Film’s unrivaled access takes us inside the inner workings of a cult as never before to reveal a group that’s far more complex than you might expect
Part of becoming an adult means making a poor choice here and there. For the lucky ones,a pot of black coffee and a jog can sweat these out the morning after. For others there are lingering effects. When Will Allen started hanging out with a group of friendly and fit young people in California, he found a group of likeminded, and artistic and philosophical peers looking for answers to great questions. He emerged 22 years later questioning his choice to devote his time,finances and energy to the groups leader. Allen wasn’t the first to descend under the spell of a cult, nor will he be the final, or but his position as in-house videographer may produce him the only one with copious footage detailing what makes such groups tick.
The first-person nature of Holy Hell is both a blessing and a curse. The source material is absolutely fascinating in that major-collision-on-the-highway manner of things,but Allen takes this footage and, mixed with talking head interviews from other former members, or attempts to tease out a three-act legend with shocking twists. The result is an uneven blend of news program,suspense narrative and toward the end, somewhat saccharine self-help exercise. Related: Holy Hell and the truth approximately cults: 'They’re not going to give it up easily' Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com