Netflix’s Unchosen has topped the streaming charts, but if you found this cult fantasy series underwhelming, there are four gripping alternatives
Netflix’s Unchosen has topped the streaming charts, but if you found this cult fantasy series underwhelming, these four gripping alternatives(Image: Justin Downing/Netflix)
Unchosen landed on Netflix just over a week ago, with hordes of telly enthusiasts placing it at the top of their lists. Yet, I can’t claim I was particularly impressed by this dull, average cult fantasy.
I hoped to feel unsettled, I hoped to be mystified, but truthfully, this cult drama disappointed. This isn’t a criticism of Asa Butterfield, Molly Windsor and Fra Fre’s acting abilities, but when the script isn’t there to support you, there’s a limit to what can be achieved.
And all of this supposedly unfolding on my doorstep? Blimey, it wouldn’t shock me. I’ll need to keep my eyes peeled next time I head back to Surrey.
Like numerous Netflix smash hits, I’ve noticed the trailer contains more intrigue than the actual programme. Not that Unchosen was dreadful, it simply didn’t quite keep me gripped throughout, reports the Express.
To repeat the text displayed during Unchosen’s opening sequence: “Over 2,000 cults exist in the United Kingdom. Some are closed communities. But many, like this fictional one, live in plain sight.”
While these recommendations may not all centre on genuine cults, they definitely possess a cult-like atmosphere. They’re all wrapped in secrecy, seclusion, and propelled by a mission we ordinary folk won’t entirely grasp.
Here are some of the finest TV programmes, movies and documentaries centred on cults that might capture your attention… and lead you down a deep dive.
Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey (2022)
This four-part documentary series delves into the harsh realities of growing up, living and escaping the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, an offshoot of mainstream Mormonism. Multiple members – and survivors – of the FLDS recount their experiences under the leadership of president Rulon Jeffs, who created the phrase that would become the series’ title, and his son Warren Jeffs.
At present, the younger Jeffs succeeded his father as the church’s leader. However, if this gives any indication about the practices exposed in the series, Jeffs is currently serving a life sentence for child sex offences.
Ex-members reveal the realities of existing under the church’s extreme regulations, and how the Jeffs’ wielded their authority over their congregation. We witness siblings, nieces and nephews forced into marriages with family members, with male church members having numerous wives and children.
Yet that’s not the most disturbing aspect of this documentary. It’s the forced marriage of actual teenagers and children to grown men. A medieval custom that belongs firmly in the past, not in contemporary society.
The series almost appears too far-fetched to be true, but then you recall it’s a documentary. The accusations and examination of child sex offences, human trafficking, child marriage, welfare fraud, and mistreatment of members and ex-members has shaped the outside world‘s perception of the church in recent times.
In a world riddled with double standards, this documentary exposes the shocking levels of moral corruption in people masquerading as followers of God’s teachings.
The Village (2004)
Haunted by mysterious, nameless beings, a tiny, isolated settlement in 19th century Pennsylvania exists in perpetual terror. Following a young resident’s death from sickness, Joaquin Phoenix’s Lucius Hunt seeks the elders’ approval to journey through the nearby forest for medical provisions.
When his plea is rejected, the reasoning given is to prevent further catastrophes. Romance develops between Lucius and the visually-impaired daughter of one of the village’s elders (Ivy, Bryce Dallas Howard), before Lucius sustains severe injuries.
I can’t delve too deeply into the storyline without revealing the conclusion, but Ivy sets out seeking assistance. Yet, appearances prove deceiving.
After all, M. Night Shyamalan is directing. There’s a revelation… there’s always a twist.
This thriller feeds on manipulation and falsehoods, essential tools for strengthening members’ conviction in their version of events. And bear in mind, it’s their version of reality, not ours.
The Wicker Man (1973 & 2006)
While the reimagining of The Wicker Man might not represent Nicolas Cage’s greatest performance, its initial commercial failure transformed into a devoted following over subsequent years. The narrative focuses on a police officer’s journey to a fictional remote island while investigating a disappeared girl.
The island’s residents have turned their backs on Christianity and now follow a type of Celtic paganism, but something far more sinister – naturally – is at play.
Louis Theroux’s My Scientology Movie (2015)
Scientology is one of those movements that’s lurked in the shadows of Hollywood for decades. One of your favourite actors or musicians has probably been linked with the organisation.
There’s nobody better equipped to attempt confronting the Church of Scientology than Louis Theroux, particularly after the church declines to participate in the documentary. In typical Louis Theroux fashion, nothing follows the usual script.
Rather, the documentary seeks to recreate testimonies from ex-members regarding incidents involving the church’s top brass, with assistance from former church official Mark Rathbun. Arguably one of the most striking moments from the documentary occurs when Louis and his team find themselves under surveillance and challenged outside the church’s mysterious Gold Base compound in California.
Intimidation seems to be a recurring pattern that extends beyond the documentary itself. Ex-members of the organisation have, over the years, described their encounters with being confronted while carrying out their daily routines – and voicing criticism of Scientology.
It makes for a deeply strange and maddening viewing experience, as we never truly grasp the extent to which the church is allegedly pulling strings behind the scenes. This film brought Scientology to widespread public attention, and even in an age where information is readily available, there remains so much mystery surrounding L. Ron Hubbard’s doctrines and David Miscavige’s tenure as the church’s second leader.