Leviticus (2026) A Queer Horror that Disappoints | Film Review

The real horror of this film is extreme religion. 

Leviticus 18:22 says, "You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination."

Two teens try to escape from a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most. Similar to the 2014 horror hit, It Follows, Leviticus attempts to convey a similar message but through the lens of religion. It Follows (2014) uses the concept of sexual deviance as a malevolent force in the form of a human, Leviticus uses this same concept but specifically in the form of your lover that can only be seen by you.

Leviticus was a film high on my anticipation list, marketed as a true horror following in the footsteps of Talk to Me (2022), I had high expectations which sadly were not met. To say Leviticus was forgettable would be strictly wrong, this film and its premise are deeply connected to the threat of extreme religion, bigotry and ultimately the erosion of homosexuality. That alone is deeply horrifying but from my perspective, Leviticus (2026) is a psychological thriller and not a horror film. 

Leviticus (2026) struggled to find its pacing and it landed between genres but not in an intentional way, the film's narrative and message felt lost under the concept. It was trying to send a message about sexuality and identity but it was also relying on the cheap jump scare when the story slowed down. Leviticus felt like two feature films smashed into one, a psychological thriller and a true romance but together the concepts lost their credibility. 

The film quite literally ignites the fire from within, the symbolism of flames is used poetically to reference what I assume to be hellfire and the concept of burning desire. The film has a very strong core within, this is a film about identity, love and the pursuit of authenticity but I felt as though the casing of this film didn’t support the concept enough. The horror concept was too heavy handed for the delicate nature of the romance.

Joe bird is a true stand out, after his breathtaking performance in Talk to Me (2022) I knew he would deliver another outstanding performance and I was right. His character Naim is the central catalyst in Leviticus (2026) and he was able to effortlessly weave through the utter terror of this film's premise. He was the standout of this feature and his performance kept me engaged and intrigued throughout. 

Overall, I was disappointed by the outcome of Leviticus and I was genuinely expecting it to be a standout of the year for me. Leviticus didn’t trust its audience enough to be a little more ambiguous with its messaging and imagery, it spelt everything out for us and in terms of a memorable horror film the characters had little to no progression or development. The beginning and the end of the film left the characters in the same position, scared and I felt as though that was a very abrupt and predictable ending. Leviticus (2026) may be to your liking if you’re not expecting horror but instead a deep analysis of queer identity and extreme religion, Leviticus has horrifying messaging but lacks in any real horror elements. 

Probe Points

★★