Glorious REVIEW – Not Quite So Glorious
Things aren’t going well for Wes (Ryan Kwanten). He’s homeless, throwing up in the toilets, and has even encountered an ancient god in a stall. The god needs him for a mysterious reason. Ghat (J.K Simmons) is the god Wes meets when he first attempts to strike up a conversation. He seems very concerned by Wes’ constant puking. Things quickly worsen when Ghat reveals his true identity, and Wes cannot leave the toilet stall.
Kwanten excels in this area. It is difficult to take on a disembodied voice, even if it is the voice of J.K Simmons. Kwanten is completely committed, crawling on the bloody floor, sinking into madness and despair as he struggles to cope with his inevitable situation. Ghat and Wes have a hilarious and terrifying interaction. Ghat talks to Wes from a glory hole. Between their conversation, flashbacks to Wes’ relationship with Brenda (Sylvia Grace Crim) are interspersed. This creates mystery as we wonder what happened between them and where Brenda is now.
These flashbacks of Brenda would have been a better part of the movie. They are short and infrequent, but they would be a huge part of the film, considering Brenda’s importance to the story. Glorious continues to wear on, and it becomes clear that there isn’t enough material for the film. We start to wonder why Ghat is taking so long to tell Wes what he wants, especially since the movie creates obstacles to delay the reveal.
Although the horror imagery is good, there are a few standout moments. The fact that the majority of the film takes place in a grimy, sterile toilet will make any person squirm in the seat. As Wes moved about on the blood-stained floors, I found myself cringing for many minutes. Rebekah McKendry manages to make a teddy bear terrifying, which is quite an achievement.
Once we learn what Ghat wants from Wes, the movie’s pace picks up. Things get more interesting when we consider Wes’ decision and how it will end. The movie’s final revelation occurs after about 30 minutes. The viewer must read a long script to get the reward. After watching Wes simply talking to a bathroom stall, fewer patient viewers might be reluctant to go on.
The film’s structure and concept are similar to RomolaGarai’s Amulet from 2020, a great indie horror. On the other hand, Amulet had more material and surprisingly handled the resolution. It’s not difficult to see why Wes was chosen for Glorious and what happens at its end.
Glorious has a lot to offer and could have been a solid indie film if it had the right script. It’s not quite ready for glory as it is now.
