Master Movie Review

Writer/Director Mariama Diallo is laying down a fierce message in her debut film “Master.” As well as a fun horror-thriller, it seems to be a comment on racism in society as a whole in this country. What’s out there is the truth, whether you want to believe it or not. It’s a frightening thing to see, but you mustn’t look away.
Diallo explains everything in the horror format rather than going the typical dramatic route to pass on her thoughts. Racism is filled with ugliness. That it alone is the impetus of a film such as this, is the terror it’s shining a light on.

“Master” encircles the lives of three African American women who all meet at a prestigious New England university called Ancaster College. Ancaster is known for its… well, whiteness.

We meet a new student, Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee), who’s so sweet and innocent you fear the school is going to eat her alive.

There’s Liv Beckman (Amber Gray), a professor at the school who immediately puts Jasmine on edge when she feuds with the girl who, in a predominantly white school, doesn’t want to stand out. Jasmine openly disagrees with Liv in class about whether or not race has a role in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” The teacher doesn’t much appreciate it, nor does she care for what her students’ opinion is. She shows her this in the grades she passes on. Jasmine has no choice but file a dispute against Liv. This is when our third character, Professor Gail Bishop, played by Regina Hall gets involved.

Gail has recently been promoted to Master of a residence hall. Not so shockingly, but sadly, this is the first time that a Black woman has held the post. Immediately, she begins to experience things that make her decide that being the first might not be the honor she imagined it would be. Not only is Liv a friend of hers, making that situation a mess, but she’s encountering eerie goings-on at her house, as well. Some that would have me running for the hills, to be honest.

By her new roomie, Jasmine learns of a legend she may be inadvertently in the middle of. She finds out that the school is haunted. A woman, Margaret Milley, was killed at the school and now she’s known as the schools’ witch. At 3:33 a.m., from the new class, the witch chooses a freshman to take back to hell with her. Jasmine seems to be her current target.

In the third act, we see that Jasmine is unable to take it any further. She speaks to Gail about what bothers her most, which are the transgressions of the past she has been looking into. She mentions the witch and that she wants to leave to get away from her. Gail tells her, “It isn’t real. You can’t quit. It isn’t ghosts, it isn’t supernatural… it’s America.” This hits hard when you think about the fact that this is what Black and brown people, especially if they’re female, face every day.

Gail explains to Jasmine that no matter where she goes, she’ll be haunted mostly because of the color of her skin. This conversation is rather philosophical, if not profound, for a horror film, but I promise you, the formulaic horror elements are in the film and keep you on edge. It’s just that lines such as Gail’s declaration, “I was never the master; I’m the maid” is what separates this from the more common and traditional. This is why it’s one to watch.

Master premieres today on Amazon Prime Video. It also has a limited theater run. Check your local listings for when and where.

Some AZ theaters are listed here:

Camelview at Fashion Square
Arizona Mills 24
Superstition Springs 25
Harkins Chandler Fashion Center 20
Flagstaff 16
Harkins Estrella Falls 16