Made in collaboration with the Church of Satan (please don’t confuse them with the Satanic Temple, which are two very different entities), director Scott Cummings’ documentary “Realm of Satan” is a disappointment. It’s a total bummer that the film offers very little insight on the Church and its eclectic members, making Cummings’ observational style of filmmaking feel all the more lax and deficient.
These aren’t the warm and fuzzy brand of Satanists, but the hardcore kind. There are incantations, intimidating rituals, bloodletting, creepy incantations, and the breastfeeding of goats (I am, unfortunately, not kidding). A lot of this is so out there that you can’t help but wonder how much of it was staged solely for the sake of giving a shocking show.
Cummings leaves his camera rolling to observe the faithful, which lends a salacious, peeping tom type quality to the documentary. So much of this feels too choreographed, though, and the experimental, avant-garde style left me exhausted and angry.
I was legitimately looking forward to learning more about the Church of Satan and gaining a new understanding of its members but instead, “Realm of Satan” does a gross disservice to its subjects. Instead of promoting an eye-opening understanding, Cummings relegates these Satanists to nothing more than creepy weirdos whom you hope never move in next door.
By: Louisa Moore
Screen Zealots 