Review: The Burned Over District

Text © Richard Gary / Indie Horror Films, 2022
Images from the Internet

The Burned Over District
Directed by James Coleman and Vincent Coleman
ColemanFilms; White Lion Studios
103 minutes, 2022
www.ColemanFilms.com
www.facebook.com/colemanbrosfilms

Wikipedia states that “The term ‘burned-over district’ refers to the western and central regions of New York State in the early 19th century, where religious revivals and the formation of new religious movements of the Second Great Awakening took place, to such a great extent that spiritual fervor seemed to set the area on fire.” This movement, like the Temperance Societies, were mostly women, and these gatherings led to Suffragettes and the Women’s Rights movement. But this film, which takes place in the modern time, has a darker meaning, which I will not give too many spoilers.

John Harvey Sheedy

Right at the beginning, on a winter’s day, in a deep and dark Rochester, NY (well, around those parts, anyway), there has been a tragedy that sets up the story for the ironically named protagonist, Will Pleasance (John Harvey Sheedy). His mourning, early on in the film, brings harbingers of misplaced anger and guilt. He is supported by his sister, Katie (Amy Zubieta) and somewhat by his mom, Michelle (Connie Neer). Mom’s a piece of work: not only does she willfully steal Will’s wife, Natalie’s (Sarah Santizo) jewelry, but she comes in from a snowy walkway onto his white carpet without removing her shoes. Sacrilege!

While out shooting for game, Will runs into a place with hanging symbols from the trees (think of 1999’s The Blair Witch Project) and other signs of cultism, as described by a neighbor, Fred (Robert Lindquist). The question to me at this point, is whether Fred turns out to be a good guy or a bad one. Which brings an interesting concept and the film’s title. While the original meaning was a frightening level of Christian fervor (as they are wont to do), this flips it on the side and turns that zeal into something darker and mysterious.

I do not believe it is coincidence that at a specific moment, with his hair akimbo, Will resembles the classic paintings of the Jeebus figure, as he faces down the Demonic cult (why is it always mostly women as adoring followers and those abused, and a male as the sole head?), led by greasy-haired Daniel (Michael Cieslla).

Amy Zubieta

Gender politics-wise, this film is the exact opposite of what the original meaning of the Burned Over District was in history: then it was Jeebus leading to the fight for Women’s Rights, to this film which features Dark Gods and men leading women. This also reminds me a bit of Jug Face (2013), about an evil demanding sacrifices in a pit in the woods, though it supposedly lives in the sky. Part of its power is to make you see things that are not there, such as in Oculus (2013), especially in a particular scene.

Some parts of the film tend to be dark (in lighting as well as story), the cinematography by James Coleman is shadowy and promotes the feeling of forbiddances as secrets unfold, especially in the woods.

Michael Cieslla leads the cult

Despite the gender politics that I may self-admittedly be reading too much into, the cast is quite solid, although Zubieta is a particular stand-out. The SFX look really good, especially in the third act when everything ramps up to a fervor, though it never loses sight of where it is in the story. Most of the gore effects seem practical, but there are some decent CGI Dark God effects. Speaking of that, the Coleman Brothers did a pretty bang-up job on the story, with a three-step build-up that is compelling. I am a sucker for gods and cult stories, and there are both some familiar parts, and some imaginative ones, as well to keep the warm fuzzy motifs (the whole robed cult thing, the alters, the rituals, etc.), and the surprises to feed the mysterious (not gonna tell).

The film is broken into three very distinct (districts?) acts: the first is kind of a slow build as it introduces the main characters, despite (or because) of the tragedy involved. When the second act begins, it certainly picks up quite a bit, and by the revenge tour of the third act, it is wildly filled with action and gore. But the whole thing needs to be watched to get the flow of it, and I recommend that.

IMDB listing HERE