Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
The Hebrew name for the Book of Leviticus is Vayikra, which means ‘and he called’.
What is something evil takes the form of someone you desire most, to lure you and violently punish you, for wanting something ‘forbidden’? Would you be able to keep away?
Written and directed by Adrian Chiarella, the 2026 horror film ‘Leviticus’ stars Joe Bird as teenager Naim, who moves to a new town with his highly religious mother Arlene (Mia Wasikowska), and there, he becomes infatuated with classmate Ryan (Stacy Clausen). Their feelings are mutual, but the boys are soon haunted by an entity which is brutally violent, and appears to them as the person they’d least likely avoid – each other.
In some ways, ‘Leviticus’ demonizes desire like 2014 horror film ‘It Follows’ did, but with a religious twist. And here too, the malevolent entity follows its target until they’re dead, and instead of random creepy strangers, it takes the shape of those they desire most, which makes the horror a lot more diabolical.
A cold open shows a young woman falling prey to the entity, meeting a gory end, before ‘Leviticus’ turns its attention to introduce Naim and Ryan, classmates hanging out together at an abandoned building. They start to see each other romantically, although they’re both in the closet and members of a conservative church.
Joe Bird, who horror fans might remember from ‘Talk to Me‘, is excellent as Naim, a teenager forced to keep his sexuality under wraps due to his conservative mother. But when Ryan makes the move on him, he is able to be himself away from the watchful eyes of the rest of the world.
The onscreen chemistry between Joe Bird and Stacy Clausen is instantly convincing, serving as a crucial ingredient in ‘Leviticus’: the boys are so smitten that they find it hard to stay away from each other, even when a sinister entity begins imitating them. Stacy Clausen also brings a casual heartthrob charm to Ryan; he’s like the quintessential good-looking ‘bad boy’, so obviously Naim can’t keep away, even though he spells bad news.
When Ryan and Naim learn they aren’t the only victims, they set out to find a way to stop whatever is haunting them, while also ensuring it doesn’t kill them before they find the answers. Saying anything further would just dilute the fun if haven’t yet seen the horror film.
Know this: the cast is excellent, the themes interesting, it dives into bullying, homophobia, religious extremism, betrayal, and broken families. There dark, broody cinematography excellent. And this is a rare supernatural story which doesn’t rely on some grotesque, exaggerated monster, since the entity takes human form, so the special effects are subtle.
Despite the intriguing premise, I do think the creators don’t fully utilize the script’s potential. ‘Leviticus’ doesn’t keep you at the edge of your seat or deliver big scares or gory moments that will make you flinch away from the screen, like a ‘Smile 2‘.
And while the crisp 90 minute runtime is great for impatient viewers, ‘Leviticus’ could’ve used a few more minutes in making story and entity more hard-hitting. For instance, Mia Wasikowska as Naim’s mother is under-utilized, and a little more insights into their oppressive mother-son relationship would’ve added more depth to the teen’s overall arc.
Overall, if you’re a horror fan, definitely add this to your watch-list. And in some ways, ‘Leviticus’ ultimately delivers a simple truth – even demons and death aren’t enough to keep horny teenagers apart.
‘Leviticus’ is available to rent on Prime Video in some countries.
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