An engrossing and tense documentary.
Ken Jaworowski, The New York Times
Mesmerizes.
Robert Abele, LA Times
Will Allen’s sunny gut-punch cult exposé HOLY HELL plays like a thriller, all right, with a darkness edging slowly over its swimsuit revelry, but Allen never cheats in the interest of suspense.
Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice
Perhaps most gratifying is the film’s tempered, mature optimism – it is neither cloying nor dour, the two most common tonalities in contemporary nonfiction film.
Sean Malin, Austin Chronicle
HOLY HELL is never less than enthralling.
Justin Gerber Consequence of Sound
HOLY HELL is perhaps the fullest, most human view we’ve ever had of life inside a new religious movement — and the ever-complicated business of getting out of one.
Michael Agresta, Pacific Standard
The film stitched out of that footage is one of the most intimate and emotionally involving examinations of how easily a seemingly benign spiritual movement can shift into a damaging, destructive cult. It also may be one of the most L.A. stories ever told.
Oliver Jones, The New York Observer
An unprecedented close-up look...we watch with bated breath as the mask is slowly pulled off.
Owen Gleiberman, BBC
Unique, captivating...never before has a cult documentary contained so much footage of its inner workings.
Justin Gerber, Consequence of Sound
Acts as both an extreme cautionary tale and a personal exorcism.
Jason Newman, Rolling Stone