10 Most Realistic Cults in Movies

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at films that capture either the factual or emotional realism of real-life cults. Setting aside the supernatural element of most movies about religious fanatics, these films delve into the real human horror of cult life. Do you have personal knowledge about cults, or have you watched a ton of true-crime documentaries on cults? Is there a realistic cult on film that we missed? Let us know in the comments below!

“The Invitation” (2015)

In 2015’s underappreciated horror, “The Invitation,” Will and his girlfriend are invited to dinner at his ex-wife Eden’s home. Will and Eden have both been struggling with grief over their son who died accidentally. Will struggles day to day, but Eden has ostensibly overcome her grief thanks to the help of a cult she’d found in Mexico. Real-life cults use bereavement and grief as a weapon. Death, divorce, and other similar events in a person’s life leave them at their most vulnerable. The specific motivations of the film’s murder cult are never truly discussed. Still, their weaponization of grief and post-mourning love-bombing are textbook examples of cult behavior.

“Sound of My Voice” (2011)

Writer and actress Brit Marling has a history of using sci-fi and horror as lenses through which to examine the human condition. In 2011, she starred as Maggie, the supposed time traveler from the future. She's formed a group to prepare them for horrors to come. While the film leans into the sci-fi elements - Maggie may actually be from the future - it strikes a realistic note. We follow potential members at every stage, from neophyte to believer. The aesthetic of the cult, from the wardrobe to the rituals, is spot on. As with real cults, every piece of clothing, every mantra, and every ritual is designed for coercive persuasion. The individual is broken down, their thought processes overwritten, until their skepticism is converted into belief.

“Lords of Chaos” (2018)

Evolving out of heavy metal, black metal music can be traced to Norway in the late 1980s. Early bands utilized satanic lyrics and imagery for shock value. By the early 1990s, some bands - led by Mayhem - took it more literally. “Lords of Chaos” is a biopic about Mayhem, starring Rory Culkin as their lead guitarist, Euronymous. By incorporating pagan blood-fueled rituals into their act, the band and its fans morphed into a cult of personality. In the film, Euronymous spurs his bandmates and fans to the mass arson of churches in Norway. In real life, he wasn’t officially connected. Still, other black metal musicians and fans were. "Lords of Chaos" brings that period of fire and blood to life.

“The Endless” (2017)

Doomsday cults often come to tragic, deadly endings. Heaven's Gate, a UFO-based cult, ended that way in 1997. The aftermath of such an event leaves generations of trauma in its wake. “The Endless” tells the story of two adult brothers exploring their past. They were raised in a Heaven’s Gate-style cult and managed to escape. The film imagines a world where a cult like Heaven’s Gate might actually be right. It makes the list due to its emotional content. “The Endless” is a deep dive into what it feels like to be brainwashed. The process of falling into - and out of - a cult is one that leaves a victim questioning their reality. The eerie uncomfortable vibe is meant to reflect that descent into uncertainty.

“Red State” (2011)

Kevin Smith may be known for stoner comedies, but the writer/director has never shied away from examining his own faith. Smith, raised Catholic, felt deep disdain for the actions of the Westboro Baptist Church. He spent years putting together “Red State,” a piercing look at the extremist organization. Smith’s version imagines a similar church that follows through on its homophobic rhetoric. Their hateful beliefs extend to ritualistic murders. The leader of this church employs classic cult tools to brainwash his congregants. He uses force and coercion to break their will, and fear of another to target their rage.

“Faults” (2014)

Given the nature of cults, it makes sense that most cult-related movies tend to be horrors. Riley Stearns' independent film “Faults” takes a different approach. The dark comedy focuses on the difficulties that surround deprogramming a cult member. The film follows Ansel, a down-on-his-luck cult specialist hired to deprogram cultist Claire. Claire’s parents are desperate for help and will turn to anyone, even a man whose failed attempt at deprogramming once led to a woman’s death. It’s a heavy topic, but Stearns handles the subject fairly well. The deprogramming becomes a battle of wills and gives off a similar vibe to an exorcism.

“Apostle” (2018)

When one thinks of “British movie about cults,” it’s natural that the original 1973 Wicker Man. 2018’s “Apostle” could give Wicker Man a run for its money. “Apostle” takes place in 1905 on a tiny Island off the coast of Wales. Thomas, a former missionary, infiltrates a diabolical cult that has recruited his sister. Welsh Island. The Raid mastermind Gareth Evans ventured outside of his comfort zone with this terrifying and gruesome tale of an ex-missionary who attempts to extract his sister from a bloodthirsty cult on a barren island outside of Wales in 1905. It’s not uncommon for some cults to set up camp out in the wilderness, away from prying eyes and local authorities.

“The Sacrament” (2013)

“The Sacrament” is a 2013 horror movie loosely based on the Jonestown Massacre. The People’s Temple began in the 1950s as a social revolutionary church. It evolved into a large and powerful cult. Leader Jim Jones moved his community of over 900 followers to a commune in Guyana. In 1978, Jonestown was visited by U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan at the request of some of their families. The trip ended with disaster: Jones’s men attacked the Congressman’s delegation while the community drank poisoned fruit punch. The Sacrament follows a news crew as they visit a similar cult in Central America. While fictional, the film is a slow-burn psychological thriller that attempts to capture the terror of being in a death cult.

“The Master” (2012)

Five years after “There Will Be Blood” netted a pair of Oscars, director Paul Thomas Anderson followed up with “The Master.” Telling the story of a Navy vet with PTSD looking to heal and find purpose, “The Master” looks at the founding of a cult called ‘The Cause.’ The movie is a slow, methodical drama, eschewing the violence and terror of most films about cults. Instead, Anderson opts to focus on the human connections between cult members. The search for meaning, love, and an escape from pain is how many cults reel in victims. Through isolation, cults like ‘The Cause’ manipulate people at their lowest and most desperate.

“Martha Marcy May Marlene” (2011)

Years before becoming an Avenger, Elizabeth Olsen made her film debut in the psychological drama, “Martha Marcy May Marlene.” She plays Martha, a 22-year-old woman who starts the film by escaping a cult deep in the Catskill Mountains. While doing research, writer and director Sean Durkin was enthralled by the process of entering a cult. He wrote a short film and followed it up with his feature debut about exiting the same cult. He retells that story in “Martha Marcy May Marlene” through flashbacks. He doesn’t spare the details. As with real cults, the fictional commune uses brutality, isolation, and psychological torment to break Martha to their will.