"Let Us Prey" (2014) To Pray or To Prey, That is the Question

The Trailer:

Director: Brian O'Malley
Cast: Pollyanna McIntosh, Douglas Russell, Hanna Stanbridge, Bryan Larkin & Liam Cunningham

Synopsis: A stranger wanders into a quiet police station and brings havoc with him.

I wasn't expecting much from this movie. A wandering drifter bringing with him destruction is hardly a new concept. In fact there is a movie titled The Traveler starring Val Kilmer that is basically the same as this movie, except Let Us Prey is far better than that one. Everything about this film— the acting, the setting, the score, the overall production— is fantastically executed and makes it a superior film within the "drifter" trope.

Pollyanna McIntosh as the troubled, straight-laced police constable Rachel Heggie is amazing. She is tough but also fair and believes in her purpose to provide justice where justice is due, she is a true heroine. Douglas Russell as Sgt. MacReady is also phenomenal. He is a truly terrifying character in his strict demeanor and skewed guidance by the old testament. The cop partnership between Jennifer Mundie (Hanna Stanbridge) and Jack Warnock (Bryan Larkin) is unrelenting in their loyalty to each other and their abuse of power as police officers. Liam Cunningham as the unnamed occupant of cell six (from this point on, I will refer to him as Six), the drifter, is fabulous. He is calculated and does everything with unwavering purpose. Even the secondary characters, Ralph Beswick (Jonathan Watson), Caesar Sargison (Brian Vernal), and Mulvey (James McCreadie) as the other criminals being held at the police station are wonderful and all demented in their own rights.

There is religious overtone throughout the film that I quite like. Though I'm not a religious person myself, I can always appreciate movies, art, books, etc. that include religion in their storytelling. Religion, especially Christianity, being brought into the story manifests an idea of good vs. evil. The beauty of this film is that for a while it is unclear who is good and who is evil. Not only that, but it challenges our stereotypes of good and evil; the people we believe to be the good of society (cops, teachers, doctors) are also the people performing heinous acts we expect from the dregs of society, they are the sinners. And because of this juxtaposition of elements within these various characters it allows for us to see how being an entity of good doesn't mean your behavior is exclusive to good acts and vice-versa with an evil entity. In the end, even the good must atone for their sins.

Initially, I didn't realize how dark this film was going to get. It's gruesome, brutal, and very bloody (which, by the way is a huge plus for me). And the way that the all of it, especially the brutality, is displayed is horrifically magnificent. I mean, it is excessive and over-the-top and may be hard for some people to watch, but it's so necessary to the film. It manifests a harsh distinguishing line between the savage cruelties performed by the sinners and the muted subtle workings of the mysterious (otherworldly?) Six. Due to the strangeness of Six and all the things he is capable of doing there is also a fantastical element to this film, but it's not an overpowering sense of fantasy. And I really like that aspect.

Overall Let Us Prey is not a award-worthy film, but it is good. It's got gore, it's got a real story line and a few jumpscares (not too many, thank goodness), everything to please a range of horror fans. I am definitely planning on watching this again. And I suggest you take a look at it too!