Sacrifice | TIFF 2025 | Review by: Gal Balaban

In Sacrifice, a volcano-obsessed cult selects three people at an elite fundraising gala to sacrifice in order to avoid what they believe is an impending apocalyptic event. The film begins promising darkness and satirical irreverence, but feels like a poor attempt at social commentary that films by Ruben Ostlund have excellently covered. Anya Taylor-Joy feels in her comfort zone as the cult's leader, while Chris Evans as a vain Hollywood star seems typecast, but winds up a great role for the actor. That said, the script's attempts to dig deep into his character become hollow and half-baked.

Despite some solid production design and even a few laughs, the first scene's promise is quite the hook but the film meanders soon after, and by the time it gets there, I wound up feeling nothing. Sacrifice attempts layered commentary on performative activism and climate change while treading too much familiar water and suffering a messy and problematic story progression, especially in the second half.

2.5/5

Written by: Gal Balaban

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