Two brothers return to the Mississippi delta after seven years in 1920's Chicago to open a Juke joint and start fresh, but opening night takes a terrible turn.
I once played a PC game called "Where the Water Tastes Like Wine". This movie has a similar vibe right from the start, and I knew I would not be disappointed. It takes a long slow burn to get to the supernatural element, but the immersion in the time period is interesting enough that you don't mind drifting towards the rapids on a slow rolling river.
Young cousin Sammie Moore (Miles Caton, musician) is truly the highlight of this film. The producers needed a singer/guitar player who could make music to stir the ancestors and shame the devil, and he does not disappoint. Twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan, Creed) played both sides during the height of mobster Chicago, and went home to lay low, and Jordan gave a masterful performance in both roles.
There is a scene after the shit hits the fan where the enemy is whispering names from the shadows. It inevitably reminded me of the hyena episode of Buffy the Vampire slayer, where legend has it the creatures would learn your name by day, and then lure you out by calling from the shadows after dark. Much, much more creepy in this film.
This movie was almost perfect. If they hadn't added an auto-tuned song at the very end of the credits, it would have been. And please watch to the end, as Miles Caton gives one last performance before we fade to black.
I don't want to give too much away. I managed to avoid spoilers until I watched it, so the reveal of what type of evil they were facing was a pleasant surprise. Two laugh out loud moments, two holy shit moments, and three times I found I dropped my needles, enthralled by the screen, so in this case it may not be a good film to craft to, but in the best way. Awesome film, I give it 4.5 out of 5 ancient gold coins.
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