Eric Bana
Ben Monroe
Overview
American social psychologist Ben Monroe investigates a local cult connected to a disturbing event. While he immerses himself into his work, his rebellious teenage daughter, Mazzy, gets involved with a mysterious local boy, who introduces her to the city’s underground party scene. As these two worlds head towards an intersection, Mazzy finds herself in great danger and Ben will need to race against the clock to save her.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Cult of the Almost-Good
I kept waiting for A Sacrifice to cohere. Not in the way a thriller should—with a twist that snaps everything into place—but in the way a person does when they finally admit they’re lost. The film never does.
Instead, it lingers in that uncomfortable space between intrigue and frustration, like a conversation that keeps circling back to the same unanswered question: What are we even doing here?
Jordan Scott’s second feature (her first in fifteen years) is a psychological thriller that wants to be about many things—cults, climate dread, fractured families, the seductive pull of groupthink—but mostly, it’s about the danger of half-formed ideas. The film follows Ben Monroe (Eric Bana), an American social psychologist who moves to Berlin with his teenage daughter, Mazzy (Sadie Sink), after some unnamed professional or personal collapse.
Ben’s work draws him into the orbit of a local cult, while Mazzy, restless and rebellious, falls in with a mysterious boy who introduces her to Berlin’s underground party scene. These two threads are supposed to collide, but the film’s real tension lies in its inability to decide what it wants to say about either of them.
The first two acts are a slow burn, but not in the way that builds dread. It’s more like watching someone pack for a trip they don’t really want to take. The dialogue is stilted, the pacing uneven, and the mystery—what, exactly, is this cult up to?—feels like it’s being doled out in teaspoons.
Ben’s investigation into the group, led by the enigmatic Hilma (Sophie Rois), is less about uncovering truths and more about the film’s own reluctance to commit to one. Is this a story about the allure of cults, or the loneliness of a man who can’t connect with his daughter? Is it a thriller, or a character study with thriller trappings?
The film can’t decide, and so neither can we.
Then, in the final act, A Sacrifice lurches into outright lunacy. What began as a moody, atmospheric character piece suddenly shifts gears into a third-act reveal that feels like it was lifted from a different movie entirely. Peter Sobczynski at RogerEbert.com wasn’t wrong when he called it "a narrative muddle that sabotages its own mystery by revealing too much too soon, leaving the audience to wait for the characters to catch up."
Full Plot (Spoilers)
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This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsJordan Scott’s A Sacrifice: The Long-Awaited Return of Ridley Scott’s Daughter
Jordan Scott’s A Sacrifice (2024) marks the director’s first feature film in 15 years—a gap that’s raised eyebrows in Hollywood, especially given her lineage. As the daughter of legendary filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott, Jordan’s career has been under scrutiny since her debut, Cracks (2009). latestnetflix.com's read is that now, with A Sacrifice, she steps back into the spotlight with a psychological thriller starring Eric Bana and Sadie Sink, but the road to this project hasn’t been without intrigue.
A Family Affair: The Scott Name and Industry Expectations
Jordan Scott’s connection to Ridley Scott isn’t just a footnote—it’s a defining part of her career. Born in 1977, she grew up in the shadow of her father’s iconic filmography (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator), which has both opened doors and piled on pressure. Her first film, Cracks, a moody boarding-school drama starring Eva Green, earned mixed reviews but established her as a director with a distinct visual style. After that, she pivoted to commercials, directing high-profile campaigns for brands like Prada and Chanel 
.
The 15-year gap between Cracks and A Sacrifice has fueled speculation. Some industry insiders suggest she took time to refine her craft away from the spotlight, while others whisper about the challenges of stepping out from under Ridley’s legacy. A ScreenRant review hints at the weight of those expectations, noting that A Sacrifice is only her second full-length film and that she may have been "off in Berlin" during the interim, mirroring her protagonist’s journey .
The Berlin Connection: A Psychological Thriller with Real-Life Echoes
A Sacrifice follows Ben Monroe (Eric Bana), an American social psychologist who relocates to Berlin with his teenage daughter, Maz (Sadie Sink). The plot thickens when Ben investigates a local cult tied to a disturbing event, while Maz becomes entangled with a mysterious boy 
. The film is an adaptation of Nicholas Hogg’s 2015 novel Tokyo, though the setting has been shifted to Germany—a change that adds a layer of Cold War-era paranoia to the story .
The Berlin backdrop isn’t just atmospheric; it’s personal. Jordan Scott has spent significant time in the city, and her familiarity with its gritty, layered history seeps into the film’s tone. The production was a German-American co-production, blending European arthouse sensibilities with Hollywood pacing . This hybrid approach might explain why A Sacrifice feels like a slow-burn thriller with a literary edge—something that could either charm or frustrate audiences, depending on their patience for psychological depth over jump scares.
The Cast: Eric Bana and Sadie Sink’s Unlikely Pairing
Eric Bana and Sadie Sink headline A Sacrifice, a pairing that initially raised eyebrows. Bana, known for his intense roles in Munich and Troy, brings gravitas to Ben Monroe, a man unraveling under the weight of his own investigations. Sink, fresh off her Stranger Things fame, plays his daughter Maz—a role that demands emotional range beyond her usual teen-angst repertoire. Early reviews suggest Sink holds her own, though some critics argue the film struggles to balance its dual narratives .
Supporting the leads is a mix of European talent, including Sylvia Hoeks (Blade Runner 2049), Jonas Dassler (The Royal Game), and Sophie Rois (Dark). The ensemble cast hints at a deliberate effort to ground the film’s supernatural undertones in a realistic, multicultural Berlin. Whether this pays off remains to be seen, but the international flavor aligns with Jordan Scott’s background—she’s a British director with a global perspective, having worked across continents .
The Verdict: A Director’s Comeback or a Misstep?
A Sacrifice arrives with cautious optimism. Jordan Scott’s return to feature filmmaking is a story in itself, but the movie’s reception has been mixed. ScreenRant’s review calls it "overstuffed," suggesting the film’s ambitions outpace its execution . Others praise its atmospheric tension and the performances, particularly Bana’s brooding intensity. The biggest question looms: Is A Sacrifice a sign of things to come from Scott, or another long pause before her next project?
One thing is clear: Jordan Scott isn’t rushing. After 15 years, she’s back with a film that reflects her influences—literary, psychological, and visually striking. Whether it’s a sacrifice worth making for audiences remains to be seen.
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