The submissive heir to a hotel empire and cunning dominatrix play devilishly twisted games of control in Sanctuary. The new thriller ropes your attention with fascinating power dynamics that titillate and tease sinister developments. Not everyone likes their bread buttered the same way. The characters have specific kinks and needs that fuel a unique relationship. They cross carefully defined lines when bigger stakes become apparent. Greed resets boundaries but also lays uncomfortable truths bare. Slick filmmaking and beguiling performances sell a potent narrative. It’s a knife’s edge until a finale that may surprise some, but others will see coming.
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Hal Porterfield (Christopher Abbott) sits anxiously in a posh suite. He looks at an expensive watch as time ticks by. A knock at the door has him leaping to action. Rebecca (Margaret Qualley) arrives with her briefcase, smart business attire, and coiffed blonde hair. She sits at the dining table, pulls out a tape recorder, and arranges her legal papers.
Rebecca interviews Hal in a terse manner. Her questions dig deep into every corner of his life. What starts as height and weight quickly devolves into the personal. Do you use drugs? Describe your intimate activities? Hal bristles at her tone as he fidgets with his drink. Rebecca slams down her pen. His responses simply won’t do.
Follow Every Instruction
Neon
Get on your hands and knees. The bathroom is absolutely filthy — it must be cleaned. Hal obediently follows her every instruction. He can take his clothes off but not a finger on her or himself. Maybe she will allow a modicum of pleasure. Everything goes according to the script … until it doesn’t. Rebecca reminds him that she makes the rules. Hal appreciates another fantastic session. Rebecca never fails to satisfy. But she isn’t ready to leave just yet. Hal has inherited a fortune after his father’s death. It would be a shame if his friends, family, and business associates knew about such deviant behavior.
Sanctuary explores the human psyche with cutthroat tactics. Hal knows he’s a golden boy, a rich kid whose daddy defined his existence. Hal has always been told what to do. The moment finally arrives for him to be decisive and a leader. Rebecca believes that she is the whip that guided his journey. Hal’s natural instinct is to bow and bend. He can’t survive in the cruel real world without her heel pressed sharply into his back. Hal faces a terrible realization. The person he paid to fulfill his dark fantasies knows him the best. She’s not going anywhere until her exact terms are met.
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The blocking and staging of the characters is accompanied by clever camera work and blurred transitions. The lens rotates as Hal panics and feverishly searches the room. He’s literally upended by Rebecca’s calculated maneuvers. She rips off her wig to reveal jet black hair. The scene distorts and refocuses with the situation dramatically changed. It’s an artistically brilliant way of reframing the same physical setting. Director Zachary Wigon (The Heart Machine) excels in his second feature.
Sanctuary’s Psychological Understanding
Qualley and Abbott parry and feint like seasoned boxers in a ring of lurid deceit. The obvious sexual attraction pales in comparison to psychological understanding. What are they each actually trying to achieve? How do you end something that has been supremely satisfying? The answer is somewhat safe and expected but still a lot of fun to watch.
Sanctuary is a production of Rumble Films, Charades, Mosaic Film, and Hype Studios. It will have a theatrical release on May 19th from Neon.
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