I didn't have high hopes for this movie after seeing the two previous and awful offerings from Raw Feed. But this one is actually very good. We start by watching a TV interview of a member of a cult called Quanta Group who explains to some foolish and silly interviewer what the group is all about. And he sure seems brainwashed although nice and soft-spoke.
Next we meet a group of paramedics in a fire station. One of them just finds out that he's going to be a father when a call comes in and he and his friend have to answer it.
They arrive at a public phone near an old gas station where a woman is lying on the ground and her young daughter immediately warns the paramedics to hurry up because "they are coming." The woman goes into cardiac arrest and as the paramedics are about to resuscitate her heart and notice that she has numbers tattooed all over her chest, a bunch of crazies wielding rifles arrive in an old truck. In the dispute that follows, one of the paramedics is shot in the shoulder and in the end all four are kidnapped by these people.
They are taken to some underground facility, where megaphones constantly play some type of speech/mantra. The woman is taken away and the three others are places in restrooms stalls where the walls are completely covered in mathematical written. Eventually our paramedics are taken to a room and told by the same cult member who did the interview what they are all about and wants them to join the group. Later, the leader of the group called the Teacher, played fantastically by Daniel Benzali, speaks to them and takes their questions via mic and speakers.
The woman is healed with by touch of hands of the other cult members and the shot paramedic is more open to what they have to say than the soon-to-be-dad. Eventually, the woman will convert the shot one. While the other one stays a skeptic till the end.
What is the cult all about: the Teacher has discovered or been given the Formula, which represents undeniable truth. It warns of impending doom and that the group cannot be left behind. They will leave this sphere and after some event for which they are all preparing will be transported to some other level of existence.
Eventually, the inevitable event, for which they are preparing and which we anticipate happens: all the cult members go in a freezer room and open gas containers. But some of our characters will be outside of the freezer and survive this.
A month later we meet the survivors again on a regular morning. But something is going on outside, everyone in the neighborhood goes out to see what is happening. And it is a very interesting and surprising turn of events.
This move is very good. The acting by Johnny Messner, Daniel Benzali, the main cult members, and the little girl Saige Ryan Campbell is outstanding. One can see the budget limitation in the sets and the lack of action, but despite this movie going at a slower pace, it is captivating enough to keep your attention. The script is surprisingly smart: there's mention of transcendent states of consciousness, time, theoretical physics, ontology, etc. I would have to watch it again to see if it the worldview of the cult is entirely coherent or not. It didn't seem like it was. But there's some very interesting and intelligent material here. Also, there are some great Special Features on the DVD. Not the usual annoying 5 minute cast interviews mixed with 15 minutes of movie scenes. Rather we have extended part of the movie, that I think could been added to the original film. There is an extended interview of the cult member, a monologue of the teacher, a description of the facility, a fascinating mathematical explanation of what they believe in, and a forensic report of the investigation by the police the morning after the cult takes part in the event.
Next we meet a group of paramedics in a fire station. One of them just finds out that he's going to be a father when a call comes in and he and his friend have to answer it.
They arrive at a public phone near an old gas station where a woman is lying on the ground and her young daughter immediately warns the paramedics to hurry up because "they are coming." The woman goes into cardiac arrest and as the paramedics are about to resuscitate her heart and notice that she has numbers tattooed all over her chest, a bunch of crazies wielding rifles arrive in an old truck. In the dispute that follows, one of the paramedics is shot in the shoulder and in the end all four are kidnapped by these people.
They are taken to some underground facility, where megaphones constantly play some type of speech/mantra. The woman is taken away and the three others are places in restrooms stalls where the walls are completely covered in mathematical written. Eventually our paramedics are taken to a room and told by the same cult member who did the interview what they are all about and wants them to join the group. Later, the leader of the group called the Teacher, played fantastically by Daniel Benzali, speaks to them and takes their questions via mic and speakers.
The woman is healed with by touch of hands of the other cult members and the shot paramedic is more open to what they have to say than the soon-to-be-dad. Eventually, the woman will convert the shot one. While the other one stays a skeptic till the end.
What is the cult all about: the Teacher has discovered or been given the Formula, which represents undeniable truth. It warns of impending doom and that the group cannot be left behind. They will leave this sphere and after some event for which they are all preparing will be transported to some other level of existence.
Eventually, the inevitable event, for which they are preparing and which we anticipate happens: all the cult members go in a freezer room and open gas containers. But some of our characters will be outside of the freezer and survive this.
A month later we meet the survivors again on a regular morning. But something is going on outside, everyone in the neighborhood goes out to see what is happening. And it is a very interesting and surprising turn of events.
This move is very good. The acting by Johnny Messner, Daniel Benzali, the main cult members, and the little girl Saige Ryan Campbell is outstanding. One can see the budget limitation in the sets and the lack of action, but despite this movie going at a slower pace, it is captivating enough to keep your attention. The script is surprisingly smart: there's mention of transcendent states of consciousness, time, theoretical physics, ontology, etc. I would have to watch it again to see if it the worldview of the cult is entirely coherent or not. It didn't seem like it was. But there's some very interesting and intelligent material here. Also, there are some great Special Features on the DVD. Not the usual annoying 5 minute cast interviews mixed with 15 minutes of movie scenes. Rather we have extended part of the movie, that I think could been added to the original film. There is an extended interview of the cult member, a monologue of the teacher, a description of the facility, a fascinating mathematical explanation of what they believe in, and a forensic report of the investigation by the police the morning after the cult takes part in the event.