This review contains topics that could offend some readers including discussions of the value of religion, questioning of the validity of religion and violence toward religious characters. This review reflects the opinions of the writer, not the broader opinions of The Daily Aztec.
The film opens with the introduction of two young female Mormon missionaries, Sister Paxton and Sister Barnes.
The two sisters are having a conversation about their fears surrounding intercourse. This bold opening sets the stage for the audience on how these heavily religious women are naive in their interpretation of the world around them.
In this short scene, we learn about the sister missionaries’ struggles with finding individuals to convert and baptize. This idea is explored in the next scenes which establish the pushback they have received in their mission to baptize people.
This opening sequence created empathy for the sister missionaries, as the constant rejection and hatred they faced showed their resilience and humanity, regardless of one’s religious perspective. When Sister Paxton’s skirt is pulled down in the street, the viewer can’t help but feel for her, seeing the embarrassment cross her face.
The sister missionaries then make their way to the house of Mr. Reed. At his house, they exercise hesitance toward going inside, as they express the need for a woman to be present in order to ensure their safety. Mr. Reed lures them inside with the promise that his wife is baking a blueberry pie in the other room.
Reassured, the sister missionaries entered the home and handed over their coats and belongings to Mr. Reed.
Once inside the discourse begins as Mr. Reed begins an onslaught of questioning surrounding the beliefs of, not only the sister missionaries, but also of The Church of Latter-Day Saints as an organization.
This makes the sister missionaries uncomfortable and question Mr. Reed’s intentions. The movie takes a dark twist as Sister Barnes discovers that on the table is a blueberry pie-scented candle, and that Mr. Reed never had a wife to begin with.
I will leave you on this cliffhanger…
If you are intrigued to learn more about what happens next, I encourage you to head to the theater and give the film a watch.
Hugh Grant was an amazing choice to play Mr. Reed because of his kind and welcoming appearance and vocal intonation made, not only the sister missionaries trust him, but also the audience. This was a great tool in adding surprise to the plot when Mr. Reed turned out to be a nefarious character.
The casting of the sister missionaries was also fantastic. Both Sophie Thatcher, who plays Sister Barnes, and Chloe East, who plays Sister Paxton, grew up as members of The Church of Latter-Day Saints. This makes them perfect for playing the sister missionaries as they have personal experiences with the church and how to act as members of the church do.
The film is holding its own at the box office and receiving overall positive reviews from moviegoers.
Many critiques of the film have come from The Church of Latter-Day Saints. The church has said that the film glorifies the mistreatment of naive believing young sister missionaries.
Ex-members of the church have said that the film is glaringly accurate to the fears of missionaries and how many are put into dangerous situations in the name of spreading their gospel.
I enjoyed the film, and I encourage horror film enthusiasts to head to the closest theater and give it a watch!
