Back in June, I reviewed writer/director/actor Nate Thompson’s short Cult Affairs. Now he’s back with The Cult Leader, an eight-minute trip back into the world of this mysterious figure. This time with a bit of a hint as to his possible origins.
Where the first film was more of an atmospheric psychological thriller, The Cult Leader is a fairly straightforward slasher film. Given the season it’s an appropriate change of pace to see the Cult Leader, once again played by Thompson, in the role of a silent masked killer.
The plot is simple enough, Vinnie (Brandon Gee), Colton (Jeremiah Goldmain) and Rachel (Halle Rose) are getting together for a movie night. They have a laugh at the stories about The Cult Leader and the curse that compels him to kill, but we know it’s nothing to laugh at. By the time they know it though, it may be too late.
It all plays out like an episode from a full-length slasher, and Thompson pulls it off nicely. He even makes sure the first film’s baseball bat gets to make an appearance here. I do wish he’d been able to give us some gore, but the sound effects tend to get the point across.
Cinematographer Javon Harris does a good job of making the candlelit house and dark yard as spooky as possible leaving lots of shadows for the killer to appear from. The cast, although not called on to do much, are believable in their roles. I do wish however that the script could have taken advantage of Goldmain’s skills as a pro wrestler in his confrontation with the killer.
The Cult Leader is a great way to kill a few minutes, and certainly worth watching. I’m curious to see where the character goes from here. Hopefully into something a bit longer if not a feature.
The Cult Leader is available to watch free on Thompson’s YouTube channel along with some of his other work. Or you can just watch it here. Either way, you can get more information about the film on Facebook.