🎯 Quick Overview
Trailer
- Director: Colm O’Murchu
- Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Supernatural, Thriller
- Release year: 2019
- Runtime (length): 1h 38min
- IMDb rating: 3.7/10 (4.6K votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained
An atheist tries to scientifically prove the afterlife doesn’t exist by dying for a bit, but instead just opens a portal for grumpy demons and gets laser hands to fight them.
🍿 Tabernacle 101: Detailed Plot Synopsis
The Atheist Vloggers
‘Tabernacle 101’ centers on two atheists who run a video blog dedicated to debunking psychics, mediums, and religious beliefs. They are committed to proving the non-existence of the afterlife through scientific means.

The Death Experiment
Driven to extreme measures, one of the atheists, Frank, decides to undergo an experiment to definitively disprove life after death. This involves a controlled death and resuscitation, designed to observe the absence of any spiritual realm.

Experiment Gone Wrong
Contrary to their expectations, the experiment goes horribly wrong. Instead of finding nothing, the process opens a portal between dimensions. This unforeseen consequence attracts malevolent entities.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained
🎬 Cast & Characters
- Frank (David Hov): The arrogant atheist vlogger and protagonist who unleashes evil entities by attempting to disprove the afterlife through a death experiment.
- Sarah (Elly Hiraani Clapin): Frank’s medical scientist girlfriend and fellow non-believer who assists in conducting the dangerous afterlife experiment.
- Demon (Eddy Price): One of the malevolent entities from another dimension that haunts and attacks the protagonists after the portal is opened.
- Meredith (Mikaela Franco): A friend and supporting character involved in the supernatural events unleashed by Frank’s experiment.
- Daniel (Rees Laird): A friend and supporting character involved in the supernatural events unleashed by Frank’s experiment.
- Clint (Leon Kowalski): A friend and supporting character involved in the supernatural events unleashed by Frank’s experiment.
💬 Memorable Quotes
💰Box Office
- Budget: A$3,000,000
- Domestic Gross: N/A
- Worldwide Gross: N/A
💥 Tabernacle 101 Reviews
Personal Review
Okay, so I went into this knowing it was a low-budget indie, and the premise of an atheist vlogger basically dying to debunk the afterlife sounded wild and potentially fun. Honestly, I was kind of hooked by the sheer audacity of the setup. Seeing the experiment go wrong and things get creepy was cool, but then it took a hard left turn into… well, superhero-lite territory? I wasn’t expecting laser beams and telekinesis. The acting felt pretty stiff in places, and yeah, the effects looked like they were done on a shoestring budget. But despite all that, I found myself watching until the end, mostly just to see where the heck it was going. It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you appreciate ambitious, weird indie flicks that swing for the fences (and sometimes miss spectacularly), you might get a kick out of it.
- Who would enjoy:
- “Fans of independent supernatural thrillers”
- “Viewers interested in film concepts about death and the afterlife”
- “Audiences who can look past low-budget production values”
- Content warnings ⚠:
- “Supernatural horror themes”
- “Experiment involving induced death”
- “Potentially disturbing creature/entity designs (implied)”
Professional Reviews
- IMDb User Review: “Despite its low budget, Tabernacle 101 attempts a fascinating blend of horror, sci-fi, and supernatural elements. The core concept of an atheist confronting the unknown through extreme experiment is compelling. While effects and acting are inconsistent, the film commits to its premise, delivering a unique, if uneven, genre experience for those open to ambitious indie cinema.
- IMDb User Review: “The intriguing premise quickly gets bogged down by rough execution. Acting feels forced, special effects are notably weak, and the plot development towards the latter half becomes increasingly nonsensical, venturing into superhero territory unexpectedly. It struggles with pacing and scientific logic (or lack thereof), making it a difficult watch despite its potentially interesting foundation.
Audience Reactions
Many viewers found the core concept of exploring the afterlife through experiment intriguing.: The unique storyline and conceptual ambition were appreciated by some viewers who looked past production flaws.
Significant portions of the audience were critical of the acting quality and visual effects.: The debate around the film’s unusually high initial rating on certain platforms was a common point of discussion.
Overall Consensus: Tabernacle 101 is a highly polarizing independent film. While its ambitious premise about the afterlife and genre blending garnered some positive attention, many viewers found it significantly hindered by weak acting, low-quality special effects, and a confusing plot trajectory.
Awards
🛠️ Behind the Scenes
- “The movie had an estimated budget of A$3,000,000.”
- “It was partially crowdfunded, notably through Indiegogo.”
- “Principal photography took place in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.”
- “Director Colm O’Murchu makes a cameo appearance as one of the tourists.”
- “A notable goof involves the incorrect placement of defibrillator pads during a critical scene, contrary to the diagrams shown on the pads themselves.”
🖥️ How to Watch Tabernacle 101?
Specific streaming platforms and purchase options for ‘Tabernacle 101’ were not provided in the source material. Please check major streaming services (like Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Vudu, etc.) or your local rental/purchase platforms for availability.

