Netflix’s latest horror movie The Deliverance, starring Mo’Nique and Glenn Close, has arrived on the streaming platform to mixed reviews.
The ‘terrifying’ psychological horror, from Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels, follows Pittsburgh-based single parent Ebony Jackson (Grammy winner Andra Day) who moves her family to a new home for a fresh start, but something evil already lives there.
The exorcism tale, based on a true story, also stars Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin as one of Ebony’s children Nate, alongside siblings Shante (Demi Singleton) and Dre (Anthony B. Jenkins) while Fatal Attraction actor Glenn plays her mother Alberta moves in during her recovery from cancer.
And it seems the real-life filming process was just as spiritually taxing as the plot.
‘We had people praying over us constantly, from the time we had someone that did deliverances there, praying for us, over us constantly every day. Glenn [Close] wasn’t spiritual when she walked into this, and she walked out a different person,’ Precious filmmaker Lee told IndieWire.
As such, Lee appointed an apostle to anoint the set every day to protect the space and cast.
‘I’ve never seen that on a set. I’ve never witnessed this on a set. Never had somebody talking tongues before you start working.
‘I loved it. I loved every single minute of it, every minute of it. I think it really did inform each day when he was there, and we did that. I felt protected,’ Glenn remarked about the unconventional ritual to Bloody Disgusting.
The film has debuted at 40% on Rotten Tomatoes with some critics not entirely convinced of the plot, even with powerhouse performances.
IndieWire accused the ‘pretty painful’ film of an ‘overwritten script and some nightmarishly bad effects’.
This was echoed by Hollywood Reporter which described it as ‘too choppy an affair’ with a conclusion that entered ‘mawkish and disappointingly cartoonish territory.’
On the flip side, there was plenty of praise for both The United States vs Billie Holiday star and Lee’s first attempt at the horror genre.
‘Daniels punches horror elements into full gear, and while there’s a randomizer sense to everything, frights abound, and there’s a mercilessness that bites down hard,’ Collider wrote.
Also adding: ‘Enough works as a haunting fight for survival against monsters and prejudice, proving Daniels’ versatility behind the camera.’
Elsewhere, Screenrant noted: ‘If not for the believable performances by Day and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor [Reverend Bernice James] especially, I would have laughed out loud at the astonishing tackiness of it all.’
The New York Times added: ‘Lee Daniels frees his actors to exorcise their demons with audacious performances that rank among the most memorable of their careers.’
What is the true story The Deliverance is based on?
The Deliverance is loosely based on the true story of the Latoya Ammons case which traces back to Indianapolis in 2011.
When the Ammons family moved into a new home alarm bells started ringing when their porch started being flooded with big black flies, no matter how they tried to combat them.
‘This is not normal. We killed them and killed them and killed them, but they kept coming back,’ Ammons’ mother, Rosa Campbell recalled thinking, per IndyStar.
After both Rosa and Latoya started hearing strange noises in the home, things escalated in March 2012 when Ammons’ 12-year-old daughter started levitating on her bed, according to the family.
Both started reaching out to churches and clairvoyants for help but despite the measures they put in place, such as erecting an altar in the basement, demons continued to possess the family.
After a series of escalating events that resulted in the hospitalisation of her sons, the case was handed over to the police, citing possible child abuse and neglect according to a DCS report.
After a number of police visits to the home, officers including Gary Police Captain Charles Austin started to become unsettled by the disturbing energy in the house, at one point describing it as a ‘portal to hell’.
They even eventually attended an exorcism at the house as per police reports.
After a few exorcisms, led by Father Mike Maginot, the hauntings finally ended in June 2012, making the family’s nightmare over.