I surely won't say that I was disappointed with my long awaited viewing of Larry Cohen's "God Told Me To", but it wasn't quite what I was expecting. And I mean that as a compliment because the depth and storyline of this film was far more impressive than I hoped it to be. Cohen has always been an imaginative and versatile scriptwriter (It's Alive, Q The Winged Serpent) but he really surpasses oneself here with this multifunctional shocker! It would be a disgrace to simply categorize "God Told Me To" as a shlock-horror film as it equally covers the fields of detective thriller, pseudo-religious drama and science fiction. The very engaging script starts from a dazzling basic idea (which truly encouraged me to purchase this movie no matter what
) but unexpectedly becomes an ambitious mystery that constantly keeps you guessing. We follow the deeply religious cop Peter Nicholas in his investigation on every day NY citizens that suddenly go wild and commit vile murders. Right before dying, they all confess that God himself ordered them to commit these crimes. In his search for clues, Det. Nicholas stumbles upon supernatural events and connections that are beyond belief. The story is compelling, although very VERY complex. It took me three viewings to really "get" the story and I still have questions to ponder on. Nevertheless, Cohen proves himself to be a master of plotting and even the tiniest sub plot (like the anti-hero cop being torn between his wife and mistress) are sublimely elaborated. I admit I more or less expected this to be a semi-absurd and violent cheapie (like Cohen delivered them before) but it turned out one of the most misunderstood exploitation films of the 70's. Although the film isn't really disturbing, there's a lot of suspense and intrigue. Cult lovers familiar with Cohen's repertoire will be pleased to see that he couldn't resist referring to his blaxploitation roots and that he takes every opportunity to severely criticize American society. The charismatic actor Tony Lo Bianco is terrific in portraying the spirited here and he's partly responsible for a climax you won't forget easily.
