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Sometimes you come across a movie with a great premise, an incredible cast and stunning shots, but it still can't bring it all together. That is the case for Romain Gavras's film "Sacrifice," now streaming on Netflix. This movie has all the parts that should make it an easy win, but an uneven tone and a muddled story keep it from really soaring.
Megastar Mike Tyler (Chris Evans) is trying to find his way back into society's good graces following a major crashout after his last premiere. As a result, he and his agent, Oliver (Sam Richardson), attend a climate fundraiser, hosted by billionaire Ben Bracken (Vincent Cassel) and his wife, Gloria (Salma Hayek). Ben explains that in order to combat climate change, they will need to mine the ocean for a mineral that can help slow the problem.
What they don't know is that this event has been chosen by a cult-like ecoterrorist group, led by Joan (Anya Taylor-Joy), as an opportunity to find sacrifices for the volcano that is about to erupt. She and her siblings believe they need three people to be thrown into the lava to prevent the end of the world.
The primary idea behind "Sacrifice" is interesting and absurd enough to be funny. The idea of plundering the ocean because there's nothing left to take from the land sounds about right. And a group deciding that the only way to solve problems with the planet is to throw people into a volcano has enough comedic merit to potentially be a funny piece of satire. But while there are some entertaining moments during the film, it eventually becomes so self-important that all of the humor gets swallowed up by an unserious idea being taken seriously.
None of the flaws of "Sacrifice" lies with the cast. I always love when Chris Evans drops into comedy mode, and his portrayal of a self-absorbed actor trying to rehabilitate his image is perfect. Vincent Cassel is styled to be a shockingly accurate Jeff Bezos type, and he pulls it off brilliantly. John Malkovich has a brief role as Joan's father, and he is entertaining. Anya Taylor-Joy leans fully into her role as the fanatic leader of this cult. Genuinely, everyone does a great job with the meager crumbs they are offered.
This is also a beautiful movie to watch. The set design for the gala at the beginning of the film is absolutely fantastic. Additionally, director of photography Matias Boucard captures some truly epic shots that look incredible. One of the last shots of the movie is genuinely stunning. Unfortunately, there is just not quite enough to make up for the unwieldy script.
As the climate crisis worsens, I anticipate that we will see more and more films tackling that subject, often in creative ways, as we saw with "Digger" just a few weeks ago. "Sacrifice" certainly has a premise that promises to be something unique and interesting, unfortunately, it collapses under the weight of its own idea. I don't know if it's worth the sacrifice of your time to watch.
Rating: 2/5
Alise Chaffins is a freelance and Tomatometer-approved film critic.