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Purgatory is often depicted as a transitional space where deceased or dying individuals must cleanse their sins before moving on to the afterlife, or as a zone of enduring suffering, penance, or regret. While it might seem like an unusual setting for a movie, the films on this list explore this liminal space in various ways, blending eerie spirituality with intense action, often without the protagonists realizing their predicament.
Before diving in, be aware that this discussion contains significant spoilers. Many purgatory-themed films keep this aspect hidden until the end, so revealing their twists is unavoidable. Consider yourself warned!
10. Haunter (2013)
Directed by Vincenzo Natali, Haunter follows Lisa (Abigail Breslin), a teenager trapped in a time loop, reliving the same day—the day before her birthday. To make matters worse, her family remains oblivious to the recurring cycle, and their home is plagued by supernatural occurrences.
Gradually, Lisa begins to understand her situation. She realizes that her family isn’t being haunted by external forces—instead, they are the ones doing the haunting, stuck forever reliving the day they died. To break free from this purgatorial time loop, she must connect with the spirits of other murdered girls and Olivia, a girl living in the same house in the present day.
While Haunter offers a fresh take on the classic haunted house narrative, it also delves into themes relevant to young adults. Although it didn’t impress critics at the time, its unique concept makes it worth a watch.
9. Cruel and Unusual (2014)
Directed by Merlin Dervisevic, Cruel and Unusual is a surreal thriller featuring David Richmond-Peck as Edgar, a man condemned for killing his wife. His punishment is to relive her death endlessly, interspersed with group therapy sessions in a seemingly eternal institution. As Edgar unravels the truth about his wife’s death, he discovers a glimmer of hope for redemption.
Like Groundhog Day but darker and more spiritual, Cruel and Unusual leans more toward the bizarre than the terrifying. While it could have benefited from some humor, its intriguing premise makes it a compelling watch.
8. Triangle (2009)
Triangle, a British-Australian film directed by Christopher Smith, is another gripping tale of a protagonist caught in a relentless time loop. While it starts as a typical slasher flick about a disastrous boat trip, the movie quickly evolves into a complex narrative filled with unexpected twists and turns.
The story revolves around Jess (Melissa George), a single mother facing challenges with her autistic son. The film leaves much to interpretation, including the reason behind the dead bodies on the boat and Jess’s entrapment in a time loop. A popular theory suggests Jess is trapped in a personal hell as punishment for her sins. Drawing parallels to the myth of Sisyphus and inspired by Jacob’s Ladder, the film offers a haunting depiction of purgatory and is highly recommended.
7. Gabriel (2007)
If you prefer your purgatory with a dose of action, Gabriel, an Australian action-horror film by Shane Abbess, might be for you. The movie portrays purgatory as a dark, shadowy realm where souls linger between heaven and hell, and fallen angels and archangels clash for dominance.
Upon its release, Gabriel garnered mixed reviews, with critics pointing out its awkward dialogue and underdeveloped characters. However, given its limited budget, the film excels in its visual and auditory presentation. Fans of dark, action-packed films like Constantine and Underworld will likely find Gabriel entertaining.
6. Silent Hill (2006)
The Silent Hill franchise is a cornerstone of horror gaming, known for its nightmarish settings and survival gameplay. Its 2006 film adaptation, despite receiving mostly negative reviews at the time, is now regarded as one of the better video game-to-movie transitions.
The story centers on Rosa Da Silva (Radha Mitchell), who ventures into the eerie town of Silent Hill to find her missing daughter. She soon discovers that Silent Hill is no ordinary place—ash rains from the sky, and the town shifts into a hellish dimension filled with monstrous creatures. Rosa and her daughter are trapped in a liminal space, neither fully in the town nor in hell.
5. Purgatory (1999)
Purgatory tells the story of an outlaw gang escaping a failed bank heist who stumble upon a peculiar town named Refuge. The town is unnervingly serene, with residents deeply devout and intolerant of any wrongdoing. Guns, violence, alcohol, and even profanity are entirely absent.
