First off - JOSHUA is not a great film in the "traditional" sense. The acting is pretty weak, the make-up and gore FX (when used) were not very believable, and it's all-around a painfully obvious low-budget film. That said - what made JOSHUA a stand out film to me was the story - period. The storyline (though lacking in a few areas) is twisted and original, and I can't say that from a lot of the crap that is out there currently...
Kelby, with fiancée in tow, reluctantly comes back to his hometown after the death of his father, who was in prison for murder. It's alluded to that Pops was a child murderer/possibly molester, but it's never made very clear. Back in town, Kelby is confronted by two former friends - and it's obvious that the three share a dark secret dating back to their childhood. As the film goes on, the audience is let in on the group's nasty secret and it becomes VERY apparent why Kelby was not too thrilled about his little "homecoming". Exactly WHAT the "revelation" is, I leave you to find out, as it's a good one and I'd hate to ruin it for a first-time viewer...
JOSHUA is another film where the "whole" is much better than it's individual parts. Again, the acting is mediocre at best from most involved (though not bad enough to ruin the film), and the way the film is directed often draws unneeded attention to the fact that it is a very low budget feature. There's little gore and no nudity (which are typically prerequisites for me enjoying a film...) - but again, the originality and dark nature of the storyline and concept are enough to carry this one. I do feel that it could have been pulled off better with more emphasis being put on the group's "secret" - unfortunately, very little actual screen-time was allotted for this. I would have liked to see more of the "development" of this aspect. Regardless, definitely recommended for those that dig more twisted and "disturbing" subject matter and would like to see something different. JOSHUA is the type of film that is helping to restore my faith in low-budget horror...8.5/10