Divinity (film)

2023 film by Eddie Alcazar

Divinity

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Eddie Alcazar
Written by| Eddie Alcazar
Produced by|

* Eddie Alcazar
* Javier Lovato
* Raphael Gindre
* Johnny Starke

Starring|

* Stephen Dorff
* Moises Arias
* Jason Genao
* Karrueche Tran
* Michael O'Hearn
* Emily Willis
* Scott Bakula
* Bella Thorne

Cinematography| Danny Hiele
Edited by|

* Steve Forner
* Kevin Greutert

Music by|

* DJ Muggs
* Dean Hurley

Production
company

Sumerian

Distributed by| Utopia

Release dates

* January 21, 2023 (2023-01-21) (Sundance)
* October 14, 2023 (2023-10-14) (United States)

Running time

| 88 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English
Box office| $102,891[1]

Divinity is a 2023 American science fiction film written and directed by Eddie Alcazar,[2] and starring Stephen Dorff, Moises Arias, Jason Genao, Karrueche Tran, Michael O'Hearn, Emily Willis, Scott Bakula, and Bella Thorne.[3] The film had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023 and was released theatrically in the United States on October 14, 2023.[4][5]

## Premise

[edit]

Set in an otherworldly human existence, scientist Sterling Pierce dedicated his life to the quest for immortality, slowly creating the building blocks of a groundbreaking serum named "Divinity". Jaxxon Pierce, his son, now controls and manufactures his father's once-benevolent dream into a malicious nightmare.

## Cast

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* Stephen Dorff as Jaxxon Pierce
* Moises Arias and Jason Genao as Stars
* Karrueche Tran as Nikita
* Michael O'Hearn as Rip
* Emily Willis as Lynx
* Scott Bakula as Sterling Pierce
* Bella Thorne as Ziva
* Caylee Cowan as Felisha Flexi

## Production

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Steven Soderbergh and Eddie Alcazar announced in September 2021 that they were collaborating on a new film with Alcazar directing and Soderbergh producing, and Soderbergh serving as executive producer.[2] In April 2022, Scott Bakula and Bella Thorne joined the cast, and DJ Muggs would compose the music.[3] The film uses stop-motion for an extended fight scene.[6] The film was made without a script, according to Alcazar: "There is no script for this film, so I was trusted with the virtue of doing my own thing. And I started drawing and sketching ideas, and that’s pretty much how it all came about."[7]

## Release

[edit]

Divinity had its premiere at Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2023,[8][9] followed by an international premiere at the Taormina Film Festival on June 29, 2023.[10][11]

In March 2023, Utopia and Sumerian acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film, later setting it for a theatrical release in the United States on October 13, 2023.[12][13] The film utilized a platform release starting in New York, followed by Los Angeles on October 20, and the wide release began on November 3. The film received an SAG-AFTRA interim agreement to allow cast members to promote the theatrical release during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[14]

## Reception

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 57% of 44 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.30/10.[15] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[16]

Jeannette Catsoulis, writing for New York Times, described the film as, "an unintentionally comical sci-fi diatribe obsessed with beautiful bodies, bickering brothers and biblical symbolism". She continued, "the occasionally arresting visuals, though, are repeatedly undercut by dumb dialogue and often atrocious acting, the whole experienced through a wall of throbbing, squawking sound. This is not the movie to see if you are nursing a hangover".[17]

Jacob Oller, writing for Paste, described it as "a little like a self-important Barbarella, full of half-hearted titillation and taking place in that indistinguishable gray area between a moonbase and a Hollywood sex dungeon",[18] while Nadir Samara, writing for ScreenRant, had a more positive review, praising the visual style, casting, and world-building.[19]

## References

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1. ^ "Divinity (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
2. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (September 17, 2021). "Steven Soderbergh, Eddie Alcazar Reteam for 'Divinity' Thriller (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
3. ^ a b Cordero, Rosy (April 20, 2022). "Scott Bakula & Bella Thorne Among Final Cast Of 'Divinity,' Cypress Hills' DJ Muggs To Serve As Musical Composer". Deadline. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
4. ^ Wise, Damon (January 25, 2023). "Sundance Review: The Weird World Of Eddie Alcazar's 'Divinity'". Deadline. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
5. ^ Gardner, Chris (January 22, 2023). "Sundance: "Medical Incident" Causes Stir on Main Street During 'Divinity' World Premiere". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
6. ^ Frank, Michael (January 25, 2023). "Sundance Review: Divinity is a Cult Classic in the Making". The Film Stage. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
7. ^ "Lust Eternal | Featuring Stephen Dorff, Bella Thorne, Eddie Alcazar, and Karrueche Tran". flaunt.com. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
8. ^ "Program Guide | 2023 Sundance Film Festival". festival.sundance.org. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
9. ^ Topel, Fred. "Sundance movie review: Divinity is pure sci-fi inanity - UPI.com". UPI. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
10. ^ Cordero, Rosy (June 12, 2023). "Eddie Alcazar's Sci-Fi Thriller Divinity Sets International Premiere At Taormina Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation.
11. ^ "Divinity – EN". Taormina Film Fest. May 24, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
12. ^ Azad, Navid Nikkhah. "UTOPIA and SUMERIAN acquire worldwide rights to Eddie Alcazar's DIVINITY - DEED.NEWS". www.deed.news. Retrieved May 10, 2023.
13. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 8, 2023). "Divinity Release Date: Sundance-Premiering Sci-Fi Thriller Starring Stephen Dorff & Bella Thorne Bowing This Fall Via Utopia And Sumerian". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
14. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 22, 2023). "Sundance-Premiering Sci-Fi Thriller Divinity Starring Stephen Dorff & Bella Thorne Lands Interim Agreement". Deadline Hollywood. Penske Media Corporation.
15. ^ "Divinity". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
16. ^ "Divinity". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
17. ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (October 12, 2023). "Divinity Review: Missed Conception". The New York Times. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
18. ^ Oller, Jacob. "To Err Is Human, To Film It Is Divinity". Paste Magazine.
19. ^ Samara, Nadir (October 13, 2023). "Divinity Review: Eddie Alcazar Has Made 2023's Weirdest & Bravest Films". ScreenRant.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Divinity at IMDb