The Deliverance Netflix Review
Lee Daniels’ highly anticipated horror, The Deliverance, has finally arrived on Netflix, and fans of the genre are likely devouring it already. While horror is a beloved genre, finding a standout movie can be a challenge. However, after witnessing the chilling trailer for The Deliverance, we were convinced that it would live up to expectations and deliver a compelling addition to the genre, but were we correct?
For starters, the runtime of 1 hour and 52 minutes can be a little daunting, especially for a horror movie, but we weren’t going to let that scare us away. In this review, we will help you decide whether or not The Deliverance is worth adding to your watchlist, so if you’re on the fence, make sure you stick around!
Glenn Close Stands Out in The Deliverance
The Deliverance is inspired by true events, which is stated at the beginning of the movie and is more than enough to elevate the overall experience. At the heart of this movie lies a poignant family drama, centered around Ebony, a struggling single mother of three, who has welcomed her mother, Alberta, into her home. However, as the tense opening dinner scene reveals, no one seems to get along in this family.
Glenn Close and Andra Day appear to be the perfect choices as far as casting for Alberta and Ebony, and one of the finest parts of the movie too. The mother-daughter tension in some of the scenes is the highlight of the movie, even though The Deliverance is a horror, not just a drama. In fact, this ensemble cast left us wondering if Lee Daniels should have made this movie without the supernatural element in it.
The movie has heavily leaned into generational trauma and an evidently disturbed relationship between Ebony and her children, one that even leads to violence. Frankly, you might find yourself too engrossed in the family drama to even remember this is a horror before the first jump scare of sorts pops up on the screen.
As for the supernatural element, there’s a demonic possession involved, which should come as no surprise, as it attacks Ebony’s youngest son, Andre. It doesn’t take long for the movie to escalate and dive into the horror part. The pace of the movie also explains the long run time, and there are moments where you think it’s working, and there are moments where you want the movie to be done with, albeit, you’ll still be curious.
The Deliverance tried to accomplish too much – generational trauma, racial undertones, absent father, abusive relationships, demonic possessions, and plenty more. It almost made it difficult to focus on the parts that actually worked. However, the supernatural and scary elements, which drew many viewers to the movie, fell short of expectations, lacking that eerie intensity that fans of the genre crave.
Conclusion
Glenn Close and Andra Day delivered phenomenal performances in The Deliverance, but it wasn’t nearly enough to save the movie as a whole. We would love to know in the comments below what you thought about this movie!
