Salem Horror Fest 2021 - Miracle Valley

 

Miracle Valley (2022) - Writer, Director and Actor Greg Sestero brings us a tale that he says is influenced by Race with the Devil (1975) and the story of couples on vacation, who run into a blood cult does run along the lines of the older film where two couples on vacation in a Winnebago see a satanic cult sacrifice and then have to run for their lives. Miracle Valley has a bit more to it and was quite enjoyable as a kickoff title for this year's festival. David (Sestero) and Sarah (Angela Mariano) are a couple whose relationship is in flux, Sarah having trouble dealing with her mother's terminal illness is stressed and recently had to get psychological help for the stress. David is waiting for the right time to call off the relationship but feels now is not it. A photographer trying to make a name for himself David is invited to the Arizona desert to try to get a photo of a rare silver hawk, that could make his career. Once there having met up with friends Scott and Jade and later another couple of friends find more than they bargain for after meeting a biker, preacher, couples counselor and cult leader Father Jake (Rick Edwards).  To remain spoiler free I will leave the plot of the blood cult and just talk about things that struck me during the film. Let's just say there is more too it than initially thought but unlike Race with the Devil where the threat grows and so does the characters paranoia in this film it feels the paranoia never develops and the main character never seem to really have to discuss it. Also unlike RWTD this film is not a road chase film with tons of high priced stunts. In that film we never really know the cultists they are just this dangerous threat, but in Maricle Valley we get to know them quite well. Instead it just takes some surprising and shocking, if predicted turns into crazy-ville. Compared to it's influence I like that the female characters have a hell of a lot more agency that Loretta Swift and Lara Parker in RWTD.

  The plot was fun in that it had several little turns and surprises including a cold open that came back into play in a big way later with the character Erika (Louisa Torres). The relationship troubles worked to setup a bit of tension that facilitates Sarah being taken in with Father Jake and allowing him to build trust with her. The silver hawk hunt gets them where they need to be and the added couples raise the body count. It all worked to get the film into gear. The music in the beginning and the a scene at the end really gave me a Tarantino vibe whether intentional or not.  The film sounds good throughout and the horror cues were pretty right on.  Later the crazy cult twins Ellie Smith and Amy Smith, playing Mira and Kelly did their best Manson girls imitations was kind of fun to watch. There were a couple cheap jump scares but that is perfectly alright. The film appeared to be filmed primarily in Arizona but Sestero says he was thrilled to be able to use Frank Lloyd Wrights falling waters house in Pennsylvania for a scene at the end of the film. It's harder to comment about the acting, or if some of the writing put me off but it felt a bit uneven to me. Much of the film is carried by Edwards as Father Jake, but at times I was the wished for a more likable personality that turns dark and threatening. It may be that the introduction he had was the opposite, a threatening manner that quickly turned gentle after seeing Sarah. He also have to turn on the charms later but some of the friendly stuff, even though I knew there was menace behind it didn't come through as evil as I wanted it to be. Overall I enjoyed the film so even though I did not stay around to talk to the film makers, (too tired)  and it was a great start to the Salem Horror Fest