Souls Of Totality

Souls of Totality are a cult group in middle America who believe that, during an eclipse, should you die, your soul will be taken to a higher place.

You may be thinking this is just another movie about another cult. And, in a sense, you’d be right, but writers Ben Bolea (Bad Fan) and Kate Trefry (Stranger Things (TV)) have other ideas.

We arrive into the movie with little setup. Guy 3, Tom Cullen (Gunpowder (TV), Downton Abbey (TV)) and Lady 18, Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black (TV), Parks And Recreation (TV)), are sneaking off to an abandoned bus near the community they live on with the rest of the cult.

As the eclipse grows near, Lady 18 learns that she’s been singled out for a special mission, one that many see as a privilege, others see as a punishment.

Will these lovers be apart for ever? Or will the eclipse bring other things into play?

Director Richard Raymond (Desert Dancer, The Bridge (Short)) goes big on Souls Of Totality electing to shoot a full five minutes of an 18 minute film in one-shot, during the actual eclipse itself.

The result is a glorious piece of film with the light, naturally fading and it’s timed to perfection for the particular part of the story, mimicking Lady 18’s last gasp run.

The two leads are wonderful and there’s a real chemistry together. Cullen is the innocent one, having been involved in this cult all his life, whilst Maslany is stronger, more street-aware.

There are hints, here and there, as to what is coming and hints s to what has been, but the details are kept under wraps, the hints adding to the overall intrigue.

The final shot in particular throws in a lovely little twist that will make you want to rewind and see again. Did that really happen? Was that what I thought it was? Does that mean…?