Leviticus is a strong feature debut with plenty to say about the horrors of conversion therapy

Writer/director Adrian Chiarella's feature debut, Leviticus, is a well-shot film that isn't at all subtle about it themes or its influences. The movie excels at showing the dangers of conversion therapy and a small Australian town's negative reaction to queer love. Though the monster and doppelganger element is a little too familiar, the film is still a nail-biting watch, bolstered by the performances of its male leads.

The movie stars Joe Bird as Naim and Stacy Clausen as Ryan. On the surface, the high schoolers seem like opposites. Ryan comes across as a jock, while Naim is much more reserved and detests the small town that his mother (Mia Wasikowska) moved him to. Yet, early in the film, the boys meet at a mill that looms in the movie, and a bit of rough housing turns into a steamy make out session. As the old cliche goes, opposites attract.

For a number of reasons, however, Naim and Ryan can't be open about their relationship. For one, Ryan also has a thing with another classmate, Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt), and when their relations become known, the young men are forced into conversion therapy, where a creepy deliverance preacher (Nicholas Hope) performs a ritual involving a flame that causes the men to writhe around on the floor and nearly have a seizure. This scene in particular is one of the most haunting in a movie filled with several unnerving sequences.

From there, we learn that the ritual conjures an entity that takes the form of the person the victim desires the most. For instance, Hunter keeps seeing Ryan, and Ryan sees Naim. Naim, too, is eventually forced into conversion therapy, and then he's plagued by Ryan's doppelganger. This creates several nerve-jangling scenes, and it also calls to mind It Follows. This is a force that simply won't stop, and it makes Naim and Ryan's budding queer romance all the more complicated. They know they should cut ties with each other, but their passion for each other is so strong that they can't. Besides, in a small town where everyone judges everyone else, they're two outsiders who need each other.

The film works best when it focuses on Naim and Ryan's relationship, and in that regard, Clausen and Bird especially give memorable performances. Bird specifically conveys his character's terror and longing for acceptance and to be with the one he loves. Additionally, the community is the other villain in this film. Even though the ritual has horrific consequences, neighbors and even Ryan and Naim's parents still force them into conversion therapy. They can't simply be themselves.

Further, this is an incredibly well-shot film, almost frame by frame. The constant framing of the mill is symbolic of an industrial town that Naim so desperately wants to flee, but also the forbidden romance between the two young men, since it's where they first hooked up. Chiarella returns to images of the mill and its smokestacks again and again, reminding viewers of the location's symbolic weight. The mill represents the trappings of the town and the beginning of Naim and Ryan's connection.

The film's only real flaw is that the monster/doppelganger aspect is something we've seen before, especially with It Follows. The queer twist isn't quite enough to make it feel fresh, but that doesn't mean there aren't some solid scares here. The opening, for instance, sets the stage for how strong, relentless, and evil the entity is. Yet, the true horrors here lie in the very real and tangible aspects, like the way a close-minded community demonizes queer youth, or the profound negative impact conversion therapy could have. Heck, even Naim's mom won't accept his sexuality, and it's heartbreaking to watch.

Already, this has been a great summer for the horror genre. Leviticus is another solid entry and a great watch for Pride Month. Though the monster feels a bit too familiar, there's still plenty of scares and unsettling moments in this movie, as well as standout performances from the leads, Bird especially. This movie also succeeds in showing just how monstrous conversion therapy can be.

Leviticus is currently playing in theaters.

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