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Hail Satan?

2019

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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76

USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Ratings

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5.7

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5.7	Your Score
5.7	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 33 Ratings

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Hail Satan?

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Hail Satan?

Movie Details & Credits

Magnolia Pictures | Release Date: April 17, 2019 | R

Starring: Billy Graham, Cecil B. DeMille, Chalice Blythe, Courtney Francisco, David Corpus, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jex Blackmore, Lucien Greaves, Malcolm Jarry, Mamie Eisenhower, Megyn Kelly, Michael Fischer, Michael Wiener, Nicholas Crowe, Sal De Ciccio, Stu De Haan

Summary: When media-savvy members of the Satanic Temple organize a series of public actions designed to advocate for religious freedom and challenge corrupt authority, they prove that with little more than a clever idea, a mischievous sense of humor, and a few rebellious friends, you can speak truth to power in some truly profound ways. As charmingWhen media-savvy members of the Satanic Temple organize a series of public actions designed to advocate for religious freedom and challenge corrupt authority, they prove that with little more than a clever idea, a mischievous sense of humor, and a few rebellious friends, you can speak truth to power in some truly profound ways. As charming and funny as it is thought-provoking, Hail Satan? offers a timely look at a group of often misunderstood outsiders whose unwavering commitment to social and political justice has empowered thousands of people around the world.

… Expand

Director: Penny Lane

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: R

Runtime: 95 min

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Metascore

Mixed:

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Critic Reviews

91

The Playlist Charles Barfield

Apr 19, 2019

What the doc proves is that a talented filmmaker, combined with a thought-provoking subject and intensely fascinating characters can truly make some fun black magick pop off the screen. Read full review

86

The Verge

Tasha Robinson

Feb 21, 2019

The sharp editing turns the film into a comedy about how wickedly successful the Temple’s trolling is, and how humorless and easily riled their opponents are. Read full review

83

IndieWire David Ehrlich

Feb 21, 2019

Lane has an unmatched ability to strike the right balance between anger and absurdism, and frames the Temple in a revelatory moral light. Read full review

78

Austin Chronicle

Richard Whittaker

May 1, 2019

What Hail Satan? really achieves is to show this new brand of Satanism as part of the same tradition as the Dadaists and the Church of the SubGenius, fighting for actual liberty and debunking falsehoods. As one activist so adroitly explains, the devil’s work is never done. Read full review

75

Chicago Tribune

Michael Phillips

May 2, 2019

The musical score, and some of director Lane’s editing strategies, have a way of playing into the more comic aspects. Yet it’s not a mean-spirited affair. In fact, it’s a sly primer in homegrown grassroots activism. Read full review

75

RogerEbert.com Matt Zoller Seitz

Apr 19, 2019

It's as if the group had studied the "Rabbit season! Duck season!" exchange from the Bugs Bunny-Daffy Duck classic "Rabbit Seasoning," and figured out how to turn the punchline into a political movement. Read full review

63

Slant Magazine

Christopher Gray

Apr 15, 2019

The documentary shrewdly illustrates how media savvy can turn a fledgling protest into an international cause célèbre. Read full review

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User Reviews

10

mitokio

Apr 19, 2019

All the whacko religious zealots are going to get their panties in a knot over this movie without seeing it. If you haven't drunk the blood-colored kool aid, you're going to love it. The most "evil" thing it preaches is to think for yourself and not be sheep. I know, I know... Jesus is yourAll the whacko religious zealots are going to get their panties in a knot over this movie without seeing it. If you haven't drunk the blood-colored kool aid, you're going to love it. The most "evil" thing it preaches is to think for yourself and not be sheep. I know, I know... Jesus is your shepherd, but that makes you sheep. Stop pulling the wool over your eyes and bleating about evil and be open to a different point of view. Here endeth the preaching. Great documentary.… Expand

3 of 7 users found this helpful34

9

Brent_Marchant

May 4, 2019

A tongue-in-cheek but nevertheless thought-provoking look at a "religious" sect that's wildly misunderstood in its efforts to poke some serious holes in the evangelizing of a number of sanctimonious but hypocritical religious and political institutions whose agendas far more dangerous thanA tongue-in-cheek but nevertheless thought-provoking look at a "religious" sect that's wildly misunderstood in its efforts to poke some serious holes in the evangelizing of a number of sanctimonious but hypocritical religious and political institutions whose agendas far more dangerous than anything the satanists are proposing. In telling this story, director Penny Lane reveals how its subjects are basically comically sinister but harmless bogeymen trying to get the attention of a complacent public, trying to make us aware of who the real enemies are. Anyone who identifies with the maligned, misunderstood outcasts of society will no doubt relate to their message and realize who it is we should all be really afraid of.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

9

Slovenly_Muse

Aug 2, 2019

Fighting fire with hellfire, this documentary highlights The Satanic Temple's ingenious methods of resisting the creeping Christian theocracy by calling out religious hypocrisy, standing up for secular freedoms, and celebrating religious pluralism.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

7

GrantD243

Sep 5, 2019

The subject matter alone is going to be a turn off for some people, but this is more of a political film than anything. This isn’t about what people traditionally think of when Satanism is mentioned, but rather about the modern iteration of it which is more of a political movement thatThe subject matter alone is going to be a turn off for some people, but this is more of a political film than anything. This isn’t about what people traditionally think of when Satanism is mentioned, but rather about the modern iteration of it which is more of a political movement that exists to point out the hypocrisy of the US Government’s association with Christianity. It’s a well put together documentary and I think it provides a clear picture of what the organization is about and what they’re trying to achieve.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

7

tonyGreen

Aug 25, 2021

Well made insight into a group that have great courage, and an agenda a little more nuanced than mere provocation.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

5

TVJerry

Jun 8, 2020

The Satanic Temple has generated lots of controversy in the last few years, most notably by campaigning against Ten Commandments monuments on state capital grounds. This movie outlines the rise of the group and their fights for religious pluralism and other noble causes. They make sure theThe Satanic Temple has generated lots of controversy in the last few years, most notably by campaigning against Ten Commandments monuments on state capital grounds. This movie outlines the rise of the group and their fights for religious pluralism and other noble causes. They make sure the stress that they don't actually worship the Devil, but focus on social and political justice. Instead of slipping any anarchistic potential in the filmmaking process, director Penny Lane chose to take a sober, traditional approach. There are lots of interviews with cult members, all done on the same background (which adds little visual variety). Plenty of news footage fleshes out their story, but it's all presented in a rather serious and slowly-paced package. The message comes across early, then the remainder plays out more like a sober 60 Minutes story than an entertaining documentary. NOTE: Sit thru the credits for a great punch line.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

1

Myhaylovych

Jul 26, 2019

Too bad they didn't show human sacrifice, this movie merely doesn't show the whole truth. Where did all the negative comments disappear? All the leftist critics praising this documentary, but this is mere propaganda.

1 of 6 users found this helpful15

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