"The Sect," also released as "The Devil's Daughter" in the U.S., follows an American schoolteacher in Frankfurt who crosses paths with a mysterious elderly man. Little does she know, he is not as innocent as he seems, and their chance encounter sets in motion the plot of a group of Satanic ritual killers who plan to use her for a very important occasion.
Comparisons of this film have been made over and over again to "Rosemary's Baby," though I think that's a bit unfair to both films; it's no doubt an influence, but "The Sect" is far weirder and considerably less well-plotted (and the truth of the matter is that only the last ten minutes even remotely resemble Polanski's epic). Directed by Argento protege Michele Soavi, "The Sect" is as entertaining as it is absurd. The plot is shoddily strung-together, borrowing heavily instead from Argento's "Three Mothers" trilogy. Incoherence comes with the territory of Italian horror by and large, and "The Sect" is no different; plotholes abound and the real motives and nuances of the Satanic cult remain incredibly vague, which is a major pitfall.
That said, in all of its unintentional ambiguity, the film is hinged on several key moments that are quite memorable and well-executed, one of which involves a completely demented operating room sequence. The demonic angle underpins all of this, but is again underdeveloped, and the finale is clunky as it doesn't really manage to bring the audience to any sense of resolution or awareness of what they've just witnessed.
Kelly Curtis (first daughter of Janet Leigh, sister of Jamie Lee) is hit-and-miss here, though the overdubbing makes it difficult to really gauge her performance. Herbert Lom makes an appearance as the elderly henchman who sets the entire plot into motion and is a welcome presence.
All in all, "The Sect" is an entertaining mess of ideas. It has all the cornerstones of a good Satanic horror flick: A mysterious cult, inexplicable supernatural phenomena, possession, conspiracy, and ancient beetles-but there is not really a thread running through any of these things to make for a sturdy film. That aside, I do find it incredibly entertaining in all its weirdness, and there are a few hallucinogenic sequences that are well-executed. Standout moment: The sequence in which Curtis's posessed colleague propositions for sex at a truck stop, and everything that follows. 6/10.
Comparisons of this film have been made over and over again to "Rosemary's Baby," though I think that's a bit unfair to both films; it's no doubt an influence, but "The Sect" is far weirder and considerably less well-plotted (and the truth of the matter is that only the last ten minutes even remotely resemble Polanski's epic). Directed by Argento protege Michele Soavi, "The Sect" is as entertaining as it is absurd. The plot is shoddily strung-together, borrowing heavily instead from Argento's "Three Mothers" trilogy. Incoherence comes with the territory of Italian horror by and large, and "The Sect" is no different; plotholes abound and the real motives and nuances of the Satanic cult remain incredibly vague, which is a major pitfall.
That said, in all of its unintentional ambiguity, the film is hinged on several key moments that are quite memorable and well-executed, one of which involves a completely demented operating room sequence. The demonic angle underpins all of this, but is again underdeveloped, and the finale is clunky as it doesn't really manage to bring the audience to any sense of resolution or awareness of what they've just witnessed.
Kelly Curtis (first daughter of Janet Leigh, sister of Jamie Lee) is hit-and-miss here, though the overdubbing makes it difficult to really gauge her performance. Herbert Lom makes an appearance as the elderly henchman who sets the entire plot into motion and is a welcome presence.
All in all, "The Sect" is an entertaining mess of ideas. It has all the cornerstones of a good Satanic horror flick: A mysterious cult, inexplicable supernatural phenomena, possession, conspiracy, and ancient beetles-but there is not really a thread running through any of these things to make for a sturdy film. That aside, I do find it incredibly entertaining in all its weirdness, and there are a few hallucinogenic sequences that are well-executed. Standout moment: The sequence in which Curtis's posessed colleague propositions for sex at a truck stop, and everything that follows. 6/10.