Nerds That Geek Movie Review – ‘Satan’s Slaves: Communion’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

One particular aspect of the human condition that is quite fascinating, is how quickly we try and move on from dark moments in our lives. Simply because, the ugly stuff doesn’t heal overnight, not from an emotional standpoint. In fact, that moment will stay with us for the rest of our lives in some capacity, and it is up to us how much power it has over our lives. And deep down we know this, because we’ve seen what happens when we deny ourselves the pleasure of dealing with our past. Yet we continue to just… push forward and hope that the bad remains behind us and that only happy times are ahead, and this is so engrained in our world… it even shows up in storytelling.
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For time and time again, we see this happen in movies and shows and it even shows up in books. Because we as a species only want joy and happiness in our lives and if we think we can remotely escape it, we will take that opportunity and handle the fallout at another time. And there will be another time. For eventually, that which hurt us and haunts us will find its way back to the surface of our minds and our souls. The only question is what we do when that happens. If anything, the push to be free of pain and how it and the past cannot be escaped, is top of mind today simply because a brand-new horror film on Shudder explores such matters in a powerfully realistic and dynamic manner and that makes Satan’s Slaves: Communion quite the powerful motion picture.

Which are feats that this story accomplishes by being a direct follow up to the amazing Satan’s Slaves and when we catch up with Rini and her family, years have passed since that terrible night when their family was shattered by evil and well… they’re all just trying to forget it ever happened and move on. For they have moved to a large apartment building on the outskirts of town, and Rini is preparing to go to college and there is no discussion of that night, just good vibes, and hopeful days and for a time it appears they will have their wish. That is until some dark secrets about this apartment complex, and their family’s past come to light. For those surprises are about to force them to face their sorted past in a harrowing and terrifying manner.

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Which is…. a flawless way to explore this motion picture’s central themes. Because everything Rini and their family do here, is textbook when it comes to avoiding dealing with trauma and pain. For they really do bury their heads in the sand and just pretend as though life was normal before they got here and will remain as such going forward and well, this is a brilliant concept to inject into this film. For it is about as real life as it gets, and it really hammers home the dangerous and somewhat foolish nature of not dealing with our past and our trauma. Not to mention, it’s an interactive move, since the audience is immediately frustrated that they aren’t handling such matters and that does give one pause since it prompts one to look within and ask… if we have done the same.
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But of course, while that makes for some wonderfully real storytelling, this is still a horror movie and once the past returns… the scares begin, and they are as quality as can be. For they prey upon our own fears, such as the terror we harbor about the dark and our fears of death, allowing for visceral and impactful scares to take place. The kind that also work hand in hand with stunning tension. Where you will find yourself on the edge of your seat as you wait to see what new terrors await this unfortunate family and their new friends in this complex, and the wonder of this motion picture doesn’t end with its fascinating commentary and supremely impactful scares either. For this is also… a magnificently well written sequel through and through.

Mainly because, this is that rare follow up that truly feels organic and it is free from gimmicks. It’s just the next chapter in the story and it offers all kinds of world-building regarding the horrors that this poor family continues to deal with on a consistent basis. As to how it to dives into that, we won’t break down here. Because those are moments you need to experience firsthand, to enjoy the gravity and shock of what is learned here. So, we’ll keep the spoilers out of this one for now and simply recommend that you watch this movie as quickly as you can, and the original if you haven’t seen it yet, either. All so you can enjoy a powerfully realistic horror film, one that really dives deep on a topic that is important and timely.
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‘Satan’s Slaves: Communion’ is streaming now on Shudder.

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