"The Young Messiah" Review

The Young Messiah features Sean Bean, Christian McKay, and a cast of relatively unknown British actors in an adaptation of Anne Rice's book Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. This represents a 180-degree turn from Rice's previously adapted stories Interview With the Vampire and Queen of the Damned.

The story of The Young Messiah follows a 7-year old Jesus (Adam Greaves-Neal) and his family as they journey from Egypt back home to Nazareth. Along the way, young Jesus slowly discovers his identity as a healer, leader, teacher and savior. Mary (Sara Lazzaro), Joseph (Vincent Walsh) and uncle Cleopas (McKay) try to guide Jesus while also protecting his gift.

Watching this film prompted me to spot obvious parallels to the story of young Superman, which could bode well for the film's play with mainstream audiences accustomed to the comic book adventures currently ruling the marketplace. However, it's important for these folks to recognize that Jesus came first, and that Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster created Superman as a Christ-like figure.

This seems obvious, but I wouldn't put it past those unversed in either the Gospel or comic book lore.

Some parts of the film - the character of Cleopas relegated largely to comic relief, as well as a dramatic staredown between Jesus and Roman centurion Severus (Sean Bean) in the Jewish temple - feel as corny as a comic book, but this is still a part of Christ's story that has yet to be told in cinematic form. As such, it stands out from most faith-based fare and is largely worth a look.

The Young Messiah's worst sin, however, is its whitewashing. This is yet another version of a biblical story with a spray-tanned British cast. The young Greaves-Neal captures the innocence of Jesus as a child, but his thick English accent makes him painfully difficult to take seriously. Same goes for most of the cast. The commitment from Lazzaro and Walsh as Mary and Joseph respectively make things tolerable, but there's still no reason for this kind of casting anymore. It's 2016, and there are plenty of capable, region-accurate actors to play these roles. See Cliff Curtis as Jesus in Risen.

Like Risen I never felt patronized as an audience member while watching The Young Messiah, but unlike Risen I left feeling apathetic. The poor casting makes it hard to buy into the characters despite the superior technical presentation compared to most recent Christian films.

C+

"Risen" Review

Risen stars Joseph Fiennes and Cliff Curtis in a story about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. What sets this film apart from being yet another bland retelling of the Easter story is the fact that it takes place entirely from the perspective of a non-believer.

Parts of the modestly-budgeted production design look and feel like an after-school special, but Risen is worth recommending for its unique approach to the story and for assured performances, especially from Fiennes as Clavius, the Roman tribune whom Pontius Pilate (Peter Firth) tasks with securing the tomb. The events that ensue prompt a manhunt in the hope of preventing a revolution in Jerusalem.

The film actually has palpable stakes and a decent amount of action for viewers hoping for the excitement of traditional "sword-and-sandal" epics. There's some edge-of-your-seat material here, but those hoping for non-stop intensity may be disappointed. That said, the story really isn't about the manhunt. It's about the spiritual conflict of a doubter as he reconciles events beyond his comprehension.

If for nothing else, the film earns major points for actually casting a POC as Jesus and for using his given Hebrew name 'Yeshua.' Never once is he called "Jesus." Curtis gives a terrific performance in the role. If not for Jim Caviezel's heart-wrenching turn in The Passion of the Christ, Curtis's version of Christ would be my favorite of any portrayals I've seen on film. It's easy to buy Curtis as an understated leader and a "fisher of men," as the apostles come to realize. Quite refreshing after the whitewashing of Son of God and just about every other faith-based film out there.

Most faith-based films are easy to write off for their blatant desire to hammer you over the head with Christian values and to showcase how "it's hard out here for a Christian." Not to mention the acting is usually terrible, and the logic questionable (see just about anything with Kirk Cameron sans "Growing Pains"). But Risen puts viewers in the shoes of a doubter, presents the story nearly word-for-word from the Gospel, and then is respectful enough of the audience to let them decide what to believe. Sure, it skews in one direction, but I walked out feeling moved rather than talked at. Perhaps that's the key to a successful Christian film.

