Reviews & Ratings for
Holy Hell More at IMDbPro »

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5 out of 6 people found the following review useful:

Lots of reviews by cult members

Author: spencerthecat
7 July 2016

I don't review movies here BUT I read the extremely negative reviews and was curious. All were by new members with this being either their only review or maybe one or two additional ones done soon after to legitimize their reviewing credentials. Obvious plants by the still faithful. Sadly they are still out there.

Their reviews did not have the result intended. They piqued my curiosity and I sought out this film. If you are fascinated by cults or a fan of documentaries seek this film out. It's a rare thing to have this much inside footage of a cult leader and his followers in action. To outsiders the machinations of this vain Svengali seem transparent and obvious. So vain that he was the one who had all of this footage shot. Meeting the members you gain insight, sympathy and understanding as to how and why seemingly intelligent, aware individuals can be swept up by someone and something like this.

The film is well constructed, clear, emotional and does have a point of view. That point of view is what gives this film it's fire and passion. It's made by ex cult members and boy are they angry. It doesn't pretend to be a cold, objective view on what went on there and I think it is better for it. Imagine a film about Scientology made by angry ex-members or a film about the Manson family made by a disillusioned, embarrassed, remorseful ex-member. Oh the truths we'd learn!

My only complaint is that I wanted a cathartic confrontation with the cult leader at the end. There is a confrontation but it seems muted and sad rather than explosive and angry.

See this well made documentary if you can. It's an eight but I'm giving it a ten to counterbalance those idiotic one star reviews.

23 out of 43 people found the following review useful:

At least I was warm

Author: Dan Gillespie from United States
10 March 2016

Shoulda listened to my friend who saw this on its first day and spent my time doing something else, but the ticket was in my hand and it got me out of the cold Utah weather, so I guess there's that. Holy Hell was ... Weird? I couldn't figure out what it was. Here's the basic deal: a bunch of tree-huggers hang out with some guy who likes to swim and dance, then they decide not to hang out with him because they became disillusioned, then ten years later they are upset because they spent their youth hugging trees. It's like watching someone's old family vacation video, while they talk to you about how mean their parents were. Go to therapy. Leave me out of it. 

4 out of 6 people found the following review useful:

Cult by any name is still a cult.

Author: Quietb-1 from United States
1 June 2016

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Documentaries tend to be talkie. They usually have a narration and talking heads giving information. Here's a documentary that follows the requisite. It's the story of a cult from West Hollywood. Big surprise you know what the dark secret is going to be from the get go.

The film maker uses mostly video footage that does not blow up well for the big screen. It is hard to watch. The documentary is way too long with plenty of redundant talking heads telling basically the same story. The good news is the newest talking head footage is sharp and in focus.

It is always good news when a documentary gets a theatrical release. Unfortunately this one will do nothing to get more into theaters. It is in very limited release and not worth seeking out. A CNN credit makes it likely for the cable platform in the near future.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:

Essential Viewing for all Seekers

Author: andrew-90663 from Los Angeles, CA
3 August 2016

Excellent documentary that gives a first hand look into the power of social influence in a group dynamic. This film is a study of a teacher who has abused his power and uses his social influence to manipulate and control the members of the cult. It's equally parts disturbing and inspiring as the cult members seek the truth and expose the teacher to gain their back their own freedom of mind.

If you are interested in how cults operate from an insider's perspective, this film is invaluable. A must see for all everyone as the lessons here run deep and the journey of the members is both moving and profound.

11 out of 21 people found the following review useful:

Speedos, RayBans, Eye Liner

Author: David Ferguson (fergusontx@gmail.com) from Dallas, Texas
26 May 2016

Greetings again from the darkness. David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. Marshall Applewhite and Heaven's Gate. Jim Jones and People's Temple. Charles Manson and The Manson Family. For most of us, this list just about sums up our insight into the world of cults … and the horrific and violent endings of each are probably the only reason we know as much as we do. Filmmaker Will Allen, and his library of archival footage spanning more than 25 years, takes us behind the scenes of The Buddahfield, a cult run by an exceedingly odd man named Michel Rostand … or Jaime Gomez … or Andreas … or Reyji … depending on what time period and location we are discussing.

The film begins in 1985 West Hollywood as Mr. Allen joins his sister in her search for enlightenment and spiritual awakening. "Why am I here?" he asks ... not referring to the commune of young men and women, but rather why is he on earth – what is the meaning of life? We have all wondered if it's simply life and death, or if there is a greater purpose. These unanswered questions are how massive churches are built … and how cults are formed. The early film footage reveals exactly what one would expect: young people frolicking in the type of freedom that comes from dropping out of society. It's an innocence that is ripe for plucking, and that's exactly what "The Teacher" Michel does.

Trained as a hypnotherapist, Michel is the guru who claims to possess "the Knowing" – true enlightenment and the path to God in the purest form. At this point, I should mention that Michel is seemingly always strutting around in a Speedo and Ray-Bans. If he is a man of the cloth, it's an awfully small swatch. He also wears heavy eye-liner and strikes many pensive poses for the camera and his followers.

The last thing that I want to do is judge these followers on decisions they made early in life. Feeling lost or emotionally empty and aimless can lead to desperation. In filmmaker Will Allen's defense, this documentary acts as personal therapy or even catharsis for his fellow cult members who judge themselves harshly for the two decades of belief in a cause and a man that ultimately proved to be something much less than spiritual. Many of these followers are interviewed on camera and are clearly struggling even years after leaving the cult. It's not just the awareness of so many wasted years, but also the guilt in following a man who was not merely odd, but who also victimized so many.

