Creeping Religious Horror with Bite, In the Name of God (CFF) Delights in Its Wild Premise

Title: In the Name of God

First Non-Festival Release: August 2, 2024 (Theatrical Release)

Director: Ludvig Gür

Writer: Ludvig Gür

Runtime: 87 Minutes

Starring: Linus Wahlgren, Vilhelm Blomgren, Thomas Hanzon

Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here

This film’s review was written after its screening at the Chattanooga Film Festival in 2024.

A central tenant of many religions, the concept of sacrifice manifests in different forms within each faith. Is sacrifice merely a term to describe the emotional stake of giving up something one loves or is it something more visceral?

This question haunts small town priest Theodor (Linus Wahlgren) as he grapples with his wife’s (Lisa Henni) sudden illness. Approached by his estranged mentor, Jonas (Thomas Hanzon), Theodor is given the opportunity to save his wife with a catch. Jonas bequeaths the power to perform miracles on God’s behalf onto Theodor, who must kill a sinner to complete the ritual. Lost in the daze of this newfound power, Theodor grapples with the implications of this curse.

Delightfully violent and twisted, In the Name of God deconstructs the selfishness of sacrifice within religion.

Although its admittedly off-beat premise could be played for laughs, In the Name of God successfully plays it straight. The idea that a priest must carry out horrific acts of violence to perform miracles is visceral enough without the introduction of another sinister antagonist. In the Name of God glides through Theodor’s life with his new curse seeing how he adapts, thrives, and falls from the power. Perfect pacing and smart storytelling techniques keep In the Name of God on track for its dizzying climax.

Much of what makes In the Name of God work comes from the development of Theodor. Theodor is introduced as an affable and passionate priest wanting the best for his family and community. He does seek to ignite more interest in his congregation, but he is otherwise content. Theodor’s expedited corruption morphs his character into one willing to do what is necessary to protect his wife, child, and reputation. The compelling parallels to the way real-life religious leaders abuse their power for personal gain makes Theodor a sad but realistic portrayal of untrustworthy faith-based leadership.

This is complemented even further by the second act introduction of Erik (Vilhelm Blomgren), an investigative journalist who specializes in taking down cults. Erik’s story opens with a tense raid on a cult compound in an unassuming farmhouse before he catches wind of Theodor’s miracles. Through Erik’s investigation, we learn how Theodor has accepted his curse and moved forward with cleansing the world of sinners. We also learn of Erik’s personal vendetta against cults, as his childhood friend was sucked into one years ago fueling his obsession. Erik’s persistence at catching Theodor in the act as a fraud works as a compelling subplot that helps disrupt the power structure propping up Theodor and shielding him of his crimes.

Power is deeply intertwined with the concept of religion. Whether that comes from the power of the God or Gods worshipped or from the power wielded by its followers, communities, or governments, religious power has shaped society in more ways than we can count. The various players struggling to wield the power in appropriate ways, shows how deeply power can corrupt even the best-meaning people while enabling the worst.

This leads to the idea of how corrupted a sacrifice can be in faith. Theodor sacrifices plenty of people throughout the film, but what is his personal sacrifice? He struggles with the moral quandary of taking a life but justifies it when he considers the lives he saves or improves. Jonas pushes this curse upon him after experiencing the disastrous results of inaction. With Theodor compelled to continue his reign of terror, is it really sacrifice anymore? Would it not be blackmail? Others come in the fray using this power for their own gain, but the question lingers over the true nature of sacrifice. Is it really sacrifice when you aren’t the one who bleeds?

A delightfully vicious take on religious horror, In the Name of God offers plenty of twists and moral conundrums to recommend with ease. The strong cast elevates its character-driven story without ever getting too preachy, as one might fear from this type of film. If you’re looking for a positively dread-inducing Scandinavian based cult horror to further scratch the itch set by Midsommar, look no further than In the Name of God.

Overall Score? 7/10