Film as the Crazy Mother. I am pretty sure this is Very Loosely BASED on a Kind of a True somewhat TRUE CHRISTIAN FAMILY. But you just Kind of exaggerated a bit on the STORY. Yes there is a FAMILY OUT THERE IN USA THAT ARE CHRISTIAN'S. But in there somewhat CHURCH IT IS 90 PERCENT MOSTLY FAMILY. They are all kind of CRAZY. They go and Protest all over with 5 year old Children. With Hate Signs and everything. If you watch the TRUE DOCUMENTS ONE YOUNG LADY AT THE AGE OF 18 OR SO SAID NO WAY MOM AND DAD. So they Kicked her out of the House. And CALLED her all KINDS OF NAME'S. So now she lives Happy in her own Apartment and goes to School. But to her Mom and Dad. She is a SATAN WORSHIPER LOL WHY. Because she doesn't pray like 3 times a Day. And she would like Friends everywhere. I am pretty sure this is where Mike got his Film Idea from. Great Film how he just kind of went NUTS on THIS CRAZY FAMILY LOL. LOVED THE FILM.