Creepiness plays a big part here. It's creepy how one guy can so influence the lives of so many others. It's creepy how no one was able to expose this fraud before so many were hurt. It's creepy to hear these folks talk about their mindset during that time. And mostly it's creepy to view the incredible footage shot by Mr. Allen during his two decades on the inside. Lastly, the stalking (with camera) in 2012 which allows Mr. Allen to get the ending for his movie is in itself a special form of creepy … one that had me thinking that ALL of these people need psychological help.

If you want to see the internal workings of a cult (from California to Texas to Hawaii) – one with Speedos, plastic surgery, ballet, brainwashing, two kinds of peacocks – and the subsequent fallout, then you'll agree the film delivers a type of eavesdropping and peeking that is both rare and fascinating … in a creepy kind of way.

20 out of 39 people found the following review useful:

"He said/she said" that doesn't strike true

Author: ralphnader-57264 from United States
10 May 2016

I went to Holy Hell thinking it was about Amma, like the book. Instead I got a similar story, just with different characters. This film, is about a community in the 80's and 90's that seemed to be seeking something deeper, and had followers that appeared to be living in an American version of an ashram, spending their time around a teacher who challenged them. Not unlike my experience with Amma. I read excerpts from the Holy Hell book when it came out: how the writer was at first enthralled by her, then the accusations fly, and suddenly she is vilified. Having spent time in her company on several occasions, I found these accusations ridiculous and unbelievable. And watching this film, I felt more authenticity from the storytellers when they were sharing about the love they felt, or the service they did, or the lessons taught. When the energy of the film took a sharp turn to "he said/she said" it doesn't strike true. One minute this guy is in tears remembering the beauty of preparing fruit for his teacher and the next minute he's complaining that he had to make a fruit plate. Then come the accusations of inappropriate sexual dealings. If these accusations were real, wouldn't this teacher be behind bars? So I look at this film with cautious eyes, because I have lived through something similar and saw how easy it was to adopt someone else's story and take it for truth. And that's the really scary thing about storytelling: if you hear something often enough the brain assumes it's real.

29 out of 58 people found the following review useful:

If there only was a zero rating for Holy Hell

Author: grmovieviewer from United States
9 March 2016

Holy Hell reads like a film written by Donald Trump's speech writers. The protagonists says whatever words are popular to try and get the viewer to believe their story. It is scary an unconscious movie can be made like this in 2016. It should called Holy Excrement. It was a waste of my time and fried my eyes like Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Clearly, there is a thinly veiled agenda to single out a group in this film. Movies like these were made before WWII to target a group of people for extermination. If I could give a zero rating, it would be too high. Don't waste your time. It rate five wipes and a flush. On the upside, if you ever need hairstyle ideas for a 1980's disco party, the footage in this film is priceless.

19 out of 39 people found the following review useful:

Nothing to write home about

Author: S G from Canada
4 May 2016

It was interesting to see a spiritual community from the inside but there are some issues with this amateur documentary.

Over all it has a complete lack of structure and a simplistic approach that leave the viewer wanting.

I wouldn't call this project healing so much as hubris. Will Allen and cast seem to be doing their best to convince us of their victim hood but I found it hard to sympathize with their tenuous case against their "guru," especially when they skirt the issue of proof. Will seemed a little too heart-felt if you know what I mean and the cast seemed like a cult of its own.

6 out of 14 people found the following review useful:

Aren't documentaries supposed to be a fair look at both sides?

Author: Julia Montgomery
30 May 2016

I wanted to feel sorry for the people in this film, and it was clear from the editing that that was their intent, but I just couldn't. They entered into their community, made choices and then complained about their own choices. I have known many actual victims of rape and many victims of domestic abuse whereby the victim was literally trapped in horrific situations. This is not what seemed to be happening to these people. It seems they entered into sexual relations and then got upset because they weren't unique. Where was their angst prior to realizing the "teacher" had multiple partners over the decades in question? Is this a case of nasty divorce... "Looking back he was always an asshole" ?? Because the footage, although super hippy dippy, seems to reveal a bunch of happy people. And even the cast seems more convincing about what was, when they were in the throes of 'bliss', compared to the memory of the supposed 'holy hell.' And isn't a documentary supposed to have at least the appearance of neutrality? Where are the interviews of people who left and had no complaints? Or of the people who stayed? 

6 out of 14 people found the following review useful:

Not very honest

Author: Tasha (maliknatash)
30 May 2016

I've read some of the reviews on here and all I have to say is, come on. Let's not be so gullible as to think we're being shown an authentic take on what was happening within the Buddhafield. Yeah, some of the scenes and faces look accurate, but the narrative and the creepy music skew the footage, and the mood of what was happening. What we're watching is what Will Allen wants us to see, not what the actual Buddhafield was like.

I say this because a large part of what this movie relies on is the appeal of insider footage of a cult. Take away the supposition that we're watching true, unadulterated clips, and what we get is a skewed story about some unusual people.

Also no one is pausing to ask the important question - who is the real "bad guy?" What if everyone was at fault, or maybe no one? Blaming the teacher seems logical but by the end of the movie I was disappointed that Will Allen took the most obvious victim approach. The film could have dove into some deep reflection and questioning but instead it left me wanting a more dispassionate analysis of what was truly happening.

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