The Borderlands (2013)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A Vatican investigation into a miracle at a rural church uncovers a terrifying subterranean secret.
The story
The Vatican dispatches three men—a skeptical religious brother, a technology expert, and a stringent priest—to investigate reports of supernatural activity in a recently reopened 13th-century church in the Devon countryside. Upon arrival, they are shown footage of objects moving on an altar and witness local youths burning a sheep to death. As they explore the church, they encounter unsettling forces, including a priest who questions if they have found a miracle or something far worse. The investigation takes a dark turn when the local priest leaps to his death from a bell tower.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The Vatican sends three men to investigate reports of supernatural activity in a recently reopened 13th-century church in the Devon countryside. The group consists of skeptical religious brother Deacon, layman and technology expert Gray Parker, and the stringent Father Mark Amidon. Upon arrival, they are shown footage of objects moving on an altar. That night, local youths burn a sheep to death outside their cottage. Mark discovers a hidden side panel in the church but is disturbed by an unseen force, causing his ear to bleed. A multi-mic radio setup detects growls and an infant's cry. While tracing the sound, Deacon sees Father Crellick, who later pursues him up the bell tower and leaps to his death. Deacon and Gray are later evicted from a local pub. Deacon investigates the church alone and finds a hidden door inscribed with a pagan sigil. He discovers a subterranean staircase where he hears a baby crying and Crellick screaming. Deacon calls in an exorcist, Father Calvino, who reveals the church was built on a site of human sacrifices to a pagan deity. During the exorcism, violent forces shake the church; Mark is killed and Calvino vanishes. Deacon and Gray descend into a subterranean labyrinth, finding evidence of child sacrifice and a former minister who converted to pagan worship. They find Mark walking into the darkness. They enter a narrow passageway that reveals itself to be the digestive system of a living organism. The walls secrete enzymes that dissolve the men as their lights go out.
- Original title
- Final Prayer
- First release year
- 2013
- Runtime (minutes)
- 89
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Elliot Goldner
- Writers
- Elliot Goldner · writer
- Cast and characters
- Gordon Kennedy · Brother Deacon; Robin Hill · Gray Parker; Aidan McArdle · Father Mark Amidon; Patrick Godfrey · Father Calvino; Luke Neal · Father Crellick
- Genres
- found-footage horror; supernatural horror; folk horror
- Themes
- Religious conflict; Paganism; Sacrifice; Supernatural horror
- Tone and mood
- Atmospheric; Tense; Horrifying
- Premise and plot tags
- Found-footage; Vatican investigation; Haunted church; Pagan deity
- Content notes
- Bleeding
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the performances of Gordon Kennedy and Robin Hill, the use of the church location, and the film's atmosphere and humor. Some critics noted the scares were repetitive or familiar.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 83% · review count: 18; The Observer · score: 3 · scale: 5; The Independent · score: 3 · scale: 5; Time Out · score: 3 · scale: 5
- Production trivia
- The film was the first feature in a production slate launched by the Metrodome Group through its production arm Cinedome.; The found-footage format was part of the project from the initial brief.; Several scenes between Gordon Kennedy and Robin Hill were improvised.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…