After the Powells hire a cult deprogrammer (Stephen Dorff) to take back their teenage son from a murderous cult, they find themselves under siege when the cultists surround their cabin, demanding the boy back.
Jackals is directed by Kevin Greutert (Saw VI, Jessabelle), written by Jared Rivet. Jackals stars Deborah Kara Unger (White Noise, Silent Hill), Stephen Dorff (Blade, Leatherface), Johnathon Schaech (Quarantine, Laid to Rest), Nick Roux, and so many more.
Set in the 1980s, with very little way of telling that other than cults and cult deprogramming where popular then. Stephen Dorff is a cult deprogrammer who has been hired by the Powell family to retrieve their estranged teenage son from a murderous cult. While deprogramming the boy, they find themselves under siege by the cultists who demand the boy be returned to them. Dorff actually comes into this exactly as you would expect. His character is a veteran that looks like battles demons for a living, and his method of reaching the cult afflicted is a mash of new wave psychology and tough love. Deborah Kara Unger and Johnathon Schaech are the quintessential tortured parents who are fantastic at helping us feel the conflict between trying to win back a loved one and deciding when to give them up. The only real issues I had with the story and character combinations lie with the cult initiated kid and his brother. Nick Roux and Ben Sullivan hardly come off as teenagers. If anything they'd be early twenties, especially given one of them apparently has a child. Ultimately it appears that setting is supposed to make up any failings of characterization which leads to stereotyping what a farm family in the 1980's would look and act like. Though it doesn't fail ultimately, it does leave something to be desired.
Director Greutert is better known for being part of the editing crew for the first five Saw films and The Strangers. His first director credit starts with Saw VI. He eventually got to direct more original material with Jessabelle, Visions, and now Jackals. Most reviewers like to point to the obvious similarities to The Strangers, a film I enjoyed greatly and look forward to the new installment. But as a stand-alone film, Jackals derives from most if not all home invasion style films like The Purge, and You're Next. Jackals' may be derivative, but it still provides frights. The film does a great job creating an atmosphere where it is hard to tell if this is truly just human cult followers or whether there is supernatural elements. Is there truly demonic possession or is the brainwashing just that good? This can be especially noticed when the kid changed personalities. There really wasn't that much of a difference. Although I'll admit the evil personality had much better lines and delivery. I also give extra points for Greutert's willingness to attack an '80s-set Cult Thriller. Cult-versus-family flicks are rare these days, much less nostalgic set and assembled. Although, like previously noted, if it weren't for the description of the film you never would have known.
Jackals was screened at Cannes Film Festival, introduced by Highland Film Group, where Shout! Factory purchased the rights to distribute the film throughout North America. The film has made multiple appearances at horror film festivals, including Fright Fest at Leicester Square in London, and the Popcorn Frights Film Festival in Miami, Florida. It is currently available on VOD and though its an amalgam of everything you've seen, it does deserve a place on the shelf and promises good thing to come from its director.
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