🎥 Similar Movies
If you enjoyed Tabernacle 101, you might like these similar films:
- Flatliners (1990): A clear inspiration mentioned in multiple reviews, involving medical students conducting experiments on near-death experiences to explore the afterlife with unintended and dangerous consequences.
- From Dusk Till Dawn (1996): Mentioned in reviews as a film that mixes genres (crime, action, horror), similar to how Tabernacle 101 attempts to blend sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
- Hellraiser (1987): A classic horror film involving opening gateways to other dimensions and unleashing supernatural entities through forbidden means, reflecting the portal-opening aspect of the plot.
- Primer (2004): Cited in reviews as an example of a successful low-budget indie film tackling complex scientific concepts, contrasting with Tabernacle 101’s execution.
- The Empty Man (2020): A modern horror film dealing with a tulpa/entity brought into existence through belief or focus, leading to supernatural events and cult-like elements, touching on similar themes of reality, belief, and unseen forces.
🛒 Tabernacle 101 Related Products
- Exploring Near-Death Experiences: A Comprehensive Guide: An in-depth e-book delving into scientific and personal accounts of near-death experiences, offering various perspectives on what happens when the body shuts down.
- The Skeptic’s Guide to the Paranormal: This book offers critical thinking tools and scientific explanations for common paranormal phenomena, perfect for anyone wanting to ‘debunk’ claims like the film’s protagonist.
- Indie Sci-Fi & Horror Film Collection (Blu-ray): A curated collection featuring several ambitious, low-budget science fiction and horror films that push genre boundaries, similar to Tabernacle 101’s attempt.
- Mystic Symbols & Supernatural Horror Art Print: A unique art print featuring abstract designs and dark imagery inspired by supernatural and cosmic horror themes, reflecting the entities and dimensions explored in the film.
🎧 Soundtrack
Tabernacle 101 features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:
- “Opening Dread” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
- “The Atheist’s Hypothesis” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
- “Crossing the Threshold” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
- “Entity Presence” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
- “Confrontation in the Tabernacle” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
- “Newfound Abilities” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
- “Battle for Reality” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
- “Resolution (Or Is It?)” – performed by Score Composer (Placeholder)
You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.
🤨 FAQ
‘Tabernacle 101’ is an Australian supernatural thriller about an atheist vlogger who performs a death experiment to disprove the afterlife, only to open a portal that unleashes evil entities onto Earth. He must then fight to correct his mistake.
While categorized as Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi, and Thriller, user reviews are highly mixed. It contains supernatural elements and themes of haunting and demons, aligning it partially with the horror genre, though some viewers found it unintentionally comedic.
Yes, multiple user reviews explicitly compare ‘Tabernacle 101’ to ‘Flatliners’, noting the similar premise of characters deliberately inducing near-death experiences to explore the afterlife.
‘Tabernacle 101’ was directed by Colm O’Murchu, who also wrote the film and has a brief cameo appearance.
The movie ‘Tabernacle 101’ was filmed on location in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
🔥 Bonus Content
Understand How the Holy Spirit Works in the Bible
Curious about the spiritual side of The Conjuring 2? This video dives into the concept of the Holy Spirit from the Bible, which is key to understanding how the Warrens tackle those spooky hauntings! It really helps put their faith and methods in the movie into perspective, I found it super insightful.
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