Director Larry Greene’s Rise of Revelation leans into biblical prophecy tropes, creepy zombie-like cults, and apocalyptic paranoia where God and the Devil collide, delivering indie end-of-the-world chaos with a kick-a*s grindhouse spirit. Shoot first, ask questions later.
By all accounts, Thomas Stone (Charles Adames) is an average federal agent living a normal life, that is, until his partner is gunned down by a possessed cult leader who’s threatening to trigger Armageddon—thrusting the fate of the world upon him.
Heavy guilt over the loss of his partner and the need for revenge lead him to question his purpose along the way. Tensions build when his commanding officer vanishes, the ocean literally turns into the Red Sea, and, if things aren’t stressful enough with the cult leader calling with terrorist demands, feisty reporter Maria (Karen Franco) turns up demanding answers. And, yes, to add wood to the fire, she might be his old flame. The two team up and try to connect the dots while the story takes some unexpected twists, including a western-style shootout with ominous “Men in Black” types.
“The two team up and try to connect the dots while the story takes some unexpected twists, including a western-style shootout with ominous ‘Men in Black’ types.”
The movie is ambitious and takes wild leaps into early CGI—mainly used for moody atmosphere and supernatural powers, but also to enhance demonic possessions and blood splatter. As a massive practical effects fan, the CGI didn’t resonate with me, since I generally enjoy a stronger horror tone throughout and less dramatic preaching—here, that balance left me feeling like the horror elements were an afterthought.
While the film seems to take itself seriously, I did find some nice dark comedy and memorable performances that anchored it. George C. Tronsrue as Sullivan, navigating an increasingly unhinged reality, gave calm, cool, and collected sidekick support. His line delivery describing the cult leader’s supposed mess-free toilet suicide had me gagging and rewinding to enjoy again. Dagoberto Zolio Soto’s Eric was a tour de force in the film, grounded in terror while shifting through a wide range of personalities, like watching Breaking Bad‘s infamous Raymond Cruz as Tuco Salamanca reincarnated!
While not a perfect film, it does have its share of fun moments. So if you have a soft spot for the early 2000s direct-to-video supernatural horror oddities, Rise of Revelation is definitely worth a spin.
For screening information, visit the Rise of Revelation official website.
