Venial (Movie Review)

Venial: a slight, pardonable forgivable sin, and is the name of Joe Ciminera’s latest feature Horror film. With a release date pending, by Cyclohexane Productions, Venial is set and filmed in Middle America, with the events taken place in the 1950s in an expansive country estate. The former television chef, Ciminera (Acedia 2012, Tales of the Dark 2013), again shows he is multi-talented by playing a major role as Father Peter. He clearly admires the actors he works with by regularly having them appear in his films, and this one is no different. Ciminera maintains a common theme in his work with Venial, which showcases the fight between good and evil, and a good old fashioned moral of the story.

Still from Venial

Venial focuses on the happy devout Christian family comprising of Claire (Tiffany Browne-Tavarez: Tales from the Dark 2013, Apex Rising 2015), her husband Charles (Keeler Jay Verson), and their three children; Heather (Julia DeGregorio), Martha (Madison Van Deusen: Acedia 2012, 6 Minutes of Death 2013), and Victor (Joshua Pickel: Tales from the Dark 2013, 6 Minutes of Death 2013). At the start of the film, everything is going fine; they are thriving on their country estate and all is well until Charles is drafted to the war. Claire does not cope well with this fact and renounces God. This one statement changes the course of her life, her children’s lives, and all those who dare visit the estate. Day by day, Claire begins to unravel and strange things are starting to happen to her and her home. This does not go unnoticed by her local priest, Father O’Brien (Robert Arensen: Acedia 2012, Catch of the Day 2014), who insists on visiting her at home.

Coincidentally, a priest, Father Peter (Ciminera), who has recently returned from the Vatican and dealt with possessions and the like, decides to join him along with Father George (Frank Riano: Purification 2012, Acedia 2012) and Father John (James Sferrazza: Acedia 2012, Tales from the Dark 2013). Even stranger, Father Peter knew Charles when they were young. The men make their journey to the estate only to be turned away by Claire, and Father O’Brien forbids them from returning without his permission. However, this does not prevent Father Peter from being convinced there is something strange and insidious going on, something perhaps he can help with.

Still from Venial

At the same time, as Claire’s family are being tormented by something unholy, local children are going missing. For some reason, the townsfolk are suggesting that Claire is behind it, which draws the attention of the local police, namely Constable Smitty (Mike Valva: Purification 2012, Tales from the Dark 2013). Scene by scene, something is taking control of Claire and the estate, and it is unclear if she will be strong enough to fight it, or whether help will reach them in time. The children experience their own terrifying visions, with seemingly no one to help them. Will they be doomed to suffer the sins of their mother?

With elements of The Others (2001), Sixth Sense (1999), and a little of The Shining (1980), Venial dares to push the boundaries of the relationship between a mother and her children, facing the choices you make as a parent and how it ultimately affects your offspring. Ciminera showcases all he has learned in his previous movies into Venial, making it a smoother watch. The only down side to Venial is perhaps the confusing time line, and character accents. As the events take place in Middle America, most viewers are going to expect the characters to be American rather than a mix of English accents, unless there is some backstory as to why.

Still from Venial

The cinematography maximises the expansive grounds of the estate it is filmed upon. The special effects are suitably creepy, and when combined with the musical score, creates a dark, scary feel that perfectly sets the scene for the story. Each of Ciminera’s projects get better and better, and viewers should keep an eye out for future releases. There are a couple of scenes that take place in the woods that are very similar to those in Acedia, which viewers of both will notice. This time, however, Ciminera takes his own character even further and really pushes the limits of self-preservation. He continues to push the envelope by being prolific and willing to put his work out there. While it might not have all the bells and whistles of an A list or even B list film, it has a solid story, includes some up-and-coming actors, great special effects, and a surreal feel that will keep the viewer glued to the screen. CrypticRock gives Venial 4 out of 5 stars.