Is Netflix’s new horror movie “The Deliverance” based on a true story? Here’s what we know
Are you a fan of being scared? With Halloween still weeks away, Netflix has released a new movie to quell your fears.
“The Deliverance” hit Netflix on August 30 and is based on a demonic possession. Here’s a closer look at the movie itself and the “true story” it inspired:
Is “The Deliverance” Based on a True Story?
“The Deliverance” is based on a story from Gary, Indiana. LaToya Ammons claimed that her children were victims of demons, and the movie includes several scenes rooted in Ammons’ claims. Some of the more varied scenes included a boy crawling backwards on a wall and a swarm of flies.
Ammons’ story involved an extensive investigation by the Department of Children’s Services and multiple exorcisms authorized by the local Roman Catholic diocese. In 2014, the Indy Star obtained nearly 800 pages of official documents, including interviews with police, Department of Social Services employees, psychologists, family members and a Catholic priest.
Did it really happen? Many people reported direct experiences or a strong belief in their reality after spending time around the incident. During a visit to a family doctor, medical staff reported that a boy was picked up and thrown against a wall without anyone touching him, according to a Department of Social Services report. The police chief said he didn’t believe in demons, but he began to change his mind after a visit to the family’s home.
Clinical psychologists had a different take on the situation. Ammons’ son reportedly acted as if he were possessed when challenged, redirected, or asked questions he didn’t want to answer. In her evaluation, a psychiatrist wrote that he seemed coherent and logical except when talking about demons. His stories also changed each time he told them. It was thought that he did not suffer from a true psychotic disorder, but rather was “induced into a delusional system perpetuated by his mother and perhaps reinforced.” A similar conclusion was reached with Ammons’ daughter.
Ammons was briefly separated from her children, but they eventually returned to her. They were all found to be in a healthy state of mind. DCS set goals for the family, including therapy and seeking alternative forms of discipline not directly related to religion and demonic possession.
Who directed the Netflix hit movie “The Deliverance”?
“The Deliverance” is (partly) produced and directed by Lee Daniels, who produced the hit Fox series “Empire” and directed “Precious,” which was nominated for a 2010 Oscar for Best Picture. Daniels said in an interview with USA TODAY that his favorite movie is the 1973 classic “The Exorcist,” and that he always wanted to make his own version. But instead of a horror film, he wanted to make a “faith-based thriller” to help audiences connect with a higher power.
“I think we’re living in dark times. Whether it’s Buddha, God, Jesus Christ, or learning to love ourselves more, we have to do that to find peace. Tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us,” Daniels said.
The film was written by David Coggeshall (who wrote 2022’s “Orphan: First Kill”) and Elijah Bynum (who wrote and directed 2023’s “Magazine Dreams”).
Who are the cast members in “Deliverance?”
Some changes have been made to the names and relationships of some individuals as depicted in “Deliverance.” In the film, Ammons is named Ebony and is played by Oscar-nominated actress Andra Day, who played Billie Holiday in Hulu’s “The United States vs. Billie Holiday.”
Her children in the film are Nate, Andre, and Shanti. They are played by (in order) “Stranger Things” star Caleb McLaughlin, Anthony B. Jenkins, who appeared in the Netflix miniseries “Florida Man,” and Demi Singleton, who appeared in the 2021 biopic “King Richard” and stars in MGM+’s “Godfather of Harlem.”
Glenn Close plays a grandmother in a family named Alberta. Close is a five-time Oscar nominee and has starred in “Fatal Attraction” and “Hillbilly Elegy.” Why did Lee Daniels cast a white woman when the real grandmother is black?
“I like to give a voice to people who don’t have one and a face to people who don’t see them very often,” he said. “I knew a lot of white women growing up. I wanted to honor that. A lot of African-Americans have never seen this character on screen before and are going to connect with her.”
Is “The Deliverance” a good movie?
USA Today film critic Brian Truitt gave “The Deliverance” a moderately positive review and added it to his list of “10 Movies You Need to Stream Now”:
“Exorcism movie fans will find plenty of familiar aspects in Lee Daniels’ thriller, based on a bizarre true story, but who knew the man behind ‘Precious’ and ‘Empire’ is a rather intriguing horror man?” Injecting eerie imagery into this tale of a black mother (Andra Day) dealing with personal demons and an evil spirit that infects her children.
However, the film doesn’t seem to be universally beloved. It had a 30% critic score and 53% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes as of Tuesday. The film currently has a 38 out of 100 rating. A common criticism is that the film is uninspiring and derivative.