From Within (2008)

From Within (2008). 1h 29m | R

“Horror films dealing with u0026quot;compulsory suicideu0026quot; as a theme are automatically unsettling and scary. Theyu0026#39;re also quite rare, since they must deal with the issue of how to give a proper and reasonably plausible explanation to the strange phenomenon of the compulsory suicides. Larry Cohenu0026#39;s u0026quot;God Told Me Tou0026quot; is a fine example, and to a lesser extent also the more recent u0026quot;Truth or Dareu0026quot;, but the modest sleeper-hit u0026quot;From Withinu0026quot; might be the best one yet. Here the suicides are linked to extremely religious fanaticism and a curse evoked by a family of heathens.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBible freaks are frightening as well, especially when they are young folks like the characters played here by Kelly Blatz and Adam Goldberg. u0026quot;From Withinu0026quot; is probably the only film ever in which the fancy religious nerd beats up the handsome rebel kid in the schoolyard! The suicide sequences are disturbing because the victims are (mostly) innocent and often still very young, and personally I always get the creeps from self-declared prophets spreading the – supposed – Word of God. The film, set in a secluded little town, also looks stunningly beautiful and stylish, which is no doubt due to the director – Phedon Papamichael – being an Oscar-winning cinematographer. The performances are good, the soundtrack is suiting, and the climax is – hands down – one of the best and most shocking climaxes of all horror movies made after the year 2000.”