Sacrament (2014)

Sacrament is a film I first discovered back in 2013 on one of one of my adventures through the Internet searching for Cinematic Gold in the Underground for Extreme Horror Cinema. I dug up Sacrament at its fundraising stage and knew I found something worthy to share with others. Then Sacrament rose from its fetal stage and I then shared this again. As I share the links to anything I create with the film maker, in this case Shawn Ewert, he knew I was excited about his film thus when the time came he offered me a screener to experience Sacrament and share my experience with fellow fans of extreme horror cinema. Naturally as you can see here I jumped at the chance.

Sacrament is Shawn Ewert’s first step on his journey into feature length filmmaking! Previously Shawn has written and directed two short films; 2010’s Jack’s Bad Day and 2011’s Property Lines which both belong within the horror genre.

An experience in religious zealotry gone wrong where the people of a small town take the bible too literally consume the body and blood of those they consider sinners to save their souls.

Hence…Sinners4Dinner!

There are two stories intertwined into the bigger picture; of a victim who manages to escape and the tale of a group of young friends who are out for a weekend of exploration along with a planned night of sex, drugs and booze who discover the hard way when they’er searching for this in the wrong town.

From the get go I got this sense of creeping dread that stayed with me throughout the entire film. Of no hope for those caught in this trap of a town to unweary visitors and those deemed sinners.

Consumption equals cannibalism and what does that mean I dare ask?

Flesh! Man, the other red meat!

Which equates to blood and gore and deliciously well done! Entrails, cut throats and what’s being kept in the fridge and cooking on the stove! Of choice cuts being sliced off for the barbeque, it all looks organic and ready for a luvly meal!

Shawn is onto a good thing here story wise! Taking the religious zealotry and the too literal translation of certain aspects of the bible to create a horrific storyline of cannibalism and the madness of blind faith; accepting the teachings of one man as the true road to God and the fear he instills to those who aren’t doing exactly what is in his teachings.

Acting wise each character fits into the storyline without being that odd annoying person who you think why the fuck are they there for. Our group of friends on their holiday into the countryside for site seeing then nights of drug booze and sex filled debauchery do not know what is in for them. They play their characters as if they really are not aware to what is going to happen. We get the town’s people where you know something isn’t quite right, then their actions that confirm this. All of this builds on the tension so yes Sacrament is character driven.

Lastly, and one I am sure some of Extreme Horror Cinema’s readers may have picked up on, is Shawn’s film is not a copy of that other film with a similar name and promise, The Sacrament.  Make what you will of this, I think in the end though each film has it’s own flavor to it, but for me the meaty taste of Sacrament is more to my liking!

Personally Eli Roth should have backed this Sacrament but hey I am biased 😉

We get what is promised in Sacrament; an exploration into the horror of religious zealotry taken too far! Of madmen reading into a religious tradition a little too literally and the people who have faith and follow them blindly. Of an experience that is not watered down when it comes to the meat of the matter and which is well done! Shawn Ewert and his team have created a well moving story, characters and for the practical gore effects to create something this reviewer was truly impressed with and highly recommends to Extreme Horror Cinema’s readers when given the chance. So please; when you get the chance give Sacrament a shot, you won’t be disappointed!

“Sinners for dinner“