“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.
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