Deliverance: A New Horror Film from Lee Daniels – Does It Deliver the Scares?
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The Deliverance Review 2024 |
Introduction
Netflix fans, get ready for a brand-new horror movie
from director Lee Daniels, known for his critically acclaimed films like Precious
and The Butler. His latest project, Deliverance, takes a dive into the
supernatural, but does it live up to the chilling expectations?
Deliverance Trailer
A Haunting True Story
The film centers around a woman and her three children
living in an Indiana home, where strange and terrifying incidents begin to
unfold. The children experience violent outbursts, and some are even seen
levitating. What starts as a series of peculiar events quickly escalates into
something far more sinister, leading the characters—and the audience—to
question what’s really happening within the walls of their home.
Compelling Themes in the First Acts
As Deliverance progresses, it becomes clear that the
film is trying to do more than just scare its viewers. In the first two acts,
the focus shifts towards themes of motherhood, family dynamics, and societal
judgment. The exploration of these themes proves to be far more compelling than
the horror elements that dominate the latter part of the film.
Singer and actress Andra Day delivers a strong
performance as the mother struggling to protect her children. However, her
character's flawed decisions and the occasionally clunky dialogue leave the
audience questioning her effectiveness as a parent. Similarly, Glenn Close
portrays the grandmother with a blend of humor and gravitas, although the
writing doesn’t always do her character justice.
The Horror Elements: A Mixed Bag
When Deliverance fully embraces its horror identity in
the third act, the film begins to falter. The scares rely heavily on CGI
effects, which often look cheap and unconvincing. Scenes involving contorting
bodies, levitation, and spider-like crawling may evoke some chills, but they
also feel like tropes we’ve seen countless times before.
The horror elements suffer from what seems to be the
inexperience of a first-time horror director. Although Lee Daniels is a
seasoned filmmaker, his handling of the horror genre doesn’t quite hit the
mark. The film would have benefitted from leaning more into the psychological
tension and less into the predictable jump scares and demonic clichés.
Missed Opportunities
One of the most frustrating aspects of Deliverance is
its missed potential. The film hints at a more interesting
narrative—questioning whether the events are truly supernatural or merely a
product of the mother’s unstable mind. However, this intriguing idea is only
briefly touched upon and never fully explored. Had the film delved deeper into
this ambiguity, it could have set itself apart as an unconventional and
thought-provoking horror movie.
Final Thoughts
Deliverance is a film that tries to balance compelling
drama with traditional horror, but it ultimately stumbles in the latter half.
While the performances, especially from Andra Day and Glenn Close, add depth to
the characters, the weak dialogue, predictable scares, and uninspired CGI
prevent the movie from reaching its full potential.
In the end, Deliverance is entertaining in its own
right, especially if you enjoy over-the-top horror films. However, it’s hard
not to feel disappointed by the film’s descent into generic horror territory
after such a promising start.
Summery
Deliverance, directed by Lee Daniels, blends family
drama with supernatural horror. The film follows a mother and her children
facing strange, terrifying events in their Indiana home, with strong
performances from Andra Day and Glenn Close. While the film’s exploration of
themes like motherhood and societal judgment in the first half is compelling,
it stumbles when the horror takes over in the latter half. Reliant on
cheap-looking CGI and overused horror tropes, the movie fails to fully explore
its more intriguing psychological aspects, resulting in a generic, though
entertaining, horror experience. Deliverance had potential but falls short
overall.
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