Savage Messiah (2002)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Mario Azzopardi

Writer:

Sharon Riis (screenplay)

Release Date:

26 April 2002 (Canada)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

À vous de juger

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Social Worker Heroine | Cult | Punishment | Bizarre

Awards:

3 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Polly Walker	...	Paula Jackson
Luc Picard	...	Roch 'Moïse' Thériault
Isabelle Blais	...	Lise
Isabelle Cyr	...	Danielle
Julie La Rochelle	...	Suzette
Pascale Montpetit	...	Marie-Claude
Elizabeth Robertson	...	Magdalene
Domini Blythe	...	Gayle
John Dunn-Hill	...	Old man in farm
Kyra Azzopardi	...	Alinne
Tony Robinow	...	Judge Bonnard
Claude Préfontaine	...	Marie-Claude's Father
Susan Glover	...	Rod's Wife
Robert Higden	...	Grocery Store Owner / Clerk
Marie-Julie Rivest	...	Woman at Social Services

Also Known As:

Hidden Evil (Canada: English title) (TV title)
Moïse: L'affaire Roch Thériault (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, disturbing images, sexual content and language.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

French | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Mirabel, Québec, Canada

Company:

Astral Films

Disturbing, but very well done film

This movie is quite disturbing and not exactly pleasant to watch. However, that is not to say this isn't a very good and important film because it is.

There's a reason why Religion produces more pain, conflict and death than anything else in the history of mankind. It is used as an instrument of fear and power, and of course the weaker minded will always have gravitate towards the unknowable, and those who claim exclusive access to it. Not to say Religious concepts have no meaning or good qualities...and if humanity survives well into the future without destroying itself due to conflicting faiths, it will surely look back upon most Religious concepts as nothing more than unnecessary barbarism and tools for a weaker civilization.

Case in point...Savage Messiah. A psychotic and truly evil cult leader who tortures, kills, maims, molests, abuses...all in the name of "Love" and "God". Obviously this man was a complete lunatic, yet quite brilliant in some perverse ways. It's amazing that a few people still are loyal to him despite all the hard evidence against him, and even his ad hoc confession of guilt. Total brainwashing is a very easy process with some people it does seem.

As for the movie itself, it stays quite close to the known public truth about "Roch" and his self-proclaimed entourage. It is well filmed, realistic, and most importantly has some excellent acting performances by Polly Walker and Luc Picard. It's a movie that is important, even though most people won't ever get the chance to view it.