Horror films have seen a resurgence lately, especially as they become more mainstream, as seen with films such as The Substance and Sinners. It’s a genre that isn’t just defined by how scary it is, or how gory it is. Horror is nuanced and oftentimes romantic, and when it is given the freedom to be what it wants to be, it’s also complex and thought-provoking.

Diabolic gives viewers a fresh new take on religious trauma. Rather than have our characters steeped in something like Catholic guilt, director Daniel J. Phillips and screenwriters Mike Harding and Ticia Madsen dig into one of the most infamous religious sects: The Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, or FLDS.

What sets Diabolic apart from other religious horror films not only its religious source, but also its pacing. Though, yes, there are jump scares, it is not one for excess, and instead lets the slowly-unraveling mind of Elise (Elizabeth Cullen) do the work. Much of the weight of the story falls on Cullen’s shoulders, and she gives a wonderful performance.

Elise is desperate to heal the wounds left on her from her past with the FLDS. She returns with her friends Adam (John Kim) and Gwen (Mia Challis) in an effort to rid herself of the leftover pain. At the fundamentalist compound she grew up on, the three are met with Hyrum (Robin Goldsworthy) and Alma (Genevieve Mooy), two former members of the group, to help Elise overcome her demons.

What transpires is the kind of witchy folk horror we have seen with films like Robert Eggers’s The Witch. What they summon is a witch, who latches onto Elise with far more strength than they had anticipated. As Elise confronts not just her dark past, but also grapples with the slow affair of losing her facilities, she must try her best to fight off the possession as well.

The insidiousness of religion

The story and the witch that Harding, Madsen, and Phillips create is darkly destructive, much like the damaging effects of a group like FLDS. Cinematographer Michael Tessari is right there with them, giving viewers some truly chilling visuals as Elise fights desperately for her life and for her sanity. With the added use of hallucinogens, Diabolic is dark, and wholly unique. Scenes are framed to make you tense and somewhat breathless as you wait for something to happen.

The film also tackles fundamentalism and homosexuality, with Elise recalling her desire for the bishop’s daughter, Clara (Luca Asta Sardelis). While it would have been nice to have this be a bit more focused and fleshed-out, it serves as an interesting sidenote in the traumas of Elise’s past.

There is a scene in the film that is not scary, but is delivered with such raw emotion from Cullen that you are left momentarily stunned. It is a reminder that horror does not just have to be the unseen or the spiritual: Dark forces exist right in our own houses.

While not a perfect film, Diabolic gives us something new. Regardless of whether or not you liked the plot, you do have to admit that the atmosphere of the setting is downright creepy. For a sophomore effort, Phillips steers us in the right direction and then lets us go along for the ride.

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