Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gory, pessimistic, but inventive dystopian Western.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Killing Faith
What's the Story?
In KILLING FAITH, a mysterious disease has spread across America in 1849. Ms. Sarah (DeWanda Wise), who was formerly enslaved but is now a free woman, is raising her young daughter (Emily Ford), who has a peculiar ability: Everything she touches dies. (She must wear little pink mittens at all times.) Ms. Sarah decides to take the girl to see Preacher Ross (Bill Pullman), and ether-sniffing Dr. Bender (Guy Pearce) is hired to accompany them. Their journey is fraught with peril. They meet a pair of bandits (Jamie Neumann and Keith Jardine) who try to take the girl. They also encounter a strange family, led by matriarch Maggie (Joanna Cassidy), that offers them a most unusual meal. And they cross paths with an eloquent Indigenous man named William Shakespeare (Raoul Trujillo), who offers help. But all of this is nothing compared to what's waiting for them at Ross Corner.
Is It Any Good?
This gory, well-cast "weird Western" is solid and simple, telling a pretty straightforward "on the road" story but keeping things uncertain and unexpected at every turn. Written and directed by Ned Crowley (and based on a story by Crowley and David Martin), Killing Faith gets its strength from its striking visuals, from a man in a cage in the middle of the desert to the little pink mittens (which hide a malevolent force) and to Maggie and her family sitting in rocking chairs in the middle of nowhere.
The characters are neatly designed, too, from Edward T. Yacht (Jack Alcott), who babbles on and on about real-world facts that he finds fascinating, to William Shakespeare, who speaks elegant King's English and teaches the group how to shoot and kill a buzzard by playing dead. ("We call this irony!") Pearce and Wise are strong, thoughtful leads, while Pullman is an alarming villain. Alas, Killing Faith lacks a certain zing that might have sent it over the top into cult-classic territory. It's a little sleepy on its feet—perhaps not helped by its ever-increasing pessimism—but it still has more than enough going for it to make it worth a viewing.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about Killing Faith's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
What does the movie have to say about race and equality (or the lack thereof)? Why does representation in the media matter?
What makes the Western genre so enduring? What can stories of the Old West tell us about who we are now? What sets this film apart from other Westerns you've seen?
What's the nature of the young girl's deadly touch? Is she a "carrier"? Is she the product of White men's evil? What are some other theories?
Does the existence of evil offer proof of the divine, as one character says at the end? If so, how?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 3, 2025
- On DVD or streaming : November 4, 2025
- Cast : Guy Pearce , DeWanda Wise , Bill Pullman
- Director : Ned Crowley
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Black Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Shout! Studios
- Genre : Western
- Topics : Animals ( Horses ) , Dystopia , Faith
- Run time : 108 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong violent content, grisly images, drug use, sexual assault and some language
- Last updated : October 13, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate