Film Review 7th September 2026

Leviticus is billed as an Australian romance horror, and, to be fair, that’s a pretty good summary.

We open at a public swimming pool at the end of the day. A young woman is seduced by something unseen, and something very bad happens just out of view. We don’t see exactly what, but we get the feeling it’s terminal.

The story then moves forward, though whether by days or months isn’t clear. Two teenagers, Naim and Ryan, fall for each other, but things are complicated by another boy, Hunter, who seems to be involved with Ryan already. A betrayal leads to Ryan and Hunter’s families discovering their sons’ queer relationship, and they do not approve. Religion gets involved, a strange ritual takes place, and both boys become very ill. From there, things only get worse.

Hunter appears to be attacked by an invisible presence. Naim witnesses the beginning of the attack but is locked inside a petrol station, unable to help. When Naim and Ryan are reunited, we’re left wondering whether everything is quite as it seems. The force pursuing them can take the form of the person they’re most attracted to, making intimacy itself a source of confusion and horror.

Despite all the shock and violence, it’s good to see a strong queer teen romance at the heart of the story. It’s also hard not to read the film as a metaphor for the horrors of conversion therapy, with religious intolerance turning love and desire into something dangerous.

It’s certainly a well made, engaging film, and it doesn’t outstay its welcome, which makes a welcome change these days. I wouldn’t say I found it particularly scary, but I’m probably a bit desensitised to horror by now. Definitely worth a watch.

Film	Leviticus
Release Date	2 September 2026
Platform	Cinema
Director	Adrian Chiarella
Running Time	88 minutes
Film Link	Leviticus Official Website
Cast	Joe Bird, Stacy Clausen, Jeremy Blewitt, and Mia Wasikowska