“Leviticus”
Nothing like a homophobic township with the power of God behind it to execute a modern version of the “Crucible,” complete with supernatural manifestations. Adrian Chiarella’s directorial debut depicts two teens who are tormented for who they are by the usual posse of bullies, as well as a supernatural manifestation.
We meet the boyishly naive Naim (Joe Bird) and edgier Ryan (Stacy Clausen) as two kids exploring an abandoned mill. They get to horsing around, trading punches and falling to the ground in a violent bear hug that quickly relaxes into a loose hug and ultimately a kiss. There it is, they’re rebel lovers going against the grain in the deeply religious rural Australian town where they live.
Naim later witnesses Ryan intimately grappling with another classmate, Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt). Jealous, Ryan tells the town’s pastor (Ewen Lesley), who happens to be Hunter’s dad. What ensues is an exorcism performed by a “deliverance preacher” (Nicholas Hope) brought in to force the gay out of the lads (Naim’s mom, Mia Wasikowska of “Alice in Wonderland,” forces him to endure the ritual because he’s too close to Ryan).
It seems hokey at first, but the brief fire and brimstone rite unleashes a personal demon that torments each boy in isolation, by taking the form of the person each boy desires most (Naim for Ryan, and vice versa). Lust is its lure, bloodlust its mission. It’s a frightening change that no one else can see, and it leads to terrible ends first for a young woman and then for Hunter. Yet somehow, their bullying classmates manage to be worse.
The film’s title refers to the Bible’s third book, which contains Old Testament laws defining sin, purity and sexual conduct that some use to condemn homosexuality.
The small-town dwellers are shepherded into an angry horde by Hope’s outsider. The performances by Bird and Clausen are pivotal, and the rest of the ensemble are also strong. But the characters of Naim and especially Ryan feel underdeveloped. The supernatural element also is wispy. The message, however, is not. Chiarella creates effective eerie and edgy moments. He’s another budding horror auteur like Kane Parsons (“Obsession”) and Curry Baker (“Backrooms”), who know how to craft mood and scene beyond their years, but have room to grow to conjure spirit and soul.
“Masters of the Universe”
’80s vibes are in the air — and in your ear — in this overly long return of He-Man, a Mattel action figure set turned franchise. The 1987 take on “Masters” starred Dolph Lundgren and was cheesy, brash and dull with lo-fi effects (unlike “Flash Gordon” (1980), which brazenly reveled in its kitsch). The current version is directed by Travis Knight (“Kubo and the Two Strings” (2016), “Bumblebee” (2018)). It shows some ingenuity early on but by the end redounds with subpar crash-bang mindlessness. At a nearly two-and-a-half hour running time, the film could have used some paring in the editing room, or a bit more spice in the script department (five writers are credited).
Because as He-Man/Adam, Nicholas Galitzine (“Red, White & Royal Blue”) strikes a nice balance of hunky and goof — think Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord or Chris Hemsworth as Thor in the Marvel Universe. After the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto, who seems minted for these parts) overthrows the kingdom of Eternia, the young Prince Adam is sent to Earth via a time/space portal. In tow is the Sword of Power (you gotta love these witty, high-brow labels). Naturally, Skeletor needs the sword to rule the — well, you know, universe. Adam loses the sword and gets a job as a corporate wonk, which he spends on the internet searching for the hefty, double-edge sword. Cheekily, his pronouns are He-Him, and he’s also on the HR watch list (Sasheer Zamata hits it out of the park as Adam’s passive-aggressive higher up) for using company resources for his “weird,” role-play obsession. He’s a little too candid about his origins (Superman knew better); when he tells a date about Eternia and the sword they head to the bathroom and never come back.
The banal life on Earth is the kitschy, fun part of “Masters of the Universe.” When Adam does find the sword and he’s back on Eternia trying the save the decimated planet from Skeletor, who Leto projects as a Snidely Whiplash with a tang of Jeremy Irons, interest wanes despite Knight’s efforts to crank it up. In the mix is the ever-regal Idris Elba as Duncan, a former Sergeant-at-Arms turned booze hound, and Camila Mendes as his daughter — and able avenger. Lots to like but it all goes on too long. Nice touches are a cameo by the still-jacked Lundgren and the reuse of Queen’s “Princes of the Universe” from the original “Highlander” film (1986).
For What it's Worth 
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