Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
Two journalists set out to document their friend's journey to reunite with his estranged sister. They track her to an undisclosed location where they are welcomed into the remote world of "Eden Parish," a self-sustained rural utopia composed of nearly two hundred members and overseen by a mysterious leader known only as "Father." It quickly becomes evident to the newcomers that this paradise may not be as it seems. Eden Parish harbors a twisted secret. What started as just another documentary shoot soon becomes a fight for survival.
Ti West's found-footage cult thriller draws heavily from the Jonestown massacre, giving it a chilling real-world grounding. The slow-burn tension and Father's charismatic menace are effective, but the film struggles with a predictable trajectory once the paradise cracks. The found-footage cinematography is functional but claustrophobic in an ungainly rather than purposeful way, and the climactic mass-suicide sequence, while harrowing, feels rushed and emotionally undercooked compared to the dread built up before it. Acting is competent, with Gene Jones standing out as Father. Novelty is moderate — the faux-documentary cult format has been done, but West's grounded, journalistic approach gives it a distinct, restrained flavor.