Rating 6/10
Leviticus is a book of the Bible that contains religious laws governing moral boundaries. This is a coming-of-age story shaped by the fear of falling outside God’s will. The title presents an isolated Australian town where biblical law is used to condemn desire. In this case, the attraction between two teens becomes the foundation for a paranormal horror story, with their love awakening a terrifying presence.
After the death of his father, teenager Naim (Joe Bird) moves with his mother Arlene (Mia Wasikowska) to a remote town in rural Victoria, hoping for a fresh start. The conservative community embraces strict beliefs. As his mother becomes involved with the local church, Naim feels increasingly isolated. He finds solace in Ryan (Stacy Clausen), a local boy who awakens feelings Naim has barely allowed himself to understand.
When Naim sees Ryan kiss the pastor’s son, Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt), he informs the church leaders out of jealousy. They respond by bringing in a deliverance healer (Nicholas Hope) to perform a ritual intended to purge the boys of their romantic attraction. The ceremony appears to unleash a supernatural force that stalks its victims by assuming the form of the person they desire most. Naim must now confront the damage caused by his decision to expose Ryan and Hunter, while also trying to understand the mysterious evil now stalking them.
The drama is strongest when it’s simply an adolescent portrait of two teenagers trying to reconcile their feelings. The performances are sincere, and the concept is genuinely unsettling. There is something insidious about an evil force that can mimic the person you are most drawn to. That idea gives the horror a sharp hook.
Unfortunately, the film loses its footing once the entity takes center stage. Its rules and behavior are not consistent, and the horror increasingly leans on familiar genre tropes. Like It Follows, the film centers on a demonic presence that relentlessly stalks its victims while remaining invisible to those around them. The difference is that It Follows builds its horror around a simple concept with clear rules that continually heighten the suspense. Leviticus uses its malevolent being to represent religious legalism, conversion rituals, shame, repression, and forbidden desire all at once. That unpredictability makes it harder to understand what the story wants its own monster to represent. The creature’s behavior changes to serve whatever the plot needs in the moment, rather than emerging from a consistent mythology.
Writer Adrian Chiarella, who is also making his feature directorial debut, requires his characters to make choices that aren’t convincing. After Hunter is brutally killed, Naim goes to the police, only to have them dismiss his claims. Then they reveal his relationship with Ryan to his mother. Gay teenagers are being hunted and killed. Yet Arlene’s response is not to blame the murderer. Her priority is to arrange another deliverance ritual to change her son’s sexuality. She apparently believes that if Naim is no longer gay, he will no longer be in danger. The decision is intended to reinforce the film’s critique of religious fundamentalism, but it doesn’t feel like the response of a genuine mother. It’s the reaction needed to make a point.
The film is surprisingly brief, ending abruptly and without much resolution. Even so, the performances were engaging. I remained invested in what happened to Naim and Ryan. I wish the screenplay had trusted the emotional honesty of its character study. The central metaphor is never as compelling as the individuals themselves.
06-23-26