Them That Follow

Them That Follow is a 2019 thriller about an Appalachian community who worships snakes.

7 out of 10.  There’s a lot of garbage films out there now that Amazon and Netflix are streaming home videos, but this is pretty good. 

SPOILERS AHEAD.

Mara is the pastor’s daughter in a small Christian Appalachian community where the “church” believes in snakes cleansing people of their sins.  Recently a young boy has died from being bitten by the rattlesnakes at the church so the police have come to arrest the pastor Lemuel.  Garret is the deputy sheriff in this community and he takes the blame for the snake bite and the boy in exchange for Lemuel’s permission to marry Mara.  Mara, who realizes Garret just took a bullet for her dad, agrees although she’s in love with a non-believer named August (Augie).

Things get rapidly worse when Mara finds out she’s pregnant by Augie and he plans on leaving the mountain.  He begs her to come with him, but she refuses and she fails to tell him that she’s pregnant. But Augie’s mother, who is part of the church, figures out that Mara is pregnant and that her son is the father, so she tells him.

At the next church meeting, Mara is shocked to see Augie.  He’s decided to stay for her and the baby.  Lemuel has him show his faith by draping a rattlesnake around his neck.  That snake bites him in the arm.  His parents quickly take him home, but without medical or hospital care his arm turns black.

Mara prays for Augie and eventually crawls into bed with him which Garret sees.  Lemuel orders her to go home and in her desperation she tells her friend Dilly.  Dilly, who was taken in by the pastor when her own mother deserted her, immediately tells him.  Meanwhile Garret tries to rape Mara and Lemuel stops him, shooting at Garret as he runs away.

As Augie’s parents realize he’s dying, they tie him to the kitchen table and saw off his arm with a chainsaw.  (Now you know why there are spoilers in this review.)  Mara arrives and begs them to let her take Augie to a hospital.

The last scene is Augie waking up in the pickup as Mara is leaving the mountain.

7 out of 10 stars. Obviously this is for adult audiences.  It was heartbreaking to see someone so young lose a limb over something so stupid.