Leviticus

Film: Leviticus

Year: 2026

Director: Adrian Chiarella

Writer: Adrian Chiarella

Starring: Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen and Jeremy Blewitt

Review:

This was a film that for whatever reason didn’t interest me originally. I’m not entirely sure why though. Part of the trailer played at the Gateway Film Center and I added it to my list of 2026 horror to check out. What did pique my interest was the fact that this was highly rated according to Rotten Tomatoes. I did catch this on the Thursday of its opening weekend.

Synopsis: two teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most - each other.

We start this at an indoor pool. Marnie (Tyallah Bullock) is a lifeguard and she’s locking up for the night. We then see a shower turn on. She starts to talk to someone but we don’t see anyone there. There are then moans. Something happens and it turns to screams.

The film then introduces us to the leads Naim (Joe Bird), a recent newcomer, and Ryan (Stacy Clausen), who typically ignores Naim at school. After witnessing a snake eat a frog, they explore an abandoned building where they unsuccessfully attempt to lift a heavy pipe adapter. The encounter reveals their mutual attraction, leading to a kiss and intimate moment; however, Naim, being inexperienced, pauses their actions.

Then to develop a bit more about where everything is happening. This is a small town. From what I’m gathering, Naim’s mother (Mia Wasikowska) has dealt with a lot of tragedy. She decided then to move them here due to a church. She’s found solace in it. The minister of it is Rod (Ewen Leslie). He has two children, Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt) and Izzie (Davida MacKenzie). It is at the service that Naim and Ryan steal glances at each other.

Naim’s world gets turned upside down when he goes over to Ryan’s house and hears something in the backyard. He spies on Ryan to see that he’s there with Hunter. They’re throwing rocks at each other. They then kiss. This hurts Naim. He reveals what he saw to Rod and his wife. This leads to something that will change the lives of everyone forever.

A deliverance preacher (Nicholas Hope) is called in. The congregation is there to watch. The preacher then does a ritual. Hunter makes snide remarks during it. The preacher then brings out a lighter and what he says here causes both boys to go into what seems like a seizure. This upsets Naim, whose guilt is growing.

Naim then goes over to Ryan’s again and peaks into the backyard. He is acting like the time when Hunter was there. Naim doesn’t see anyone. Ryan leaves, holding the gate open for someone. Naim follows him to a skate rink. Ryan goes into a photobooth. Naim is looking at the pictures and it seems like he’s interacting with someone. It turns to terror when Ryan is attacked. There’s an interesting element here where Ryan is freaked out to see Naim there. Ryan then flees in terror.

It is from here that Naim is worried about both Ryan and Hunter. His guilt is factoring in. He sees Hunter attacked, but he’s unable to help in time. His involvement leads to his mother getting him the same help from the deliverance preacher. Now that Naim is cursed, he finally sees what the other boys were seeing. It takes the form of who you love the most to get close. Izzie does help piece information together, leading them to the girlfriend of Marnie, Jessica (Shannon Berry). It is a race against time and the distrust of who you love in order to break this curse.

That is where I’ll leave my recap and introduction to the characters. Where I want to start is with what I liked best about this film. It is a combination of misguided love and being mean-spirited. Something that concerned me early on was its dark look at religion. Now this is a sub-genre that I love. The problem is that we’ve been flooded with a lot of these in recent memory. It is a tight rope to walk to do something different, while also needing to critique it in a way where you’re still being fair. I do think this does well here.

Let’s then delve into this more. Naim is a teen who probably has known for some time that he’s gay. It isn’t until he meets Ryan that it confirms it for him. He’s then in young love and his heart gets broken to see that Ryan was also hooking up with Hunter. I don’t truly see anything wrong here, since there’s been no commitments made. Naim has that hurt feeling though when you realize you aren’t the only one. I hate that gets misguided revenge by telling Hunter’s parents. In reality, he’s hoping that it will end so he can have Ryan all to himself. This leads to much worse.

The unforgiving deliverance preacher is terrifying, especially the ritual’s curse. The entity mirrors the person a victim loves most to separate and kill them, giving strong It Follows vibes. Since every target is gay, I wondered whether it would affect a straight person differently. The title is also clever: while I haven’t read Leviticus, it deals with forbidden acts and harsh punishments, which fits here. The “stoning” game Ryan and Hunter play feels like another clear homage.

I did then want to explore something that I brought up previously about religion. It doesn’t seem like this film is completely saying that religion is bad. We have this congregation that seems like a good community, if you’re a believer. Naim’s mother needs a group like this. I do think that because this is a religious group, these specific believers aren’t ‘good’ Christians. They believe that being gay is a sin. Having this deliverance preacher come in to do what he does makes them misguided for sure. I don’t know if they fully believe what will happen. It is heartbreaking to see.

The film further explores how religion is weaponized, with believers justifying harm based on the boys' sexual orientation. The entity itself weaponizes desire, mirroring the person a victim loves most. This creates a cycle of internalized shame and fear; as one line suggests, the curse is designed to make them fear one another. Ultimately, the community's facade is exposed as the boys are isolated, forced to seek solace together when their community fails them.

The acting is strong throughout. Leads Bird and Clausen excel, initially portraying a heartwarming connection that shifts into high-stakes tension as they face persecution. Blewitt is sympathetic as a character punished for circumstances beyond his control, a situation that briefly casts Naim in a villainous light. Leslie, Wasikowska, and the church members are well-cast, while Hope provides a terrifying presence and McKenzie effectively conveys her character's grief. How she does though lead to an evil decision.

All that is left then is the filmmaking, which is impressive, effectively capturing a rundown small town that feels authentic. The cinematography builds significant tension, particularly during entity attacks. I appreciated the visual perspective shift that allows the audience to experience the reveal alongside Naim after he is cursed. The effects appear largely practical and high-quality, while the music and sound design enhance the creepy atmosphere.

In conclusion, this is a compelling and unsettling horror film that masterfully blends genre tropes with a sharp, necessary critique of religious intolerance. By grounding its supernatural terror in the very real pain of suppressed identity and social ostracization, the movie creates an atmosphere that is as emotionally resonant as it is frightening. With its strong performances, authentic atmosphere, and high-quality filmmaking, Leviticus stands out as a thoughtful entry in the modern horror landscape, proving that the most terrifying monsters are often those birthed from prejudice and fear.

My Rating: 8.5 out of 10