The outlaws initially view Refuge as an easy target, but Leon “Sonny” Dillard (Brad Rowe) notices something strange: the townspeople bear striking resemblances to deceased Western icons. The sheriff mirrors Wild Bill Hickock, the shopkeeper resembles Jesse James, and the doctor looks like Doc Holliday.
As the title suggests, the gang has entered purgatory. The townspeople’s saintly behavior stems from their efforts to earn a place in heaven. While the premise is straightforward, the film offers a fascinating blend of classic Western tropes and the eerie atmosphere of The Twilight Zone, aptly described by contemporary ads as “not your ordinary damn western.”
4. Kontroll (2003)
Directed by Nimród Antal, Kontroll is a 2003 Hungarian dark comedy set entirely within Budapest’s underground metro system. The protagonist, Bulcsú (Sándor Csányi), is a ticket inspector who avoids returning to the surface for unexplained reasons. His life takes a bizarre turn when a hooded figure, dressed identically to him, begins murdering passengers.
Kontroll leaves much of its narrative open to interpretation. However, the abundance of Christian symbolism, dreamlike sequences, and the final scene featuring an angelic figure imply that the protagonist is trapped in a state of limbo. Whether his purgatory is spiritual or self-inflicted, his suffering is evident. Despite being marketed as a comedy, Kontroll delivers an unexpectedly eerie and compelling experience.
3. Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
Jacob’s Ladder centers on Jacob Singer (Tim Robbins), a Vietnam War veteran plagued by horrifying hallucinations. Reuniting with former comrades, he uncovers a government conspiracy involving experimental drugs administered to his platoon, which he believes is the source of their disturbing visions.
The film’s climax reveals that Singer and his platoon turned on each other in Vietnam after being dosed with an experimental substance. In reality, Singer is dying in a medical tent, still in Vietnam.
Jacob’s Ladder is an intense and unrelenting film, not suited for the faint-hearted. Despite its bleak tone, Adrian Lyne’s cult classic is a profound and impactful exploration of purgatory, standing out as one of the most effective portrayals of the concept in cinema.
2. Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006)
Wristcutters is a film that, despite its sensitive subject matter, manages to be oddly endearing in its absurdity. Patrick Fugit stars as Zia, a young man who, after committing suicide, finds himself in a dreary afterlife. This limbo resembles the real world but is slightly worse—smiles are absent, nothing functions properly, and an overall sense of gloom pervades.
Upon discovering that his ex-girlfriend is also trapped in this bleak realm, Zia embarks on a road trip in his dilapidated car (complete with a black hole and broken headlights) to find her. Along the way, he forms unlikely friendships in a coming-of-age tale with a dark twist, where death and depression are ever-present, and the specter of suicide looms large.
While the premise may sound strange, director Goran Dukic’s execution elevates the film. Its unique vision earned it several award nominations and wins, including Best Feature at the Gen Art Film Festival.
1. Lost Highway (1997)
Directed by David Lynch, Lost Highway features Bill Pullman as Fred Madison, a jazz saxophonist who suspects his wife (Patricia Arquette) of infidelity. After encountering a mysterious pale man and receiving unsettling video tapes, Madison is imprisoned for his wife’s murder. In classic Lynchian style, the story takes a surreal turn when Madison inexplicably transforms into Pete Dayton (Balthazar Getty), a younger man who becomes involved with a woman resembling his deceased wife.
True to David Lynch’s signature style, Lost Highway resists straightforward interpretation, sparking countless fan theories. A common consensus is that the film’s narrative resembles a Möbius strip, looping endlessly without resolution.
The film opens with Madison hearing the cryptic message, “Dick Laurent is dead,” over his intercom. By the end, it becomes clear that Madison is the one delivering this message. Along with other time-distorting elements, this suggests Madison is caught in a self-created, reality-warping cycle, doomed to repeat his mistakes indefinitely.
In essence, Madison is trapped in a personal purgatory of his own making.
