Holy Hell
CNN Films | Release Date: May 27, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
64
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
10
Mixed:
3
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
ConsequenceJustin GerberMar 3, 2016
Holy Hell ropes us in with tales of delusion before chilling us with tales of terror. Read full review
90
VarietyPeter DebrugeJun 1, 2016
Like watching a takedown of Hitler by a disillusioned Leni Reifenstahl, what emerges is one of the decade’s strangest and most unsettling documentaries, especially given its as-yet-unwritten ending. Read full review
83
The PlaylistKatie WalshJun 1, 2016
While Holy Hell only offers answers about this particular group and the experiences of these individuals, it’s a riveting piece of work, a look into a tightly-controlled and private world of brainwashing, abuse and exploitation in the name of spiritual fulfillment. Read full review
80
Village VoiceAlan ScherstuhlMay 24, 2016
Will Allen's sunny gut-punch cult exposé Holy Hell plays like a thriller, all right, with a darkness edging slowly over its swimsuit revelry, but Allen never cheats in the interest of suspense. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubA.A. Dowd May 25, 2016
Holy Hell has an undeniable car-crash fascination, especially once Allen reveals just how deeply this particular phony guru abused the trust of his faithfuls. Read full review
70
The New York TimesKen JaworowskiMay 26, 2016
Mr. Allen has made an engrossing and tense documentary, though his insider knowledge is sometimes a hindrance. Read full review
70
Los Angeles TimesRobert AbeleMay 26, 2016
It’s not a complete journalistic picture, unfortunately, and it’s ham-fistedly structured to withhold information for maximum dramatic impact. But that impact, as predictable as it is, hits hard. Read full review
70
TheWrapSam FragosoMay 26, 2016
Holy Hell — despite its unprecedented access — finds itself oscillating back and forth between mediocrity and illumination. Read full review
70
Screen DailyDavid D'ArcyMar 3, 2016
Even by cult documentary standards, this one finds absurd depths in the peddling of enlightenment. Read full review
67
Austin ChronicleMarc SavlovMay 25, 2016
Allen’s film is as much a self-reckoning as it is a cautionary tale for other spiritual seekers, and as such it offers invaluable insights into how cults – and especially cults of personality – function and grow. “Namaste,” for the record, is also an anagram for “Me Satan.” Read full review
60
The Hollywood ReporterJohn DeForeMar 3, 2016
Though the material is juicy and the interviews heartfelt, the doc doesn't completely succeed in efforts to explain the spell this and similar groups cast on their acolytes. Read full review
50
IndieWireDavid EhrlichMay 26, 2016
There's an undeniable anthropological value to Allen's footage — imagine if one of David Koresh's most-trusted disciples had recorded every second of his time in the Heaven's Gate — but his film is far more compelling as an artifact than it is as a narrative. Read full review
42
The Film StageDaniel SchindelMar 3, 2016
Despite its worthy plot and the wealth of great footage with which it had to work, Holy Hell is a mess. Read full review
38
RogerEbert.comMatt Zoller SeitzJun 2, 2016
Holy Hell should have dug a lot deeper and told its story with a lot more finesse. What happened? Maybe, after all these years, Allen was still too close to his subject? Read full review
38
Slant MagazineClayton DillardMay 20, 2016
It hopes to jolt audiences with OMGs instead of edifying them about the empty lure of Buddhafield's cult mentality. Read full review
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