Lee Roy Kunz begins Deliver Us with a gruesome introduction, but this doesn’t define his, Kane Kunz, and Cru Ennis’ film. The biblical horror puts a unique twist on cult-like terrors through strong cinematography, bold writing, and overall dedicated performances by its cast. Genre fans can also reminisce on their favorite classic movies when watching this supernatural flick. Perhaps without realizing it, the Kunz duo gives us glimpses of The Shining, The Danvici Code, The Exorcist, The Amityville Horror, and several others. However, the filmmakers do not emulate them in their script. They simply keep viewers on the edge of their seats as the story accelerates toward the end through bloody and icy sequences intertwined with a nearly forbidden love story. 

Deliver Us introduces the audience to an ancient prophecy that predicts a woman will become pregnant and give birth to two twins: the Messiah and the Anti-Christ. When young nun Sister Yulia (Maria Vera Ratti) is immaculately impregnated with twins, she enlists the help of Kunz’s character, Father Fox. Little do they initially know how deep their involvement is in the newborns’ lives, but dark spirits force the theological pair to come together and protect the twins. 

Pushing the Boundaries

For a group of devout followers of Catholicism, Fox, his girlfriend Laura (Jaune Kimmel), and Yulia are open to breaking the rules. A love triangle quickly develops as Yulia starts to fall for the young priest while he is still supposedly in love with his girlfriend, whom he wants to start a family with. For most of the film, the audience can see the undertone between Father Fox and Sister Yulia. As two servants of God, both characters must be careful about their feelings. How long can that resistance last, though? 

It’s refreshing to see a film challenge an entire practice—it’s basically forbidden love. However, some audiences may disagree with this, depending on their beliefs. It’s not new, of course, to see the Catholic religion get distorted in a horror movie. This cinematic tradition goes back to the days before The Exorcist. How many priests have we seen on the big screen push the boundaries of their job? If anyone is strongly against Deliver Us solely due to its violence and romance, just watch Doubt.

Father Fox is clearly a young priest who has bent quite a few rules. And by the end, he completely flips his role upside down. Kunz delivers a convincing and gripping performance. As a young priest, his character doesn’t behave the same as the older and more established Cardinal Russo (Alexander Siddig). The protagonist has a different, younger charm, which gives him a different edge. This is why it’s jarring when we see him act out of character. In general, Kunz’s priest is a generous, compassionate, hopeless romantic, but a sinister force could take a serious toll on him. Ultimately, the actor-screenwriter-director triple threat grapples each viewer with his eyes; his performance is effective. 

Nevertheless, some viewers familiar with Catholicism might question Father Fox’s young demeanor. What kind of a priest simply blurts out that a woman “has to have sex” rather than a more conservative term, such as “consummation” or even “intercourse?” There are a few moments like this featuring Father Fox. However, this could have been part of the charm that the screenwriters wanted to convey. 

As for Yulia, she is initially seen as the innocent, wide-eyed nun when she first meets Father Fox. Then, viewers see how strong she is. The birth scene on the train captures Ratti’s range as an actor. She encapsulates the pain and anguish of the pregnancy that grips the audience. It’s hard to look away because we’re rooting for her to survive this, given that she is carrying the equivalent of Jesus and Lucifer.