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The film centers around Arvin (Tom Holland) whose father served in World War II. After the war, Willard (Bill Skarsgård) meets a lady in a diner (Haley Bennett ) and also meets a couple who are dining there. Willard eventually marries the lady and moves to Knockemstiff, Ohio where Arvin is born. Being haunted by the war, Willard is somewhat troubled and tries to influence God to help assist him in a situation he is going through believing he has this power to do so due to his blind faith but the situation doesn't work out. Some years later, Lenora's (Eliza Scanlen) father dies after he also thought he had power due to his blind faith and Arvin becomes her overprotective stepbrother. On his birthday, Arvin is given his father's gun from World War II which ultimately gives him power. The Reverend of the local church, Preston Teagardin (Robert Pattinson) uses his position of power to his own benefits and when Lenora tragically dies, Arvin goes looking for the reverend for answers. Later Arvin is confronted by the same couple who were dining in the diner his father met his mother in where the two have their own ritual they often carry out which ultimately gives them power, although there is a power dynamic between them.
This film is really about religion, power, the butterfly effect and what would happen if certain situations happened how they were possibly "meant" to happen. This film also questions faith and religion as well as the famous saying "absolute power, corrupts absolutely". Where there are various story arcs that meet to create the over-arching story, there are a lot of people who use their "power" to control and/or influence.
This film is dark and most definitely not a kids film because young looking Tom Holland plays Peter Parker. The cinematography is gloomy and dark. The setting is lonely and isolating. You are given the sense that although these people are very religious, some characters are loners and very much have their own battles they are battling regardless of having faith. Some of the characters are predators in their own way using their power to get what they want. The acting is great and couldn't be any better than it was from every actor in this piece. Robert and Jason are very convincing that you may even despise them. Tom Holland was also very good in this, especially his accent. Along with Robert, both being British, their accents were great. This film is also fairly slow paced with not much action so may come across boring as the story really revolves around these various characters and their life and/or actions.
I may actually watch it again as it is indeed a decent movie, but I just wouldn't rush to see it.
