Eli is an American supernatural horror film released in 2019, directed by Ciarán Foy and with a screenplay by David Chirchirillo, Ian Goldberg, and Richard Naing. Eli features a compelling mixture of psychological suspense with demonic horror, Eli expands as a slow-burning thriller that reaches an unexpected and controversial climax. Charlie Shotwell stars as Eli, supported by Kelly Reilly, Max Martini, Lili Taylor, and Sadie Sink.
The film had a production budget of $11 million and grossed around $98 minutes in total film time. It was released worldwide on Netflix and gained attention for its dramatic twist ending as well as a unique blend of classic haunted-house horror with more modern, religiously themed horror elements.
Synopsis
Eli is a young boy suffering from a rare and severe autoimmune disease which comes with a life-threatening allergic response to the environment. He is confined to a sanitized, closed suit and has no means of interacting with the world outside. In a desperate attempt to save him, his parents take him to a remote surgical unit run by Dr. Isabella Horn, a claimed specialist for such cases who purports having successfully treated other children.
The treatment facility is located in a remote mansion which has been adapted into a “clean house,” a controlled space where Eli can finally take off the suit he has worn for years. Initially, everything looks good. Eli is able to roam around and even gives his parents a hug. However, strange things begin to happen within the mansion. Eli begins perceiving blurry images, and phrases like “LIE” appear scribbled on windows and mirrors.
As Eli becomes more frightened and paranoid, he comes across some evidence suggesting the other children who underwent treatment at the facility may have died during their so-called “treatments.” His investigations into these matters are stonewalled by the adults around him, who, no matter what, insist his activities are the result of hallucinations brought on by his condition or the medications’ side effects.
This is when Eli meets Haley, who is a mysterious figure that Eli claims appeared outside the facility and spoke to him through a window. Unlike everyone else, she urges him to dig deeper into the secrets of the house. With her help, Eli uncovers the truth, that his disease is fabricated. Eli learns that the real objective of the supposed treatments is to inhibit his supernatural abilities.
In a surprising turn of events, Eli is not ill; rather, he is the son of the Devil himself. His mother had formed an agreement with the devil, enabling her to become pregnant after years of not being able to conceive. Dr. Horn and her associates are not doctors, but rather part of a zealot sect whose goal is to perform an exorcism and destroy Eli before he reaches the full extent of his abilities.
In what can be interpreted as the movie’s last act, Eli depicts a set of powers including telekinesis and pyrokinesis. He proceeds to destroy the facility, killing those who attempted to harm him, and confronts both of his parents. Aspects of his mother accepting his true nature is countered by his father horrified by the truth subsequently attempting to murder him only to be killed in the process. Haley reappears and discloses that she too is a daughter of Satan. She invites him to meet with and refer to Satan as “father” which we can interpret as the film ending with Eli, Haley, Eli’s mom, and a drive out of the house’s ruins.
Cast and Characters
Charlie Shotwell as Eli Miller – The sickly boy whose character arc transforms from an innocent patient to a powerful supernatural being.
Kelly Reilly as Rose Miller – Eli’s mother, driven by her desperation to have a child, makes a dark pact.
Max Martini as Paul Miller – Eli’s father, grapples with guilt and denial as the reality unfolds.
Lili Taylor as Dr. Isabella Horn – A well-mannered doctor who is much more sinister than she appears.
Sadie Sink as Haley – Eli’s seemingly only friend who turns out to be much more than what she seems, unveiling greater cosmic truths.
Themes and Symbolism
A Blend of Medical Horror and the Parental Desperation
The film opens as a medical mystery, with Eli a patient of a cruel and invisible ailment. His parents’ desperation to heal him creates a moral gray area as they risk everything—including his life—for a chance at healing.
Deception and Truth
Eli’s narrative is woven together by the deceptive nature of reality. Lies surround the main character, and he is deceived by everyone in his life, including his parents. The title encapsulates this theme perfectly as “Eli” is an anagram for “LIE.” The film serves as an appeal to the audience to challenge appearances.
Faith vs. Evil
The film uses religious imagery extensively. The “clean house” features several crosses and rosaries, as well as other purification symbols. The staff’s white robes and Eli’s medical treatments mimic liturgical rites. Ultimately, Eli is not saved by these symbols of holiness, but rather destroyed by them. This reality puts into question the morality behind blind and rigid dogmatic faith.
The Supernatural Within
In the film, the “sick child” trope is subverted. Rather than recovered from illness, Eli requires rescuing from suppression. His true essence is not a victim, but rather an extraordinarily powerful being. Such a reversal of expectation distinguishes horror’s conventional tropes into surroundings that are commonplace.
Cinematography and Atmosphere
Ciarán Foy builds slow-moving suspense throughout the film. Cold hues are used to capture the mansion, which has narrow hallways and dim lighting that apportion unsettling symmetry and perpetual unease. The film’s use of jump scares is subdued—almost nonexistent—as tension and dread reign supreme. While ghostly apparitions are rarely featured, their occasional appearance in mirrors, behind glass, or as whispers in the walls is profoundly striking.
Eli is a character who wield powers that, to the ordinary eye, appear supernatural. They are quite literally set aflame, along with living beings and objects, which lends an air of chaos and grace. Such moments are the opposite of the orderly, dull, and quiet first half of the film, which creates a juxtaposition that sharpens the latter half’s soothing silence.
Reception and Criticism
Critics were divided when the film was first released. The atmosphere, character portryals, especially Charlie Shotwell’s, and the twist ending Eli’s story takes are praised. On the contrary, people have also voiced concerns regarding pacing and the shift from medical horror to religious demonic fantasy.
From a specific standpoint, some think that the lack of closure adds to the thematic depth and ambiguity. However, many argue that this reduces emotional investment due to not living up to expectations. The closing moments have defied the audience. It can be grounded in fresh territory, or straying blending genres.
Conclusion
Using familiar elements of a set-up, Eli manages to mislead viewers and bend expectations with an unforseen twist. The film is a blend of demonic possession, medic thrillers, and haunted houses that serves a uniquely unsettling experience.
If you are looking for a horror film that offers more than bloodshed and cheap thrills, Eli offers a chilling voyage into the unfamiliar that explores the frailty of trust, the complexity of love, and the sinister ramifications of what even the most harmless appearing child could harbor.
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