- Release year: 2025
- Director: Antonio Negret.
- Producers: Christian Rojas E., Antonio Negret, Daniel Negret, and Luiza Ricupero.
- Screenplay by: Daniel Negret.
- Cinematography by: Daniel Andrade.
- Music by: Maria Vertiz and Chris Westlake.
Synopsis: an indigenous deity breaks loose in a Catholic settlement in Ecuador.
Shotgun Commentary: gripping narrative with wonderful performances.
Review
Shaman is a horror film that explores religious perspectives, hypocrisy and prejudice. When you hear that a film takes place in a Catholic settlement where white people are trying to convert natives into their religion, the natural reaction is to think that it will likely be a period movie. Well, hold on to your coconuts because this feature takes place in the very present we inhabit… Give or take a couple of years.
Exploring religion
The story begins with a baptism. Rosa (Mercy Lema), a woman from the Ecuadorian village, is getting baptised in the river. In the meantime, there are three kids running around doing what they were told not to. Two of them are Rosa’s, and they actually follow the rules, and the other is Elliot (Jett Klyne), the son of Candice (Sara Canning). The latter couple of characters are the real protagonists.
Summarising, the white kid goes into a cave, ignoring the warnings of both natives and his own parents. He comes out with an entity inside of him, as kids do when they wander into caves, and all hell breaks loose. This takes place within the first ten minutes, in which you are also conveniently reminded of how hypocritical Catholicism is, a subject that is further explored throughout the film as you get to know Candice and her husband Joel (Daniel Gillies) better, as well as Father Meyer (Alejandro Fajardo).
While religious hypocrisy is not a revolutionary subject in cinema, Shaman manages to freshen up the topic with a perfectly rounded narrative and carefully crafted characters. It is hard to find a horror film without obvious loose ends or characters who constantly make ridiculous decisions. However, if this piece can teach you anything, it is that such a miracle is very much possible.
Fantastic characters
As for the characters, they stand out for more than just being shockingly reasonable. Even the most secondary characters have a few hidden sides worth discovering. In a settlement where everyone has layers upon layers of secrets, the possessed kid ends up being the most normal of them all. That about gives you an idea of how elaborate the character creation is.
It is not the first time Canning and Gillies have worked together, but it has definitely been a tick since The Vampire Diaries (2009–2017), and it shows. While their performances were great in the show, one can certainly tell their craft has matured over the years. They play a married couple with a child and an image to maintain. They are the perfect example of religious hypocrisy, not because they are inherently evil, but because, at the end of the day, people do whatever it takes to survive, regardless of what they preach.
Gilles’ performance is fantastic, keeping you on edge until the very end and providing the perfect support to complete Canning’s role. As for Canning, she is definitely skilled at horror roles. Her portrayal of Candice shows a deep respect for the work of the writers as well as her talent.
All in all, Shaman is a thrilling horror film perfect for fans of the supernatural. It’s got passion, violence, chills, and even lantern mouths! Yeah, you read that right. This feature will take you on a journey where the rules are unclear, hope has left the room, and everybody is suspicious of something. In a gorgeously unsaturated backdrop, Shaman awaits those of you searching for your next great possession movie night.
Shaman is part of the Raindance Film Festival 2025 programme, taking place in London now. Find all the info here!
Advice to take from this movie:
- Don’t go into forbidden caves.
- Never trust kids, but do listen to them when they say weird stuff.
- Sometimes a watch is just a watch. Not worth giving your life for.
What’s your take? Have you watched Shaman? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀
I thought the movie was brilliant and I will probably watch it a few more times. I thought it explored how awful Catholics can be. And the most telling scene is during dinner one night when the community is gathered and three natives look on. Instead of just offering them food, Candice, takes religious pamphlets to them and tells them all the food and water came from God and they have to accept that God in order to get it. When she knows that the food and water came from science and resources and money. I love the twists and turns this movie takes and I really enjoyed a lot of the themes they touch on. I did think the priest’s past could have been better explored. The husband’s junkie past was barely touched on and seemed to be in it just so Candice could throw it in his face. Jett who plays Elliot was brilliant. That kid has a future ahead of him. I think this is a movie where I will get even more out of it when I watch it again. I read some of the negative reviews and I felt like I watched a completely different movie.
Having grown up on a native American reservation in Arizona and being white, I know better. When a local tells you not to go into a cave, or a part of the desert or whatever. Just listen and don’t ask why. Poor Elliot got what he deserved for not listening, but if saved him from a life of shitty catholicism and false hope.
Totally agree with all the points you’ve made. I’m generally a fan of short films, but I wouldn’t have minded half an hour more to explore the pasts of both the priest and the husband, the cast definitely has the talent to push the story further a bit. Too many themes were grazed upon but never fully explored.