A Sacrifice - Review: Is It Worth a Watch?

A Sacrifice (also known as Berlin Nobody) is a psychological thriller released by HBO MAX in August 2025. It was written and directed by Jordan Scott, the daughter of the renowned director Ridley Scott. She also produced the movie (partly in Germany and partly in the U.S.A.).

It was based on Nicholas Hogg's 2015 novel, "Tokyo". It also featured Eric Bana, Sadie Sink, Sylvia Hoeks, Jonas Dassler, Sophie Rois, and Stephan Kampwirth.

Ben Monroe is a social psychologist who moves to Berlin to investigate a local cult. His task, however, takes a dangerous turn when his teen daughter, Mazzy, starts getting involved with members of this mysterious group. The plot thickens as the psychological tension around the troublesome "father and daughter" relationship grows, all while Ben tries to protect her from the dangerous, rising cult.

When I saw this was the most popular movie on HBO MAX, I instantly wanted to watch it, even more considering it's a thriller. Its premise is similar to other thrillers, and the cast includes many popular names, so it seemed interesting to me. It is nice in some regards but quite disappointing in others.

The oppressive atmosphere is definitely a plus. Jordan Scott's directing, the cold photography, and the gray color palette made Berlin a dangerous, lonely background, which, in turn, made me quite uncomfortable. This aesthetic reminded me of how Gotham is depicted in The Dark Knight (2008) - a stifling city that reflects the internal turmoil of each character. In "A Sacrifice", the coldness of the city is a mirror to how father and daughter slowly drift apart, as well as to the coldness of the cult itself.

The driving force behind this thriller is certainly Eric Bana and Sadie Sink's performances. Bana masterfully conveyed the anguish of a father who feels his daughter drift away, a palpable despair in every videocall he has with Mazzy. He tries in vain to figure out what she is hiding, and the fact he feels so useless truly moved me.

Sink's performance is equally moving. She perfectly captured the vulnerability of a teen who feels like a fish out of the water and is then seduced by the dangerous promise of finally feeling like she belongs. This theme reminds me of Toni Collette's performance in Hereditary (2018). Mazzy's subtle transformation and body language, who gradually becomes harsher and harsher, is one of the most convincing details in the movie and made me feel as upset as the father.

Despite everything we mentioned above, A Sacrifice was a bit predictable and not very dynamic, its main issues. The script follows the same cult thriller formula as always so blatantly we have no space to be truly surprised. The revelation about the cult leader, for instance, didn't shock me at all because the plot never actually puts some effort into meeting what we all expect of all thriller movies.

Works like Have You Seen This Man? (2019) and Apostle (2018) masterfully built complex plots with more twists that got me by surprise. This predictability only gets worse as the movie drags on. The long investigation scenes that never seem to go anywhere and the repetitive interactions between Mazzy and the cult slow down the tension instead of driving it forward.

The Witch (2015) moves slowly to build agonizing psychological tension that ends in a terrifying climax, but A Sacrifice doesn't make up for its stillness. Ben's journey is frustratingly passive. He is always one step behind, which just can't boost the plot into the impactful closing it so desperately needs. This reminded me of The Silence of the Lambs (1991). Clarice Starling has just come into the investigation, but she moves purposefully and drives the plot forward. The suspenseful atmosphere is unrelenting and enticing.

Despite Bana and Sink's great performances, the movie doesn't go too deep into how complex their characters are. Mazzy's motivation to join the cult is introduced superficially and only ends up creating holes in the story.

Overall, A Sacrifice tells us a story we've heard multiple times before: a mysterious group attracts an unassuming innocent. So, most of what happens next is easy to guess. Ben's journey is quite straightforward and predictable. The revelations about the cult leader don't impress much because the script doesn't put any effort into shocking or surprising us.

If you're looking for a thriller with plot twists to die for, A Sacrifice might not be the best choice. But if you want to have fun, it could be fine. See you next time!