A Slow-Paced Examination of Grief, New Religion (2023) Simmers in Its Provocation

Title: New Religion

First Non-Festival Release: June 20, 2023 (Digital/Streaming Platforms)

Director: Keishi Kondo

Writer: Keishi Kondo

Runtime: 100 Minutes

Starring: Kaho Seto, Satoshi Oka, Saijonji Ryuseigun

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

Everyone experiences loss at one point or another. You never really get enough time with those you loved. Sometimes, people get even less.

Reeling from the accidental death of her daughter, Miyabi (Kaho Seto) meanders through life without much purpose. Taking on a new boyfriend (Saijonji Ryuseigun) and a job as a sex worker, her self-inflicted torture is interrupted after she meets a mysterious client named Oka (Satoshi Oka) when filling a last-minute slot. His odd requests lead Miyabi down a path where she finds the only way to reconnect with her daughter is through the destruction of herself and those around her.

Off-beat Japanese horror New Religion wanders through its psychedelic narrative emphasizing vibes over story.

Washed in the longing and pain of grief, New Religion approaches its strange horror through the lens of a lost mother. The narrative hinges on Miyabi’s guilt and despair at losing her daughter and what that crushing feeling looks like afterwards. She seemingly has no desire for anything: love, work, herself. Miyabi floats on through life while occasionally reliving those worst moments.

Through the suffering of Miyabi, and her co-worker Aiwaza (Daiki Nunami), the mark of trauma leaves an indelible mark that causes greater pain beyond them. Both women have experienced great loss in their lives which lead to their new professions in the sex work industry. The expression of their grief manifests differently. Miyabi is reserved and distant, often wandering through life without much care for anything. She does what is needed to survive and doesn’t give much thought beyond that. Her co-worker, however, takes on a child-like persona to not address her hurt. In the brief conversations she has with Miyabi before going on her rampage, Aiwaza is more pitiful than anything. After meeting with Oka, it’s evident that Aiwaza’s trauma cuts just as deep as Miyabi’s, which is why the pair do what they do to become reunited with those they lost, even if it is just briefly.

Its sluggish pacing makes New Religion a tough sell for impatient viewers or those seeking a gorier affair. The plot is hazy at best, as Writer/Director Keishi Kondo glides through his ambitious yet ambiguous feature. Its slow-moving story isn’t served well by his propensity for torturously long sequences and drawn-out conversations. Miyabi’s journey is stagnant with her learning as much is needed to get her from one plot point to another. Aside from its climax, the tension and suspense are simply not there for most of the film, making it a rather tedious watch.

Divisive in its narrative approach, New Religion dazzles with its simmering and provocative cinematography. With an almost clinical technique of capturing the action on screen, New Religion paints reality with an austere vision of hopelessness and grief. The camera follows Miyabi with distant precision highlighting her physical distance from those in her lives. Once she meets Oka, the screen erupts with fiery reds that threaten to set the scene ablaze. This is when her life shifts into a more destructive force. She realizes the gift that Oka gives her in connecting her with her daughter, gradually takes more of herself away through his photography. The imagery is brutal and beautiful, shocking thanks to its deliberate scarcity.

New Religion is the type of film that refuses to take a stance in the name of audience participation, which makes it a difficult one to recommend. Although technically competent while raising some good questions on the nature of grief and its fallout, New Religion rarely works as a finished film. A so-so lead character and a lack of story structure make it a difficult watch despite some truly spellbinding imagery. Follow if you feel it speaks to you, otherwise New Religion may be one to find another day.

Overall Score? 5/10