Cults are enjoying a real moment in horror, aren't they? The Lodge, Son, The Empty Man, and BOTH Ari Aster’s recent genre masterpieces have mined cults — and the folks who join them — for thoughtful, thematically resonant material. Plus, cults are just goddamn creepy. Cults and horror are a natural fit, but the recent fascination is, well, fascinating, isn't it? Someone should probably do a documentary about cults in horror…
Anyhow, today comes the newest entry in the subgenre: The Aviary, from filmmakers Jennifer Raite and Chris Cullari, and it looks fantastic. The plot?
“Malin Akerman and Chris Messina star in the twisted journey of two women's desperate flee to escape the clutches of Skylight, an insidious cult. Lured in by the promise of "freedom" in the isolated desert campus called ‘The Aviary’, Jillian (Akerman) and Blair (Lorenza Izzo) join forces to escape in hopes of real freedom. Consumed by fear and paranoia, they can't shake the feeling that they are being followed by the cult's leader, Seth (Messina), a man as seductive as he is controlling. The more distance the pair gains from the cult, the more Seth holds control of their minds. With supplies dwindling and their senses failing, Jillian and Blair are faced with a horrifying question: how do you run from an enemy who lives inside your head?
Check out the trailer and poster below. The Aviary hits theaters, digital, and VOD on April 29th.
