While I’m a big fan of the supernatural, sometimes I’m in the mood for a story about the horrors of humanity. Condition of Return caught my immediate interest upon reading the synopsis, as it marries religion with the horrors we encounter on a daily basis.
More psychological thriller than horror, Condition of Return follows the story of Eve Sullivan (AnnaLynne McCord), a devout Catholic schoolteacher whose life has taken a hellish turn. Viewers meet Eve on the cusp of her deadliest sin, as she commits a heinous crime within her church community.
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Soon after, we begin a journey into her past as she recounts her downward spiral to psychiatrist Dr. Thomas (Dean Cain). Dr. Thomas has been brought in by the authorities to declare Eve fit for trial. What follows is a question and answer series peppered with flashbacks from both Eve and Donald’s lives.
Through these flashbacks, viewers explore some rather heavy topics. The opening scene alone is tough to watch, and it’s worth noting that this film touches on difficult subject matter as it delves into Eve’s marriage and life leading up to her crime.
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The acting in the film is strong, and it was a pleasure to see Dean Cain and Natasha Henstridge (Liza) back on screen. I personally have not seen any of AnnaLynne McCord’s work aside from her role in Nip/Tuck, and I was impressed with her performance in the role of Eve. This outing required a range of emotions and McCord pulled it off beautifully. Dean Cain also gave an authentic performance as a man struggling with his own demons, and while her time on screen was brief, Henstridge left a mark as Liza.
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The first twenty minutes or so led me to believe this may be a slow burn, but I felt the pacing moved along perfectly after this point. I was fully engaged as a viewer, poised to find out what was next. The duration of the film is just right; any shorter and we might miss important details, and any longer would be too drawn out.
Overall, Condition of Return is a solid film that takes viewers through a range of emotions. It’s a character study that could’ve been lacking had the casting been different, but these actors and screenplay make for a disturbing, provocative story. My only complaint is that the film takes a bit of a supernatural turn in later scenes that it felt a bit campy in the midst of an otherwise serious story. However, the filmmakers did a great job tying together common themes between the main characters and portraying a crisis of faith in the midst of all too human desires.
Condition of Return is now playing select theaters and is also available on Vudu and cable VOD.
Wicked Rating: 7/10
