Didn’t have two-time Oscar nominated director Lee Daniels creating a horror film on my 2024 bingo card, but here we are. Thanks to titles like Precious and The Butler, it’s obvious that Daniels knows how to craft a powerful drama, however, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s capable of mastering the special atmosphere needed for a successful horror film. Cinema fans from across the genre spectrum are going to debate this now that ‘The Deliverance’ is available to stream on Netflix. Oh, yeah, and it’s been the #1 title on Netflix for the past three days. Based on the real-life 2014 family possession case of Latoya Ammons, with extra elements added in of course, ‘The Deliverance’ follows a small black family and their cancer-stricken grandmother as they move into a new house with a terrifying past. Soon after completing the move, the family finds themselves in the grip of a centuries old demon who wants to eradicate their existence and steal their young son.
‘The Deliverance’ is written by David Coggeshall & Elijah Bynum and directed by Lee Daniels. It was produced by Daniels with Todd Crites, Jackson Nguyen, Tucker Tooley and Pamela Williams. It features cinematography by Eli Arenson and editing by Stan Salfas. It stars Andra Day (“Rise Up” singer), eight-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close, Oscar winner Monique, Anthony B. Jenkins, Caleb McLaughlin, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor and Omar Epps. It goes without saying that this is a top-tier movie. Production is clean and flawless, no issues from behind-the-scenes as far as I can see. The performances alone are what’s making ‘The Deliverance’ stand out from the pack. I had heard people rooting for Andra Day & Glenn Close for Oscar nominations, and now having seen this flick in its entirety – I can see why. Glenn Close because she’s simply the best, and Andra Day because she puts in a performance that runs the gamut and displays the sheer level of her emotional depth.
Now, as delicately as possible, I’m white, but it doesn’t take being black to know that some areas have it harder than others from a cultural standpoint. People living in certain neighborhoods are never truly able to break free from the shackles that keep them oppressed. ‘The Deliverance’ deals with this idea in a profound, palpable way with a narrative that relies more on hardship than it does horror. Themes examined in ‘The Deliverance’ include angst, anger, racism, hopelessness, struggle, cancer, family, alcoholism, faith and much more. It’s emotional, for sure, and a slow-burn story that doesn’t truly hit its stride until about 30-40 minutes into the narrative. I can tell this gradual incline was done to get to know the characters on a deeper level more than just a family dealing with strife. Their imperfections, their hopes & dreams, their misguided love for each other. All was out in the open for the demon to feed on.
As I mentioned above, ‘The Deliverance’ is based on true events that happened in Indiana in 2014. Pictures of the real family and the real haunted house are displayed just before the end credits. Unfortunately, this movie never went all the way “there.” It felt like an incredibly toned-down version of The Exorcist or The Conjuring. It has all the normal cliches and mind games but having seen a million possession titles at this point, I wasn’t moved. Wash rinse and repeat. I believe ‘The Deliverance’ was never intended to be an in-your-face horror flick, though, with the supposed demon serving only as the catalyst to help move the story along and keep viewers interested. The desired effect was achieved. Is ‘The Deliverance’ a great horror film? No. Is ‘The Deliverance’ a dramatic piece of art and an emotional rollercoaster? YES! I hope fans are able to tell the difference.
Final Score: 9 out of 10.
