Leviticus is a painful yet poignant reminder of the endurance of the LGBTQ+ community in the face of constant opposition when it comes to our existence.
At the center of the story are too young men, Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen). They’re two young men who are on the cusp of just figuring out who they are but also who they like. Basic growing up stuff. And they’ve decided that they like each other. But when their families discover their feelings, they’re put through a sort of conversion therapy tied to a terrifying entity.
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This monster that haunts Naim and Ryan is truly diabolical. This version of conversion therapy in Leviticus takes the form of the person that you desire the most. And when you give in to that desire, because you think this is your partner, the monster hurts you as punishment. If you manage to escape this “lesson,” you come to associate your desire with pain, with the intention being for you to leave your homosexual desires behind.
And shocker, it doesn’t work.
Leviticus‘s biggest strength is the fact that they don’t shy away from the lengths that some people will go to crush the way that the queer community loves. Because it is our blood relatives, those who are supposed to love us no matter what, who end up being our biggest enemies. And it’s only through found family that a lot of us have found a community or a space to be ourselves. That’s what happens with Naim and Ryan.
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For a lot of people watching Leviticus, they might be on the fence on whether these two actually get a happy ending. And in my opinion they do get a happy ending. Sure the entity is still there, haunting their footsteps. But in the face of that ire from their families and pain thanks to that monster, they chose love. They chose each other. And they chose a future where they can be their most honest selves without having to apologize. The monster is there, but they still won.
In a lot of ways, I see Naim and Ryan’s journey as probably one of the most realistic queer romances told through a horror lens, when I look at our reality.
Consistently we’re on attack. It’s either attacks from those we share blood with, strangers who want to dictate our lives, or even a government that wants to take away our rights. In the face of that horror, we still choose love. So in a way, those living in our shared reality of 2026, we all have that faceless monster or entity who wants to kill us or cause us pain because we’re gay, lesbian, transgender, or queer. Nevertheless, we continue, like we always have.
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When it comes to more technical bits of Leviticus, I’ve got to say kudos to the film for making it very clear that even though the monster wears the face of those we desire the most, the true evil in this movie are these kids’ parents. Because they would rather their children get hurt or murdered by a nameless entity than accept their children for who they are. Also kudos to the actors who did an exceptional job at being horrible parents. They really sold that.
Most importantly, kudos to Joe Bird and Stact Clausen, the actors who play Naim and Ryan. They played these characters with a tenderness that I didn’t even know was possible within horror. And the intimacy that they shared on screen felt quiet yet thrilling with a side of a devotion that goes beyond this being just a first love. This is just love. The chemistry between these two actors was the linchpin that made Leviticus work and 100% why people should get out there and watch this queer love story.
Leviticus is now in theaters.
