A fashion photographer is traveling to meet his sister at Eden Parish. Once there, his friends begin to film interviews with the Eden Parish inhabitants, all of whom speak of the commune in glowing terms. However, they soon discover that there is a sinister edge to the commune that belies the seemingly peaceful setting.
The tension fizzles as The Sacrament narrows into predictability, indulging every cliche of found-footage filmmaking and Jonestown-styled cult apocalypticism.
– John Semley,
Globe and Mail,
6 Jun 2014
rotten:
The Sacrament may not be a good movie, but it has enough virtues - enough gripping, well-put-together moments - that it made me reconsider my opinion of West as a director.
– Bilge Ebiri,
New York Magazine/Vulture,
6 Jun 2014
rotten:
Everything that happens is what you'd expect, and the choice of subject and the modifications West has made to the generic conventions don't add much to the suspense or thrills.
– Peter Keough,
Boston Globe,
12 Jun 2014
rotten:
The first half is a cautiously dread-inducing tour de force... The second half, however, when all hell breaks loose a little too quickly, is the disappointment.
– Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jun 2014
fresh:
West's found-footage structure doesn't always entirely make sense, but it's easy to forgive "The Sacrament" its flaws.