Scared Straight? Leviticus; When Supernatural Meets Real Life Horror

Spoiler Light

Much hype has surrounded the indie Australian horror movie, following it from its premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival to its international release this summer. Audiences were drawn in by its subdued colour palette and realistic aesthetic (teenagers actually playing teenagers!) Not to mention the films premise about a demon that stalks to teenage boys and turns into what they desire most: each other.

The film is steeped in metaphor even the most eagle eyed of viewers may have missed. Here is a rundown:

1. 1. The Title

As many probably knew or worked out Leviticus is a book in the Bible that forbids things like trimming your beard and having sex with a woman during her period. But most infamously it forbids sexual acts between two men. The films protagonists Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen) are living in an isolated, rural, deeply religious community in Australia. When their same sex attraction is discovered by the community they are forced to undergo a supernatural (and extremely visceral) form of conversion therapy.

• 2. Imagery

Within the film there is repeated imagery of different animals. One such animal is that of a snake. Snakes and serpents have a rich history of symbolism. Generally seen as a symbol of rebirth and renewal; much Naim’s character arc is accepting his ‘new’ self and learning to live with his circumstances. In Christianity the serpent is generally a symbol of evil. In the first scene of the film Naim and Ryan watch a frog (frog imagery is also repeated throughout the film) being eaten by a snake. Much like snakes’ frogs are purported to symbolize renewal. Could the image of the snake eating the frog symbolise the oppressive religious sect trying to quash Naim and Ryan’s burgeoning sexual identities and others like them?

• 3. Casting stones

In a memorable scene the characters of Ryan and Hunter are seen throwing rocks at one another before kissing passionately. The biblical idiom of ‘he without sin cast the first stone’ comes to mind. Ryan and Hunter are also pre-emptively punishing themselves with pain before indulging in their ‘impure’ desire, presumably something the religious sect as taught them.

• 4. The serpent ring

Returning to the snake imagery; Ryan dons a serpent ring which halfway through the film Naim appears to be wearing. The romantic overtones of lovers exchanging jewellery is obvious, but it could also symbolise Naim’s acceptance of himself during the course of the film.

• 5. Naim’s name

The meaning of the name Naim is ‘comfort, ease and peaceful’ which is incredibly ironic in the film as the character of Naim experiences none of this as the new boy in a religious town which engages in demonic conversion rituals.

• 6. Nod to the queer history of the photobooth

One of the creepier scenes in Leviticus is Ryan accompanies who he thinks is Naim but is actually the demon to a photobooth in a local skating rink. The real Naim picks up the developed photo strip from outside the booth. The photos show Ryan kissing and taking photos with an invisible presence.

This scene ups the creep factor but is also a subtle nod to the photobooths history of being a safe space for LGBT people. With the absence of a photographer and developer queer couples could safely take affectionate pictures with one another, pictures that in any other context could get them arrested or killed throughout history.

• 7. Trigger Warning Possible reference to ’98 hate crime

Arguably the most disturbing scene in the film is when the dead body of an LGBTQA+ teenaged boy who has been violently killed by the demon is shown onscreen. The character is laid beside a barbed wire fence (another repeated image). The scene brings to mind the 1998 murder of a young gay student; Matthew Shepard. Shepards murder was motivated by homophobia and it was widely reported at the time that his mutilated body was found next to a barbed wire fence (though it was a split rail fence).

This high profile murder changed American federal and state legislation regarding hate crimes. Leviticus explores the threat of hate crimes in a small community, what better way to highlight the seriousness and tragic consequences of hate than to subtly reference an infamous hate crime.

• 8. The culpability of caregivers

The boys in the film are forced to undergo the conversion therapy by their parents and religious members of the community. A viewer commented that Leviticus does an excellent job at highlighting the cruelty dressed as care particularly from Naim’s mum (Mia Wasikowska). Naim’s mum clearly loves her son but her thinking has been warped by the religious cult. She wants to protect her son from being hurt by people who don’t like people like him. This threat is real in the world we live in so you can sympathize with her as a mother.

Where Naims mothers cognitive dissonance comes in is when she either doesn’t realize or has justified hurting her own son. When your teenaged son is sleeping on your bedroom and expressing his fear of an invisible entity hurting him and you brush off his fears and leave him alone as he begs you not to, you are not being a good parent.

• 9. The demon only attacks when you are alone

The Leviticus demon appears to be a metaphor for desire. It only attacks when its victims are alone. When we are alone we can let our desires rein free whereas in everyday life they hover in our periphery, much like the demon.

The demon corrupts the boys desires; like when Naim sensually licks Ryan’s ear which the demon will try to rip off in a later attack. The entity tries to make Ryan’s, Naim’s and Hunter’s innocent explorations evil.

1.  10. The bus scene

A scene that particularly impressed me with its layered meaning was the scene on the bus when the Naim and Ryan are returning home. After kissing passionately for some time Ryan proceeds to give Naim a hand…

The young men are engaging in this sexual act on a public bus with fellow travellers nearby. Cleverly, it’s not the supernatural demon you are fearing during this scene but them being discovered by, the all-too human, members of the public. It has already been established that gay bashing is a distinct probability in this community and both boys have already been forced to undergo the traumatic conversion ritual. There are young people living under these threats all over the world simply for being who they are…and that is truly scary.