Title: Martha Marcy May Marlene
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, John Hawkes, Hugh Dancy
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_k3wCsOgqk]
Synopsis: After managing to escape the abusive cult she was a part of for years, a young woman named Martha goes to stay with her sister and brother-in-law to try and move on to a normal life. This proves difficult however, as Martha struggles to adjust to her new surroundings and becomes increasingly paranoid that the cult is coming after her; through flashbacks we are shown just how twisted and frightening Martha’s former life was. This infinitely creepy psychological thriller will dig right through your skin as you, like Martha, are slowly unable to tell what is reality and what is simply a delusion manifested from Martha’s extreme paranoia. Everything is brilliantly yet agonisingly subtle, so the true horror of this disturbing cult is primarily left up to your imagination – this is definitely a film that will linger in memory for time to come.
Watch if you liked: Take Shelter, Melancholia, We Need to Talk About Kevin
Rating: 9/10 – A truly haunting film with an ending that really plays with your mind.
Words by Samantha King