By Becca Johnson August 24, 2024
A feature debut from director Ludvig Gur, 'In the Name of God' is a Swedish religious horror starring Linus Wahlgren (The Evil Next Door), Vilhelm Blomgren (Midsommar) and Lisa Henni (Easy Money). Wahlgren plays a priest named Theodor, who gains popularity after his wife miraculously survives a deadly illness. When the authenticity of the miracle is questioned, Theodor must prove it was God’s power that saved her, which plunges him into the depths of the occult.
Slow to start but soon picking up and turning into something highly stylish and interesting, 'In the Name of God' is a well acted horror with great religious imagery and engaging twists and turns.
Review
The first act of 'In the Name of God' is nothing to write home about, and may leave some viewers feeling a little apprehensive. It takes far too long to introduce the leads, set the scene and immerse us into the story, and it unfortunately goes the complete wrong way about this. Despite having great use of moody, eerie lighting and engaging religious imagery that we’ve come to expect, it unfortunately has too many exposition info-dump scenes, hinting that the team struggled to find an interesting way to get things moving. There’s bland conversations that only serve the purpose of giving us background information ie. what the characters do for a living, with disengaging dialogue aplenty. By squeezing in so much exposition into one act, it makes things feel incredibly rushed, not taking the time to deliver the information we need in an engaging way. It seems quite clear that the team are aiming to get to the more interesting stuff, where the story actually lies, so it’s easy to question whether we needed all the backstory that they gave us. However, it is very plain to see why it wanted to race through the first act.
From the second act forward, 'In the Name of God' becomes a different film altogether. Turning into a well paced, thought-provoking horror with very intriguing conversations, great exploration of its themes and even has a twist or two injected into the plot that keeps things particularly interesting. Though this does mean there is quite a tonal shift between the first act and the remainder of the movie, it’s quite welcome due to how much it improves things. The further the plot progresses, the more lead actor Linus Wahlgren gets to showcase his range, as Theodor is really put through his paces and becomes very stressed and disturbed by what the ‘Lord’ is guiding him to do - what it actually takes for these supposed miracles to occur. When Vilhelm Blomgren enters the scene, who received much acclaim for his performance in 'Midsommar' as Pelle, 'In the Name of God' becomes really engaging. Blomgren’s character Erik aims to debunk the idea that priest Theodor can perform miracles, which invites some really interesting discourse surrounding the idea of miracles, a theme very heavily discussed when the topic of religion comes up. We also learn that Erik is quite attached to Theodor’s story, as his close friend seemingly had a similar story before becoming a different person altogether. Blomgren’s Erik not only threatens to debunk said miracles, but uncover some very unholy deeds committed by Theodor. This cat-and-mouse, mystery element ensures much improvement in the story.
Fans of 'Midsommar' will not only enjoy seeing Blomgren again, but the Ari Aster cult-horror alumni also includes Isabelle Grill, who played Maja particularly well in the much-loved movie. This time around, Grill plays a character called Hannah, an individual whose motivations may be even darker and more sinister than that of 'Midsommar'… maybe. Grill is excellent in yet another eerie turn, certainly making a name for herself within the genre. The notable performances don’t stop there, as Theodor’s wife Felicia is played well by Lisa Henni. From tackling a very severe, near-death illness to overcoming it within flash, to then falling pregnant and missing out on the help of her husband who is too busy running off into the night to support her, a lot is expected of Henni and she crushes it. The 'Midsommar' similarities don’t stop with the cast, as perhaps the most notable element of that movie is carried over into 'In the Name of God' - cults. It is explored in a very different way, so it’s best to manage expectations, but the fan-favourite theme is definitely prominent and has all the traits you’d expect, white dresses and all. The final act is scary, very aesthetically pleasing with plenty of shock value - a far cry away from what the first act delivers.
If the entire movie was as strong as the final two acts, 'In the Name of God' could’ve been great. Unfortunately, the mediocre opening hinders enjoyment from the get-go, and tarnishes the overall appeal of the film. However, with excellent performances, interesting themes, nice visuals and an exciting ending, 'In the Name of God' is more than worth a viewing.
Star Rating
'In the Name of God' premiered at Frightfest London 2024 August 24
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