As an aside, Harry Potter fans will find a small Easter egg with Tom Felton ('Draco Malfoy') as Clavius' aide, Lucius. I can only imagine the Lucius Malfoy jokes on set during filming.

B

"The Witch" Review

The first and only two words that come to mind as I sit and gather my thoughts on Robert Eggers' Sundance darling The Witch rhyme with "moley" and "truck."

The hype is real with this one, folks. To the horror fans bemoaning the glut of mainstream, jump-scare-ridden fare, especially from the United States, your search for a new classic is over.

The Witch is billed as "a New England folktale" that borrows its story and language from myriad accounts of demonic possession, native folklore, and personal diaries from around the time that the first settlers came to America in the early 17th century. I'm concerned that the production design and old English language used in the film are so period-accurate that it may throw too many mainstream audiences for a loop. This is not your typical horror film, and that may disappoint less discerning viewers. The Witch is a slow-burning tragedy about a Puritan family that tears itself apart on a spiritual level. There are no jump scares and very little gore to be had. However, Eggers' story, lighting design, and Mark Korvan's evocative score combine to create a pea soup-like sense of dread from start to finish.

Things get off to an unnerving start when the main family is banished from their settlement and move to a secluded farm at the edge of a forest. Mysterious events cause everyone in the family to undergo individual crises of faith as their limits are tested by evil in its purest form.

Eggers' cast is full of relatively unknown faces which makes it easier to buy into their fear. These are meant to be real, average people, and the audience accepts them as such on the strength of the central performances. Newcomer Anya Taylor-Joy plays the oldest daughter, Thomasin, whose perspective the story adheres to most. Ralph Ineson and Kate Dickie play the parents. Ineson's patriarch, William, is a man who would have everyone believe that he is a stalwart in faith. But what's most interesting about his performance is the way Ineson nails the fine line between his Godly duty to faith and family and succumbing to the evil before him. Dickie plays the emotionally-unstable mother Katherine struggling to keep her children (and her sanity) in check.

Like most slow-burning horror films, stuff seriously hits the fan in the last 15 minutes. The Witch is no different. See the movie for yourself, but when it comes out that the distributor, A24, showed the film to a group of real-life satanists and got a ringing endorsement from the actual Satanic Temple, that should generally be taken as a good sign for a horror film.

A

SLAMDANCE 2016 - "Neptune" Review

I lied.

I didn't think I'd return to Slamdance to watch anything else, but since I slept through my early morning screening of Captain Fantastic, I thought I'd tag along with my man Cody who was on his way to see Neptune.

Neptune is director Derek Kimball's first feature-length project. It's about Hannah (Jane Ackermann), a young woman who grew up, as an orphan, in a church on an island off the coast of Maine. Obsessed with the disappearance of a friend, Hannah begins working for the boy's father where they trap lobsters together. All the while, Hannah discovers her path in life on her own accord - which is a first since she's been instructed her whole life by her caretaker, Reverend Jerry (Tony Reilly).

"Subtle beauty" is the only way to define this emotional journey akin to Antonioni's L'Avventura. Kimball's direction is assured, and the cinematography (by Jayson Lobozzo and Dean Merrill) is magnificent. The cool color palette reflects the setting quite well and contributes a haunting sense of unease to the drama.

Ackermann is a revelation in her first movie role. She brings urgency and heart to the role of Hannah in a way that I hope lends her recognition. Since Brie Larson is now apparently "the next Jennifer Lawrence," I'm calling it now that this girl has the potential to be the next Brie Larson.

The film also deserves to be commended for its use of local talent from the state of Maine. Kimball, Ackermann, several background players, and many among the production crew hail from "the Pine Tree State." Kudos to the locals for creating such a beautiful film to affectionately showcase their territory.

My only minor gripe is that the pacing is a bit too deliberate. Otherwise, Neptune has restored my faith in Slamdance 2016.

A-