Red-blooded religious fervor gets literal in this effectively chilling little horror tale — a remake of a 2010 Mexican movie — which sees a backwoods family struggling to keep its secretive rituals alive after the death of its matriarch (Kassie DePaiva). Teenage sisters Iris (Ambyr Childers) and Rose (Julia Garner) are having a crisis of faith as the sacrifice for “Lamb’s Day” draws near, but their dad (Bill Sage), palsied and sickly, still rules with an iron fist.
In town, missing-girl fliers abound and human bones start to show up in the creek; neighbors (Kelly McGillis, Michael Parks) begin to ask questions. Town deputy Anders (Wyatt Russell) is sweet on Iris, who, in fairness, does warn him that “I’m not what you think I am.”
Shot in melancholy grays and greens, with an ominous score and a perfect sprinkling of old-time country music, “We Are What We Are” is a first-rate example of good storytelling and well-timed — while not excessive — gore. Its disgusting, hilarious conclusion left me eager to see what’ll be next from director Jim Mickle.