So, first things first—I hadn’t heard of The Deliverance until I saw a meme floating around the internet. Picture this: Glenn Close, looking all kinds of possessed, saying some very questionable things. Colour me intrigued. I sprinted to Netflix faster than Quicksilver on caffeine to see what all the fuss was about.
And let me tell you, the critics got it wrong—The Deliverance is entertaining as hell (pun intended). As far as horror films go, this one leans into familiar tropes like The Exorcist but with a twist that resonates with the Black lived experience. It’s not just about the supernatural horrors haunting Andra Day’s Ebony and her family—it’s about the raw, real-world horrors of being Black and poor in America.
Deep Dive: The True Story Behind The Deliverance
Before diving into The Deliverance, it’s worth noting that this film is based on the real-life case of Latoya Ammons and her family in Gary, Indiana. In 2011, Ammons, her mother, and her three children moved into a rental home, hoping for a fresh start. What they got instead was a living nightmare. It started with strange occurrences—a persistent swarm of flies, foul odours from the basement, and unsettling sounds in the middle of the night. Then things escalated. Ammons claimed her children began walking up walls, speaking in deep, unnatural voices, and even levitating.
The case gained so much attention that it wasn’t dismissed as another ghost story. Psychologists, social workers, and even police officers witnessed the bizarre events and couldn’t fully explain them. A priest eventually performed an exorcism, and the house was later demolished, but the haunting left a lasting impact. This story is even more chilling because official reports and credible witnesses are backing up Ammons’ claims, making it one of the most well-documented hauntings in recent history.
Lee Daniels transplants this eerie foundation to Pittsburgh, infusing the story with his signature flair for drama and social commentary. While The Deliverance might not capture every eerie detail of the Ammons case, it offers a compelling look at how the supernatural intersects with the struggles of a Black family in America.
But let’s not get it twisted—The Deliverance isn’t perfect. The film tries to juggle intense domestic drama with horror, and while some critics felt the horror elements were tacked on, I found they added depth, especially in how they paralleled Ebony’s life struggles. Sure, there were moments where the scares felt straight out of the Horror Movie 101 playbook—kids skittering up walls, creepy voices, contorted bodies. If you’ve seen The Exorcist, you’ve seen much of what The Deliverance offers in terms of horror. But here’s the thing: while the scares may not be groundbreaking, they hit differently when viewed through the lens of Black life in America. The demons Ebony faces are literal and figurative, and that’s where the film truly shines.
Now, let’s address the Rachel Dolezal in the room—Glenn Close’s Alberta. Or should I say, Glennisha D’Wanda Close-Blige, because baby—what a transformation this was.
As Black folks, we all know an Alberta. She’s that white aunty who rolls up to the cookout because she’s married to our Black uncle. She’s got that deep love for Black culture (and Black men), walking the fine line between being an ally and a caricature. She’s the aunty with the stiff wig who can get you into or out of a lot of trouble. WE ALL HAVE AN ALBERTA in the family! She’s the type of woman that haunts Dr. Umar Johnson’s nightmares—and my God, did Glennisha nail this role!
From the body language to the vocabulary to the outfits—even that scene where she’s braiding hair with press-ons—I was screaming at the screen; Glennisha embodied Alberta so well that she was almost a horror story on her own. One scene, in particular, stuck with me—not the one where she’s sniffing out specific nappy genitalia—but the hospital scene. Here, Alberta, despite standing by her daughter in distress, sides with a patronizing white attendant, reminding us all that she may love Black men and culture, but she’ll flicker between her whiteness and allyship when it suits her. Glennisha nailed it!
Now, onto Andra Day. She shows us why she’s an award-winning, critically acclaimed actor. Ebony could’ve easily been a one-note character. Still, Andra added layers of depth, making her struggle as a mother fighting for her kids—both spiritually and in the CPS system—so real, so believable. Some critics felt the movie was more compelling when focused on Ebony’s personal demons rather than the literal spiritual ones. While I get where they’re coming from, I think Andra’s performance made the two aspects of the story work together. She brought such raw emotion to the role that it was impossible not to be invested in her journey.
But let’s talk about 12-year-old Anthony B. Jenkins. This kid straight-up stole the show—and that’s saying something when you’re sharing the screen with legends like Glennisha and Andra. From the get-go, he made Andre Jackson lovable, and then, as the film progressed, he slowly revealed that something was VERY wrong in Miss Ebony’s house. By the end, it was clear—this kid needed the Holy Spirit and Jesus, STAT!
The rest of the cast held it down, too. Mo’Nique gave us a counterpoint to her iconic role in Precious, and it was so good to see her back on screen. Omar Epps and Miss Lawrence spiced things up with their cameos, and Stranger Things’ alum Caleb McLaughlin, alongside King Richard’s star Demi Singleton, brought it as Ebony’s other kids.
Where the film stumbles a bit is in its pacing and focus. Lee Daniels is known for digging into complex, messy human relationships; flashes of that brilliance are here. But the movie tries to do too much, so it doesn’t fully hit the mark as either horror or drama. There is social commentary on race, class, and the CPS system, but it sometimes feels like it’s competing with the horror elements rather than complementing them. The ending, in particular, felt rushed and cloying, leaning too hard into a “faith saves all” message that, while uplifting, lacked the punch I was hoping for.
So, while I won’t say this is an award-winning film, it’s an entertaining horror flick that Black audiences will find relatable and enjoyable. So, grab your popcorn, turn off the lights, and let The Deliverance take you on a wild, supernatural ride.
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