Empirical Letters

Short Analysis of Lee Daniel’s move, The Deliverance

The feel of terror as you scroll through the many movie options of blood, gore, evil e.g., for a horror fanatic the options can be plentiful vs. my skewed preference to put off such movies that aim for the purest forms of evil. Despite my tasteless, less-intrigued interests of such genre I do find few movies that spark an interest. No lie, for several years after just to watch Get Out, was a confliction of self and the psychological element of the horror in itself. Yet, this particular movie, I would have not categorized as a horror film, posing questions for one’s thought process, is it the paranormal activity in which creates the horror, is it the feeling of the actual experiences of the persons or is what viewers are expected to feel and see?

Based on a true story with the movie highlighting the irony of folklore events such as a demonic person crawling across walls, The Deliverance depicted a story from a mother name Latoya Ammons and her children who reported many demonic, spiritual occurrences in a home in which they had moved to. As I was not frightened by the video effects yet more of the correlations of evil encounters that made the persons unwell, distraught, exhausted; I actually had shed a few tears pondering on is this what Lee Daniels was aiming for? As I quickly googled the back story of the movie an interesting statement that Daniels had reported to a media outlet created a deeper meaning: maybe even behind my tears. Mr. Daniels reported he had back tracked around to this story where he passed on the chances, referencing himself as a portal in which he himself are guarded by things that affect his being. The implications that he himself wanted to protect himself from the very such entities that Ms. Ammon and her family experienced, the viewers can think that it is as a long stretch yet, the ability to overcome and protect ourselves should be a given right.

The reality that will sink in, behind statements made by police, DCS personnel, doctors, family members and noted a “Catholic priest” about the details of Ammons’ story took for some of these individuals to finally believe Ms. Ammon makes this movie a contender. Are all these people deranged, is Ms. Ammon such a great believer and storyteller to concoct attention? This brings me to the religious aspects of Mr. Daniels taste that I would criticize him on the parables of evil & good that simply are biblical; and “cookie cutter”. You know, the demon must be casted, the references of Jesus, Apostle James. Was this your way Mr. Daniels of judgement and triumph? Or back to you Ms. Ammons was the pressure itself too much. Unbeknownst, the references did not take too much away from the story yet the triumph of Ms. Ammon and her ability to continue to endure and fight for her children and a better life is what makes this a damning movie. The references of alcohol, violence, family-disruptions strengthens this movie for viewing.

As I thanked some other directors on their deliverance of such great mirror, storytelling, I applaud your Mr. Daniels.