I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

This is a very good film which should get more exposure due to its pertinent subject matter.Luc Picard as Roch Theriault, a charismatic cult leader who ran a commune in the Canadian wilderness; Polly Walker portrays the social worker who exposes his abusive practices, and having experienced marital abuse herself; at first intuits that something is awry in the commune, which the social service agency must first check out.When the board of assessors approves Theriault, and vindicates him, she went on record as objecting, but it unfortunately took a lot longer to finally expose his crimes against humanity. Toward the end there is a most disturbing scene as he is drinking with his numerous wives, partying, and suddenly takes a knife and casually grinds it into one of the women's hands, letting her sit there until she passes out from the intense pain. Then he removes it, and tells she she is lucky he can fix it, as he comes toward her with an ax.Very disturbing and interesting commentary on the psychology of commune life, brainwashing, and how people become involved with cults in the first place. 8/10.

There is no words that can adequately define the impact that this movie will have, its the sort of movie that you watch once but will stick with you forever simply due to the fact that such a horror movie could not be imagined if it was not True !!.This is such a powerful yet darkly disturbing movie that my advice is don't watch it alone or if you are easily upset.Marvelous performances by Polly Walker as the emotionally invested social worker will have you Loving her, and Luc Picard as the what can only be described as a Perverted and deeply destructive Cult leader. Make this a very rarely seen master piece that deserves to be watched just to applaud the womens strength in facing there Demon.I hope you get as much from this film as i did, but i wont say enjoy it because you truly shouldn't enjoy this story.Roly

"Savage Messiah" tells the story of the rise and fall of a mad Canadian cult leader (Picard) who maintains a wilderness commune with assorted concubines and children whom he abuses. A serious, earnest, straight forward docudrama, "SM" tells its story factually with the superficiality of a news story, the "feel" of a budget conscious teleplay, and tethered melodrama making it only of marginal interest when compared with the likes Charles Manson or Jim Jones. "Savage Messiah" should be an interesting watch for anyone with a specific interest in Roch Theriault story but a ho-hummer for all others. (C+)

Very well done for a Canadian film. The film captured the true reality of these children and women whom suffered greatly! Sort of disturbing to know that this is a true story. The only problem that I had with the movie was that I couldn;'t figure out what province they were in. *SPOILER* Roche and his family (if you can call it that) have french accents so there is an assumption this is where it is talking place. When the police show up to do their business they are in OPP cars yet when the movie is finished they literally blurt out that this happened in Nova Scotia.