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The Church

Name: The Church
Director: Dom Frank
Released: 2018
Duration: 87 min

Representation Score

1.2/10

Minimal

2018

PG-13

Director

Dom Frank

Runtime

87 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

The Church serves as a protector of established religious and family traditions. The narrative emphasizes the preservation of a specific Baptist heritage against external pressures such as gentrification and secular greed. Instead of dismantling social hierarchies, the film reinforces conventional moral certainties and patriarchal structures. The horror elements are used to uphold a traditional spiritual covenant rather than challenge broader societal norms. Overall, the film operates within a traditionalist framework, focusing on the internal struggles of a specific religious lineage while offering limited engagement with diverse identities or modern social critiques.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Church have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film focuses on a Baptist evangelical tradition and family structures. It does not include any non-conforming gender or sexual identities and does not challenge the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.

How does The Church portray gender?

Limited

The movie examines traditional gender roles within a religious context. Despite the wife playing a key role in driving conflict, the story ultimately upholds a patriarchal structure centered around the minister's authority.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Church?

Limited

The film is set in a Philadelphia neighborhood undergoing gentrification. However, the focus remains on a specific evangelical history, which may result in a homogeneous portrayal of the community.

How does The Church represent religion and culture?

Minimal

The film supports traditional Western religious institutions and landmarks. It portrays the conflict as a spiritual battle against modern capitalism, rather than a critique of religious power.

Does The Church include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no indication of characters with physical or neurodivergent disabilities in the film.

Present on Screen

Offers a focused look at traditional religious conflict and spiritual legacy.
Uses the horror genre to explore the tension between faith and modern capitalism.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives that question the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender.
Reinforces traditional gender roles rather than challenging them.
Provides limited engagement with racial or cultural diversity beyond a specific religious perspective.

Official Synopsis

The minister of a once vibrant, landmark Baptist church, now struggling to survive, is the sole hold-out in a decaying Philadelphia neighborhood earmarked for gentrification. But ultimately, the preacher’s steely resolve to preserve his family’s evangelical legacy in the community and dwindling congregation dissolves under relentless pressure from his status-seeking wife and greedy church leaders—Lured by cash bribes and promises from unscrupulous developers to establish a flashy “mega-ministry” elsewhere. Soon, the spirits of founding congregational members – stirred from the disquiet of their graves by the remorseless trespasses of another generation – begin to make their displeasure known. As the sinners – abruptly and inexplicably bound within the confines of the sanctuary – fall prey, they must all re-examine their choices and bow to the will of the covenant … only to reveal the righteous among them.

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