The Offering
Jewish folklore provides jump scares in disturbing horror.
Kids say
Based on 1 review
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The Offering
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that The Offering is a horror movie that cleverly and uniquely uses Jewish folklore as a means to help tell its supernatural tale. There are plenty of jump scares and disturbing images with a demon terrorizing a family, including expectant parents Art (Nick Blood) and Claire (Emily Wiseman). The demon torments the characters psychologically as well as physically, with the idea being that it survives by taking a life for a life. The violence can be graphic at times. It includes a man stabbing himself and, given the film is set in a funeral home, there are several corpses on display. Though the film falls into some horror cliches, it always feels affectionate in its exploration of Judaism and demonology. The film looks at the differences between traditionalist religious values with a more modernized take, as Art and his estranged, more conservative father, Saul (Allan Corduner), struggle to see eye to eye. But the pair do attempt to reconnect, to understand their respective differences, and move past them.
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What's the Story?
THE OFFERING tells the story of Art (Nick Blood) and his pregnant wife Claire (Emily Wiseman), who go to stay at Art's estranged father's funeral home, in a bid to settle their differences. As Saul (Allan Corduner) strives to find a common ground with his son, relative Heimish (Paul Kaye) is somewhat more sceptical. Though they all have bigger issues to contend with, as one of the bodies in the morgue in the basement contains an ancient demon with a score to settle.
Is It Any Good?
This low-budget modern horror cleverly uses religious folklore to help craft a narrative, exploring old Jewish demonology. Though while The Offering begins with this unique aspect, eventually it just becomes like so many films in this genre. Big mansions, where spirits with vengeance attack the minds and bodies of those who live within, is already a saturated market, and this film feels too familiar in that regard. Instead it works more triumphantly as a human piece, with an impressive opening act to help set the scene. The complex family dynamics are nuanced and compelling. It's when it ventures into generic horror territory that it falls flat. On that note, the viewer is also too privy to the leading antagonist; the demon. Our minds are always more imaginative and more dark than what can be conjured on-screen. Perhaps leaving a little more to our weird and wonderful imaginations would have been to the movie's benefit.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about whether The Offering was scary. What was most scary about it? Did it remind you of any other movies? What's the appeal of horror movies?
What role did Judaism play in the story? Have you seen this community represented in films much? Maybe you're a part of this community -- if so, did it seem like an authentic portrayal? Why representation matters in kids' media.
What were some of the issues between Art and his father? How did they try to overcome their differences?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 13, 2023
- On DVD or streaming: January 13, 2023
- Cast: Nick Blood, Emily Wiseman, Allan Corduner
- Director: Oliver Park
- Studio: DECAL
- Genre: Horror
- Topics: Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Run time: 93 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: for violence
- Last updated: March 17, 2023
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