Renowned director Lee Daniels delves into supernaturally charged waters with The Deliverance. Inspired by real haunting claims in Indiana, Daniels spins a tale of single mom Ebony fighting to protect her family from the looming darkness in their new Pittsburgh home. Ebony’s battle unwittingly becomes a struggle against human forces too, as demons lurk within and beyond the house’s walls.
Joining Daniels in bringing this story to life are screenwriters David Coggeshall and Elijah Bynum, adapting the true events, and a stellar cast led by Andra Day. Fans of Daniel’s works know he excels at coaxing tremendous performances from actors, and The Deliverance continues that trend. Day’s raw and lived-in portrayal of Ebony anchors the film, while Glenn Close and Mo’Nique revisit collaborations with Daniels from past triumphs.
Daniels established himself as a director unafraid to wrestle with complex issues of identity and social justice. The Butler and Precious both highlighted overcoming adversity with humanity and nuance. The Deliverance hints that this emphasis remains as his foray into haunting horror unfolds a family’s turmoil that may stem from forces more tangible than spirits. With a story inspired by real claims and a skilled cast, Daniels looks to bring an empathetic vision to paranormal territory.
The Complex Women at the Heart of the Deliverance
At the center of Lee Daniels’ film are the strong yet troubled women that make up Ebony’s family. Andra Day owns the role of Ebony, bringing a raw intensity to the overworked mother. She gives everything to care for her kids, even when the world weighs heavily. Day makes you feel each emotion beneath Ebony’s rough surface, from her loving moments to bursts of unfair anger. You understand both her dedication and her flaws, born of deep pain.
Glenn Close is unrecognizable as Alberta, Ebony’s meddling mother, recovering from cancer. Their relationship is complicated, with abuse in the past. Close injects Alberta with manipulative charisma and born-again zeal, yet she also shows her own fractured soul. These warring sides make for violent clashes with Day’s passionate Ebony, the core family dynamic.
As Ebony’s children, Caleb McLaughlin, Demi Singleton, and Anthony Jenkins bring fullness to kids facing stresses beyond their years. Each carves their own place in the tight family unit, and we feel their love for Ebony through the troubled waters.
Watching over the family is Mo’Nique’s Cynthia, the social worker suspicious of Ebony’s parenting. Mo’Nique creates a nuanced character, one just doing her job yet showing glimpses of empathy. She represents the system that is ever-threatening to separate this non-traditional black family.
Daniels has assembled a powerhouse cast. Through the acting, we get beyond surface horrors to profound portraits of women scarred by racism and abuse yet fighting resilience through love. Their complex relationships, both loving and broken, comprise the beating heart of The Deliverance.
Deeper Demons: The Social Issues at the Heart of the Deliverance
While the film involves otherworldly activity, Daniels seems most engaged in exploring the very real problems facing Ebony’s family. Generational trauma from years of racism and abuse left deep wounds, with effects that resonated through characters. We see this early on through tense relations between Ebony and her mother, Alberta, a product of their differing experiences as black women.
Where Alberta found solace in religion after surviving cancer, it also made her judgmental, criticizing Ebony’s parenting and past. But Daniels ensures we understand Alberta’s flaws as stemming from her own painful history. Even her free-spirited behavior now comes from a place of private hurt. Through it all, the family’s blackness compounds hardships at every turn as outsiders scrutinize their actions.
Nowhere is this clearer than with social worker Cynthia, who casts Ebony as an “angry black mother” stereotype. She eagerly looks for reasons to separate the family, dismissing paranormal claims as deceit. But Ebony fights solely to keep her loved ones together, reminding us that perceived faults often arise more from society’s prejudices than personal faults. By questioning Cynthia’s role, Daniels challenges systemic biases that regularly punish struggling black families.
Ebony’s alcoholism also reflects burdens not easily shaken, with even temporary lapses fueling attempts to prove her an unfit mother. And though she loves her children fiercely, her own upbringing left her ill-equipped to handle stressors without lashing out. Day ensures we feel Ebony’s protective spirit beyond flaws, changing how we view interactions judged too harshly by outsiders.
Throughout, Daniels spotlights racism and sexism as “deeper demons” haunting the family more profoundly than any spirit. Social demons breed dysfunction, but love and understanding can overcome them where prejudices can’t. By the film’s end, demons of various kinds have been faced, and families, though scarred, stand unified despite outside forces who tried tearing them apart. In the end, The Deliverance gives a moving portrait of real-life horrors and the resilience of those who overcome.
The Haunting Techniques
As strange happenings start occurring in The Deliverance, Daniels employs some standard scary movie tricks. Lights flicker on their own, and things go bump in the night. Ebony’s kids also act peculiar—talking to an unseen friend and waking up with bruises they can’t explain.
Their behavior really takes a turn, though, when the possessions start. Andre crawls up the walls like something straight out of The Exorcist. The visuals here rely more on CGI than practical effects, which keeps it from feeling too real. Subtleness is usually scarier anyway.
When the other children are overtaken, things get more intense. Unnatural sounds come from their bodies as they contort in unnatural ways. Glowin eyes peer out from twisted faces. It’s enough to give anyone chills! At the same time, Daniel doesn’t linger too long or go overboard with gore.
Rev. James tries a traditional exorcism ritual to evict the intruding spirits. Lights strobe, and Latin Chantin fills the air. This leads to some dramatic levitatin and object throwing as the presence fights back. While familiar to genre fans, Daniels directs it all with a focus on character emotion rather than just shock value.
So, in typical fashion, jumscares and creepy kids are part of the plan. But Daniel balances this out with deeper themes and grounded performances. Even when tapping into horror tropes, his unique storytelling style comes through.
Complex Connections
Much of The Deliverance’s early going focuses on the folks at its center. We learn about Ebony and her family, getting to know them as people before any ghosts show up. Daniels takes his time fleshing out each character and their dynamics.
This is especially true for Ebony and her mom, Alberta. Their history together sets the stage for current tensions. Scenes between the two aren’t just about Arguin either; there’s still love beneath the surface. Day and Close bring so many layers to their performances. We understand why these women are the way they are because of their past.
Other key players get thoughtout introductions too. The kids feel real thanks to the little moments where we see them as more than just parts of this story. Even someone like the social worker takes on depth beyond just being an antagonist.
All the rich backstories laid out early on make what comes later land with more impact. Because when weird incidents start occurring, we’re already invested in who’s affected. The stakes feel high because we know these characters now and care about their struggles.
It’s easier to buy into the supernatural elements when they’re impacting people we truly see as people. And even with all the craziness that follows, Daniels ensures the human drama stays center stage. The relationships and how they change or stay the same end up mattering most in the end.
By developing characters so fully first, Daniels gives The Deliverance a foundation to build on. His focus on connection over cheap thrills pays off in spades.
Conflicting Visions
Lee Daniels set out to do something interesting with The Deliverance—blend thought-provoking drama with supernatural thrills. But some of his story choices kept it from totally sticking to the landing.
A big one is how the tone shifts in the final act. The movie takes its time developing the family and crafting complex characters you become invested in. This grounded approach makes the scary stuff that comes packed more punch. The intentions were good.
The problem is that when the scares ramp up, so does the cheesy factor. Daniels leans heavy on exorcism movie clichés, like heads spinning and pea soup vomit. It makes what came before feel disconnected, like this was suddenly a different film. The gritty realism was replaced by schlocky imagery.
And it doesn’t help that the domestic drama gets put on the backburner. All the hours spent with the family are for naught once the focus switches to traditional horror hijinks. We never get resolution for Ebony and Alberta or closure on their messy relationship. Characters took a backseat to cheap jump scares.
It shows Daniels hadn’t totally resolved in his own vision how to blend genres his way. The shifting tones and abandoned character arcs make for an inconsistent storytelling experience. Viewers are left not entirely satisfied with where the movie landed.
With a bit more care taken in balancing the drama and horror, The Deliverance could’ve been really something special. The ingredients were there for Daniel to cook up something innovative. But some of his choices caused the dishes to not quite mesh like they could’ve. It’s a solid, unfulfilled effort nonetheless. With fine-tuning, this could’ve been a potent, genuinely unique thriller. Here’s hoping Daniels’ next dive delivers on matching his big ambitions.
Compelling Characters, Flawed Structure
Lee Daniels took on an ambitious project with Deliverance. Blending drama and horror is tricky business, and he didn’t quite stick to the landing. But there’s still a lot to appreciate in this flick.
Where it succeeds most is in developing the characters. Andra Day, Glenn Close, and company turned in powerful performances that kept me engaged in the family’s struggles. Their dynamic, especially the raw portrayal of abuse between Ebony and Alberta, adds layers that other films often skip. You feel for their plight.
But, man, that structure is all over the place. Slow pacing in parts doesn’t serve the scares well. And abruptly shifting focus from relationships to all-out possession in the end feels disjointed, like two movies smashed together.
The ideas Daniels grappled with—themes of trauma, faith, and racism in the system—are weighty ones. It’s a shame fuller exploration got cast aside for generic horror hijinks down the stretch. Things felt rushed after investing so much in the people.
So in the end, The Deliverance leaves you somewhat torn. Its characters capture your compassion, but the execution of genres fighting for screen time creates an identity crisis that a mildly disappointing conclusion can’t solve.
Still, Daniels takes on tough topics with gusto. I’ll be curious to see how refining his structural approach could make the next one a vehicle that truly does justice to its humane themes. This one shows flashes of cinematic power, even if halting steps keep it from total delivery.
The Review
The Deliverance
Lee Daniels takes on ambitious material with The Deliverance, exploring complex themes of family, faith, and the systems that oppress. While the blending of drama and horror is unevenly executed, with an abrupt tonal shift weakening the impact, the core of vulnerable characters and their moving performances resonate long after. Despite flaws in fulfilling its potential, the film leaves an impression through its attempts to start important conversations.
PROS
- Complex character development and performances, especially from Andra Day and Glenn Close
- Exploration of themes around family, trauma, racism, and faith
- Ambitious blending of drama and horror genres
CONS
- Uneven pacing, especially in the first half
- An abrupt tonal shift weakens character arcs in the climax
- Leans too heavily on horror tropes and cheap scares in the end
- Fails to fully realize potential strengths in intersecting genres
