maya

so i actually think this was a pretty okay adaptation of the source material but that being said i lowkey think the comic it’s based off is really bad maybe this would have been better if they picked a comic that wasn’t written by a war criminal :/

*“We need fear Naim, it’s how we survive” * Leviticus at its core is a coming of age story. It uses the genre of horror to offer a tender and intimate portrayal of two boys discovering who they are and what they mean to each other within the confines of a conservative religious community. I can’t say enough good things about this film. What a beautiful directorial debut from Adrian Chiarella with stunning performances by Joe Bird and Stacy Clauson. They are all ones to watch for sure. This film isn’t scary in the traditional sense although there were a few well-timed jump scares, rather, it evokes more of the dark and oppressive horror of the real world. The entity that haunts Naim and Ryan throughout the film is a physical manifestation of hate that feeds off of the boy’s fear and desire for one another. I think the scariest part for me conceptually is the idea that you can’t trust the people who are supposed to love and care for you not to hurt you. Not only is this applicable to the entity, but the parents and community members as well who are directly responsible for subjecting their children to this trauma. It’s not only scary, but deeply sad as well; that this soft and exciting thing between Naim and Ryan was twisted and corrupted by the people who should have been protecting them. One thing I found to be really beautiful, was how despite all the reasons why Naim and Ryan should stay away from each other they couldn’t help but still find comfort in one another. I know that some people didn’t like how Naim kept falling for the entity whenever it showed up, but I actually liked that and thought it made sense for the story. Because even though Naim knows it might not be Ryan, it looks like the boy who he hasn’t been able to stop thinking about. It sounds like him; it moves like him; it says all of the things he wants to hear. And despite the fear, he can’t help but crave it anyway. Although it’s not said by the real Ryan, the line “they wanted us to be scared,” is extremely poignant. In an era where LGBTQ+ rights are being actively threatened and taken away, accepting that part of yourself and rejecting the shame becomes a radical act. In the final shot of the film, we see Naim look out of the window as the bus drives away, the entity visible in the distance. It’s with that shot that we understand that the entity will never really go away. The fear will always be there, but it doesn’t have to control or define them, because love will always be stronger than hate. Also, the Self Control needle drop at the end was diabolical, and I will be seeking damages.