So, I just watched The Observance trailer. As usual, I'm skeptical—not because I hate indie horror (I'm actually rooting for these guys), but because at this point, if I see one more “insidious cult infiltrates a family” plot, I might actually join a cult just to feel something new.
The trailer drops us into the story of Madison Neubauer, played by Kate Dailey. She's been out cold for five years after a car accident—always the car accident, right?—and wakes up to find her husband and daughter way too chill about the fact that their new best friend is Richard Abernathy, a sinister cult leader played by Ted Raimi. Raimi, by the way, is the kind of actor who can pull off “charming creep” in his sleep. The whole town's under Abernathy's spell, which… yeah, of course they are. It's horror. Everyone's gotta worship something weird.
Director Robert Hollocks—who also gave us Applewood, a movie most of you haven't watched because, honestly, neither have I—seems to have a thing for psychological unease. He co-wrote this with Amy Rhinehart Bailey, which at least suggests it's not just a one-man-against-the-cult shootout. The script apparently tries to tap into our current “truth is relative, belief is dangerous” zeitgeist. Which, fine, sure. If it doesn't get too preachy, it could work. But right now, my main takeaway is that these guys made a viral website for a fake cult—which, I mean, that's a lot more effort than most films bother with. Kudos for the marketing hustle, I guess.
Confirmed dates:
The Observance premiered at the Berlin Indie Film Festival earlier this year—no exact date, because who's counting?—and Beyond Casual Media plans to release it sometime later in 2025. (Helpful. Thanks for narrowing that down, guys.)
Here's what I keep coming back to. The trailer? It's got atmosphere. Suspenseful music, unsettling close-ups, a sense that everyone's somehow off. You know, the usual tricks. But they do it well enough that I'm willing to give it a shot. Raimi's got that manic energy, and there's a decent cast supporting him. But let's be honest: unless this thing nails the ending, it's just going to add to the pile of “cult horror” films that promised chills and mostly delivered yawns.
I remember a time when cults in movies meant The Wicker Man—where things got really weird, really fast. Now, it's all about moody lighting and people staring into the distance, waiting for someone to scream. I want more actual weirdness, less “we're building tension.” If this movie has one genuine WTF moment, I'll eat my hat. Metaphorically. I don't even wear a hat.
Look, I'm not writing it off. I'm just… fatigued. The genre's in a rut. But maybe—just maybe—this one's got a twist worth sticking around for. Or at least a website worth trolling.
One thing's for sure: if you're into cult horror, mark your calendar for “sometime in 2025.” Or don't. It's not like you have anything else to do.
