"THE DELIVERANCE" AMERICAN SUPERNATURAL HORROR MOVIE REVIEW.

 "THE DELIVERANCE"

AMERICAN SUPERNATURAL HORROR MOVIE REVIEW.

The Deliverance is a 2024 American supernatural horror film directed by Lee Daniels and written by David Coggeshall, and Elijah Bynum. Inspired by the Ammons haunting case, it stars Andra Day with Rob Morgan, Caleb McLaughlin, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Tasha Smith, Omar Epps, Mo'Nique, and Glenn Close.

Based on the Jackson family in Indiana, they move into a house where they soon experience strange, demonic occurrences that eventually convince them and the community that the house is a gateway to hell.

The film was released in select theaters on August 16, 2024, and began streaming on Netflix on August 30.

The plot of this story revolves around Ebony Jackson, a struggling mother of three who is trying to rebuild her life after several setbacks. Ebony’s family includes her eldest son Nate, her teenage daughter Shante, and her youngest son Dre. They have just moved into a new home, the third in a relatively short time. Along with them is Ebony’s elderly mother Alberta, who is battling cancer and has recently converted to Christianity. Although Alberta is unaware, her insurance has stopped covering her medical treatments. In a bid to prevent Alberta from being moved to a lower-tier care facility, Ebony has been paying for her treatments out of her own pocket. Unfortunately, this has led to financial troubles, leaving Ebony in arrears on many bills and sinking her deeper into debt.

Ebony’s personal struggles extend beyond her financial difficulties. She has a criminal record, which includes serving time in prison, and she also has a history of alcohol abuse. Whenever she drinks, she becomes violent, particularly toward her children. Her abusive behavior has already attracted the attention of Child Protective Services (CPS), and as a result, Ebony has been assigned a caseworker named Cynthia. The relationship between the family and Cynthia is tense and contentious, adding more stress to Ebony’s already difficult life.

As the family settles into their new home, strange occurrences begin to take place. Dre, Ebony’s youngest son, starts talking to an invisible presence whom he calls "Tre." According to Dre, Tre alternates between staying in the basement and hiding in the bedroom closet. This unusual behavior becomes more alarming when a dead cat is discovered in the basement, where there is also a large, mysterious hole in the unfinished concrete floor. On several occasions, Dre has been found in the basement in a catatonic state, further deepening the family’s concerns.

Things take a darker turn when Shante and Nate also begin acting strangely. One night, Ebony, who had been drinking heavily, hears banging noises coming from the children’s bedroom. Furious, she storms into the room. Alberta, alarmed by the children's screaming, rushes to find a large hole in the wall and Ebony sitting on the floor with a baseball bat. Although it appears as if Ebony might have caused the damage, she denies any involvement.

Cynthia, the CPS caseworker, visits the home after failing to locate Ebony at their previous address. During this visit, Cynthia notices bruises on the children and confronts Ebony about it, but the children all deny that their mother is responsible for their injuries. The family also notices a strange woman sitting in a car parked near their home, watching them. They assume the woman is somehow connected to Cynthia and CPS. 

That same day, all three children experience inexplicable psychiatric incidents at school, which results in their hospitalization. However, despite extensive evaluation, the doctors are unable to find anything physically wrong with the children, and they are sent home. 

The mysterious woman who had been watching the family eventually approaches Ebony and reveals her identity. She is a Pentecostal pastor who had tried to prevent a tragic incident that occurred in the house 20 years earlier. According to the pastor, a mother who lived in the house at that time had murdered her entire family before taking her own life. The pastor claims that a demon had possessed the woman and that the same demon is now haunting Ebony’s family. Initially, Ebony dismisses the pastor’s warnings, but her skepticism turns to horror when she returns home to find Alberta’s crucifix on fire and Alberta dead, killed by Dre under the influence of the demon.

In the aftermath of Alberta’s death, Ebony’s children are taken into protective custody, and Ebony herself is subjected to a psychiatric evaluation. However, Cynthia intervenes and convinces the authorities not to commit Ebony, sensing that there might be more to the situation than mental illness.

Shortly after, Cynthia witnesses Dre performing a supernatural act—climbing backward up a hospital wall—which convinces her that something unearthly is indeed at play. The pastor returns and prays with Ebony, leading her to become a believer in Christianity. With newfound faith, Ebony joins the pastor in an attempt to rescue Dre from the hospital. They bring Dre home and try to perform a deliverance prayer, hoping to rid him of the demon Tre.

The situation escalates when the demon, using Dre as its vessel, kills the pastor and engages in a brutal confrontation with Ebony. Desperate, Ebony turns to holy anointing oil as a weapon against the demon. Meanwhile, her other children, though not physically present, begin to show supernatural injuries as a result of being possessed remotely by the demon.

In the climactic battle, Ebony is nearly killed by the demon but, in a final act of faith, she calls upon Jesus to help her. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Ebony begins speaking in tongues and manages to exorcise the demon from her family. During the exorcism, her children manifest stigmata, further indicating the intense spiritual battle they are caught in.

Following the deliverance, Ebony and Cynthia come to an agreement to work together to regain full custody of the children. In a touching moment, Ebony gives Cynthia a cross necklace, symbolizing her desire to strengthen Cynthia’s faith as well. Six months later, the family is reunited, and as they drive to Philadelphia, Ebony reveals that she is reconciling with the children's father, suggesting a hopeful future for the family after their harrowing ordeal.

This story is a gripping tale of spiritual warfare, faith, and redemption, with elements of horror, suspense, and emotional drama interwoven throughout. It explores the complexities of family dynamics, trauma, and the power of faith to overcome even the darkest of supernatural forces.