ON-DEMAND REVIEW: The Sisterhood of Night

THE SISTERHOOD OF NIGHT
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW (On-Demand)

RATED: PG-13

RATING: *****/*****

PREMISE: (via-IMDB) When Emily Parris exposes a secret society of teenage girls who have slipped out of the world of social media and into another world they've discovered in the woods at night. When she accuses the girls of committing sexually deviant activities, Emily sends the small American town into a atmosphere of hysteria and the national media spotlight. The mystery deepens when each of the accused girls upholds a vow of silence. 

 

THE PRO'S: Surprisingly deep story, exceptional acting and writing, very good social commentary, original, and most of all a great mystery.

 

THE CON'S: This movie has no cons. In fact I'd say everything about it makes it a MUST-SEE.

 

THE REVIEW:

The movie I am about to review may just be one of my favorite films of all time. I did not expect what I was in for when I finally sat down to watch it, but it looked great. But it ended up being more than great, it ended up being simply FANTASTIC.

 

The Sisterhood of Night tells the story of four girls: Mary, Lavinia, Catherine, and Emily. The former three are part of, and form a group known as "The Sisterhood of Night", while Emily is an outsider who desires to be a part of them. When a bitter Emily leaks the secret society to the town, it has startling effects of Witch Trial-porportions which sends their lives, and the lives of those around them into a chaotic tailspin.

 

Now I knew very little about this film going into it, never having read the short story it's based on, and only hearing about it here and there. But I am so glad this piqued my interest because it's just so good. First of all, the story is absolutely fantastic. It's presented very well and told in a way that both intrigued and fascinated me. And for a movie that definitely is not a horror film, it definitely created some fantastic suspense as well.

 

The performances that drive this movie are fabulous as well. I can see that each girl starring in this movie will most certainly have a long, illustrious career ahead of them if they keep this up. By far, I am stunned by Georgie Henley, who played Lucy in Narnia. Her performance here was by far the best in the movie, with her leading the group of actresses perfectly. She has grown into a beautiful young woman, and a force to be reckoned with acting wise. While Kara Hayward, Willa Cuthrell, and Olivia Dejonge all knock it out of the park as well. Bringing out performances that are both very real, and also very intense.

 

By far, the best part of this movie as I said before, however, is the sense of mystery. It's been a long time since I really felt so stumped about a movie as I was here. With each passing moment, I had a new idea of what The Sisterhood of Night may be up to in the woods. And when the answer is finally given, it was done so wonderfully, and shocked me on many levels. The pay-off for the mystery is fantastic, and well worth the journey it takes to get there.

 

But most of all, I want to applaud the writing here. It is by far a movie that really feels authentic with its teenage dialogue and characters. Never once did I find myself saying that a teenager wouldn't say this or do that, I felt like these were real kids that I could have gone to high school with. And I think that's a huge reason why this movie can resonate with everybody on some level.

 

Finally, I have to say that the message of this movie is one that truly needs to be put out there. It may be a simple message, but it's one that especially teens need to learn as they go into high school. And even some adults (if you ask me). And thus, if nothing else, have your teens watch this so they can hopefully absorb the message.

 

I could keep going, but instead, I'll wrap up my review by saying...

 

IN CONCLUSION: 

 

The Sisterhood of Night is a masterwork. Equal parts mysterious, sad, moving, and intriguing there is something for everyone to be found here. A great flick to watch, and definitely one that sends a good, well-needed message. If you get the chance, check this one out, you won't regret it.

5 OUT OF 5 STARS

MY HIGHEST RECOMMENDATIONS