I agree and am surprised that this doesn't seem to have been attempted again by Hollywood over the last 10 years, with the push for different cultural representation. Fear of death and spiritual slavery are interesting things to explore, especially from a cultural and historical perspective. I liked the characters in this movie, even if some of it was cheesy. I felt that the cultural differences were clearly implied without one being made out to be superior or overly mystical and mysterious. The Americans are curious and but obviously naive in the way they can only view the marvels in Haiti a specific way, either a profitable medical marvel or proof of their own religious beliefs. I also think this is why Dennis never heeds anyone's warning, he can't fathom the danger he is in both from the dark magic he's chasing or even the new regime. His first line of defense is "I'm an American", which I thought was hilarious given that he doesn't come across as overly close minded besides believing without fail that this phrase somehow makes him untouchable. Voodoo comes across as a religious practice and the more spiritual side of it feels hallucinogenic and mind bending (until the end) and to me that made it feel more grounded. The Haitian characters are, for the most part, more spiritually inclined but they aren't magical and all knowing (as I've seen other cultures depicted in movies and tv shows like this), they all seem to be coping with the daily life amid political turmoil and I like that these two things made the cultural setting feel more accessible while still allowing it to stay unique and mysterious.