Baal is a well-made but frustrating slow-burn cult movie that relies more on obtuse symbolism than anything of consequence. Set in Australia, we meet Grace (Meg Clarke). She is a strong, self-sufficient career girl whose life is pulled back to her painful past after the death of her father. Returning home for all of the customs that come with a death in the family, Grace decides to reconnect with her estranged brother. This proves difficult as he is missing and the scars of their shared trauma set up a minefield of explosive memories hidden beneath the surface. Joseph Sims-Dennett writes and directs an elegant-looking film that is anchored by Clarke’s strong performance in the hopes of touching on the territory covered by films like Hereditary and Relic. But for all of the slick editing and careful character development, little seems to come together with any impact.

Grace returns to her hometown and reconnects with Uncle Rex (Tony Hughes). After asking about her brother David (Gautier de Fontaine,) Grace learns that he was kicked out of the Church and began a life on the streets. Uncle Rex warns Grace to not look for David as he has gotten into drugs and hangs with a dangerous crowd. Still, Grace has promised David that she would return one day to save him from the same hellish life she escaped from. After asking around, a homeless friend of David’s says that an unmarked van shows up every so often to round the homeless up and cart them off to a facility. Soon enough the same van rolls up to collect a few more people from the streets.

One of the people orchestrating this collection is Mr. Green (Leighton Cardno.) Green as it happens, was an old teacher of Grace’s in high school. Grace reconnects with Mr. Green and askes about her brother and where these people are carted off to. It turns out that there is a refuge, deep in the outback where these people are taken to live a peaceful life of recuperation. Green knows where it is, and has seen Grace’s brother. But he is, initially, far too afraid to lead her to this utopia deep in the forest. That is until Grace offers him money.

From the first scene, director Sims-Dennett tries to put far too many bells and whistles into the mix. With a forced tone we are subjected to a riot of razor-sharp editing and the unnecessary use of time jumps that foreshadow Grace’s journey. The story itself is actually strong enough and isn’t serviced at all by these superfluous tricks. The metaphor of trauma and rescuing a family member still trapped in its seemingly endless cycle is accomplished well enough by the setting paired with Grace’s determination.

Joseph Sims-Dennett is a capable and very talented filmmaker, but Baal seems too obsessed with mood and tone to offer any sort of meaning. It’s a pity because what is here has some potential. Ignore the weird editing, and go for the story and scenery if you have the patience.