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      Savage Messiah

      R 2002 1 hr. 34 min. Drama List
      Reviews 66% 1,000+ Ratings Audience Score In 1980s Ontario a social worker (Polly Walker) investigates conditions at a strange commune presided over by an abusive leader (Luc Picard). Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

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      Eden L This movie is weird on so many levels and the audio is very wonky but it is very entertaining to watch and the plot is interesting to say the least Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/06/23 Full Review Audience Member Savage Messiah is a pretty good made for TV movie about Canada's version of Charles Manson, "Moise" Roch Theriault. This is a good movie, but one that is hard to watch in terms of its content. The cast do a good job in their parts, and the story is quite good and is based on real events. Seeing this when first released was quite the experience, I had never heard of Theriault and his cult of followers. The guy was a psychopath, a monster and had complete disregard for human life. Savage Messiah is a flawed movie, but it does give you a taste of what went on in the cult, and how monstrous Theriault's crimes were. This is a film that is only worth seeing once, not because it's a horrible movie, but because its subject doesn't warrant multiple viewings. I found the movie to be quite eye opening, and shocking to find out that something this monstrous was happening in my native Canada, but nowadays, it's no shock, because like the rest of the world, we have our fair share of depraved maniacs. Luc Picard delivers a stunning performance in the lead role of Roch Theriault, and the supporting cast are great here as well. For those wanting an effective, well constructed made for TV drama that manages to bring out more than its fair share of good storytelling, aided by its cast, Savage Messiah is a well crafted movie that will probably appeal to those interested in such a subject. This works well in terms of a drama, and it is elevated by the fact that this cult actually existed and the events recreated in this disturbing piece of film happened, which in the end makes Savage Messiah a chilling, unforgettable movie. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review james b for a late night tv movie with actors i dont know this wasnt bad. true story about a cult leader Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A well done, disturbing biodrama. Apparently this cult leader, Luc Picard, was killed in prison this year. Kudos to the people involved in that... Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a thrilling / suspenseful drama based on a true life story about a cult leader who exploited women and children for his own purposes. This is a realistic depiction of cult life and the lengths to which people can go, if there are no constraints on their actions. If you like psychological thrillers based on real life, you will like this one. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member Paula Jackson (Polly Walker) is a social worker who takes an active role in intervening with the violence and sexual abuses that Roch Theriault (Luc Picard) imposes on his followers in the commune. Being a victim of domestic violence herself, Jackson understands the vulnerability and fear of the victims and thus has a keen interest in helping those who cannot and do not know to seek help. A diabolic manipulator like Theriault is capable of shredding one's self-image and emptying a person's human dignity for his total control and destruction. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Savage Messiah

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis In 1980s Ontario a social worker (Polly Walker) investigates conditions at a strange commune presided over by an abusive leader (Luc Picard).
      Director
      Mario Azzopardi
      Executive Producer
      Michael Prupas
      Screenwriter
      Sharon Riis
      Production Co
      Astral Films, The Movie Network (TMN), Muse Entertainment Enterprises
      Rating
      R (Sexual Content|Language|Disturbing Images|Violence)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Streaming)
      May 22, 2017
      Sound Mix
      Dolby Digital