This film is getting good ratings. And there's a reason why. Within the first 10 minutes, this film establishes the core of the film, and then doesn't let up until the end. But while most horror films stick to the, "more gore less story" ideals, Andy Dodd has crafted a story that makes you want to care for the main character of Cooper. But, while I was watching the Apostate, another movie came to mind that shared a similar premise, and that was the first SAW movie. While the Apostate shares some similarities to James Wan's, the Apostate refuses to let the audience turn away, and even though there's a lot of blood and violence in the film, you can tell Dodd wanted to tell a good story as well, and there's a lot of character development, and well crafted dialog throughout the film. But what makes the film so twisted, beyond the gore and violence, is what I'm not including in this review. You'll have to see it for yourself...around the 40 minute mark.
But, at the end of the day, even though I liked it, would I recommend it to others? And that is a yes, and no. Yes, it is a very cool film, and has things that every horror fan would love, but not for everyone. There's a lot of adult content that younger horror fans just wouldn't get, as the beginning is quite slow.
The Apostate is a great feature directorial debut for Andy Dodd, and I'm excited to see his future works. The Apostate is a violent, monolith of an indie film, but it's also very smart, respecting the fans of the genre. And if you get a chance to see it on the big screen, I highly suggest it! I noticed Andy Dodd has done some recent work on the 'force awakens' - fair play.