Sacrifice

• Watched at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) one Sept. 6, 2025 (First Watch)
• Format: Regular theatre
• Rating: 6/10

The film kicks off strong with a solid 40-50 minutes that feels like it knows exactly where it's going. Unfortunately, it all falls apart after that.

Chris Evans really shines in the first half, especially in the comedic bits where he plays a bad actor, it's fun to watch him lean into that. Anya Taylor-Joy, though, is easily the standout. She gets the most screen time, which lets her show off more range, and she makes the most of it. Vincent Cassel, in my opinion, is the real star of the movie, even with limited screen time, his presence is the most impactful. On the other side, Charlie XCX and Salma Hayek are barely in it at all, which makes their appearances feel pointless, almost like filler. Ambika Mod doesn't get much time either, but she's still charming and fun in the scenes she's in which is not surprising if you've seen her in the TV mini series, One Day (2024 - 2024).

The story, though, takes a bizarre and messy turn after the first 40 minutes, and it feels totally unearned. At some point, I caught myself wondering, where is this even going, and is the ending going to be worth it? Sadly, the answer is no. The finale feels silly, almost cartoonish, and it doesn't add any real meaning to what came before. Sure, the movie has some gorgeous visuals here and there, but not enough to make me forget how much of a letdown the rest of it was.