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| Courtesy of Neon |
It's bizarre to see that not all original or rather new stories within the horror-sphere have succeeded at the box office. So much has been said about Backrooms and Obsession and how well they have been received by critics and audience alike. But there were two other prominent horror genre related releases that came out over the summer, One premiered at Sundance, the other at Cannes, both important film festivals, both receiving high acclaim and favoured reviews from critics and the audience who has seen the films. But Leviticus and Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma make under $9m each at the world wide box office. Of course these two films were both not sold or released in as many territories as Backrooms and Obsession, but they are also about LGBTQ+ characters and themes. These two observations may go hand in hand sadly. But it's still frustrating nonetheless, especially as both films are so spectacular in their own way.
With the simplest of hooks; Leviticus follows two teenage boys, Ryan and Naim, who must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most - each other.
Leviticus had been on the radar of many leading up to and after its Sundance premiere. Reminiscent of other supernatural stories mixed in with religious cult tendencies, the film manages to generate real terrifying scenarios mirroring genuine experiences of fear. Some might say this film is just an allegory for conversion therapy but that selling the film short of all that it accomplishes. We witness these two boys’ real fear of their own desire, manifesting in the worst possible way.
Naim’s mum Arlene knowingly puts her son through this ritual saying it will keep him safe, yet she knows the ritual is irreversible and doesn’t ‘cure’ anything. This, aside from the violence, is the darkest revelation of the entire film. His own mother wanted him to be afraid, because fear will keep him from straying, fear will control him. Naim’s own fear and most likely confused jealousy put two others in fear and pain, but he didn’t know what would happen. A terrible mistake on his part, one he regretted, but Arlene knew exactly what she was doing.
The darkness that overshadows the entire film is contrasted with the moments of hope and happiness. The use of light is carefully used to show throughout to show what Ryan and Naim are to each other. From their early encounters when Ryan seems genuinely shocked by Naim’s tenderness and responds, to the bus ride home together. After hearing there is possibly no hope of getting rid of the entities, they still take a moment to enjoy what they have. Their desire is used as a tool for fear but the acceptance of who they are and what they mean to each other is far more powerful than the fear that’s been forced on them.
Hopefully Leviticus will be given the appreciation it deserves, even if that means waiting a while for a wider audience to catch up with those who have been excited about its release for months. Same with Camp Miasma. All we can do is hope and wait.