The Risen

Slavish followers of my former cinematic ravings (such ARE out there!) may wonder why my reviews came to a grinding halt in 2005. The simple fact is that I tired of the abusive and sub-intellectual feedback that they generated. The fact that films were being regurgitated additionally, on a brain-dead assembly-line-of-remakes, soured my inclination to comment further. The days of "Midnight Cowboy," "Jacob's Ladder," "Goodbye Mr. Chips," "Blade Runner" and their ilk, long dead, I deduced.

Last night I watched "The Risen." It affected me sufficiently that I harbored the desire to comment on it. Is it a masterpiece? nope! What it IS though is another interesting Canadian flick that transcends its limited budget...a trait exhibited by "Ginger Snaps" before it. What we have here is basically a "displaced soul" concept, that leaves crap like "The Unborn" floundering in its cosmic amniotic fluid.

Suffice to say, Amanda Knowles is rendered operable upon, courtesy of an ectopic pregnancy. When she awakes, she recalls nothing, including her husband. This is not necessarily a bad thing, given Darren Knowles considerable total lack of appeal, one ponders. From this point on, her life becomes a real-time nightmare, helped not one jot by her inexplicable fascination for a young student at her husband's upmarket college of learning.

T'would be churlish of me to comment further except to say that despite having the outcome telegraphed early, the very last line of this film will probably upset...in a heart-warming fashion, the aware viewer.

Alberta Watson gives us a very believable characterization, as does the always reliable Helen Shaver as her sister Lynn.

Interesting also that the film was co-executive-produced by Anthony Ginnane who gave us the equally offbeat "Men with Guns" and the minor Aussie classic "Sally Marshall is not an Alien."

...at least I found it so, and since the only "review" of it appearing in IMDB turns out to be of a different film entirely, I thought that I would assure kindred souls that they won't switch to another channel after ten minutes, disgusted at the cliches and mindlessness of so many of the movies on t.v. today

This is a thinking person's movie despite its many flaws - I awarded it but a "seven"...I thought that the writing did not serve some of the actors well, the interesting Ms Watson was given lines (when her character spoke at all!), that made her seem more like a zombie rather than a woman who has been brought back to life, and Mr Lipinski, I'm sure, could portray the loving, if baffled husband, more satisfactorily, if his part were better written: on the other hand, kudos for creating a fine role for one of my favourite sexpots, Helen Shaver...here, she IS a sympathetic sister.

What kept me glued to the screen was the mystery of the story...this woman who died, clinically on the operating table, and had life returned to her, just WHOSE life, is the question.

One, aided by flashbacks, "visions", and real-time encounters,starts to suspect, but it is only in the very last line spoken, that all falls into place

She says this is the most horrible movie she has ever seen. It made 2001: A Space Odyssey look good by comparison. She never posts reviews, but wants to warn everyone else in the world: DO NOT WATCH THIS HORRIBLE MOVIE!!!

You will never get back this wasted hour and a half of your life. You will want to go back in time and insure that everyone involved with this steaming pile of poo chooses other careers rather than risk having this movie produced. This production certainly didn't do anything to help the reputation of Canada. I bet even Alex Trebek has disavowed this junk.

You have been warned!