O Último Espírito

I watch these missionary films from time to time. There is an earnestness in most of them that makes up for the fact that they are so horrible.

In my city is Pat Robertson's film school, training hundreds of people a year to make these things. I often wonder what will happen when they actually are able to make good movies?

I am beginning to believe that this may never happen. Film may be making Christianity obsolete. I know this may sound strange. Cinema seems profoundly malleable, a vehicle for any story. And Christianity has survived by adapting far, far from what Jesus believed, making any necessary compromise.

But film has rather rigid dynamics when combined with the forces of how we define ourselves through stories. It is extremely flexible, but only within a conceptual marketplace where the collective projections of self reinforce each other. Cinema allows us to define our own cosmos. It worries me that the rivers are sometimes so banal, but such the way of the collective — and young imaginations have surprising sophistication.

Christianity on the other hand is about accepting a prefabricated story. Well, different ones depending on the preacher's agenda, but the cosmos is defined in a very top down manner. Theoretically, they could overlap a lot, but that is not what the world seems to want. Even the most obvious Jesus stories like Harry Potter don't follow the rules of the Christian institution.

This film has prompted me to believe that it may be impossible to make powerful cinema with the existing dogma. Everything about it fails.

The irony is that the story flows are about rigid superstition being made obsolete, not by the Bible in the story, but because people simply want to explain for themselves what the world is.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

According to ancient Celtic tradition, a "sin eater" is a person chosen by lottery to take the transgressions of others onto his soul so that the newly deceased can pass over to the great-beyond free of the stain of iniquity.

"The Last Sin Eater," the latest offering from FoxFaith Films (the branch of Twentieth Century Fox Studios that specializes in Christian-friendly movie-making) is a well-meaning but leaden and strangely eclectic work, sort of "The Village" meets "The Old Time Gospel Hour" meets "Little House on the Prairie" (no surprise in this last one, since the movie was directed and co-written by Michael Landon Jr.). Cali Forbes is a sweet-natured young girl, growing up in early 19th Century Appalachia, who believes that a mysterious hooded hermit - the local "sin-eater" - will be able to take away the guilt she feels over "causing" the death of her little sister in a river accident. She spends most of the movie seeking him out, much to the consternation of her parents and the myriad "colorful" folk who inhabit their little cove. However, it isn't until Cali encounters a wandering preacher (played by E.T.'s now-grownup buddy, Henry Thomas) that she learns who the "true" sin-eater really is (though one wonders how anyone in this particular time and place can be as woefully ignorant about the gospel as the people here seem to be).

Although the first half of the movie achieves a certain portentous creepiness in its tone and atmosphere, once the evangelist shows up, the movie devolves into an overwrought melodrama, marked by stilted dialogue, holier-than-thou speechifying and heavy-handed sentimentality. The acting, even on the part of Thomas and Louise Fletcher, is generally amateurish and wooden, although young Liana Liberato as Cali has a natural dignity and poise that work well on screen. And, oh yes, the scenery is eye-popping and gorgeous.

Based on the novel by Francine Rivers, "The Last Sin Eater" clearly has its heart in the right place, but good intentions alone can't make it a satisfying movie.

This is a good film to watch. Although it has the low-budget feeling, it promotes a good message. It passes a good message, and shows a twist on traditional practices. Not your average movie, that contains sex or gore. The slow developing plot took a little bit to even figure out what the movie was about. The accents are a little off, i agree to that. But who honestly knows what the accents where back then. When everyone was moving west, it was a major culture collision. The only thing I would have changed was a more developing plot towards the ending. "The Dark Secret," didn't even come into play till the last minutes. No reference point what-so-ever to what it was actually was.

First off the budget is small so be kind. Its a pretty solid story although it probably could have been fleshed out and feels a little disjointed in places. It is still a solid film and an excellent addition for fans of Christian films, unlike many Christian films it does not whitewash its message.

The best part of the film is the performance of Peter Wingfield as the Sin Eater. While he is almost a minor character as far as screen time his performance makes the film. His voice is so sorrowful in his scenes (he is hidden for the majority of the movie) that you could just sob for him. His pathos is spot on. He is not overly dramatic but succeeds in selling the believability of the film.

I had no idea what this movie was about however I did have some preconceived ideas about "sin eaters" coming from a Celtic background. Having said this....I very much enjoyed this movie, bad accents aside and little inaccuracies here and there, I would definitely recommend. A movie that can make me sad, happy, tearful and ultimately hopeful, is all right in my book!

This movie showed how fear can rule no matter what time or place, how old traditions and beliefs are not always the way to go, especially coming from the old world to the new. Man kinds inability at times to adapt to his surroundings is not only sad but can be brutal and horrific in the process. There is a moral in this story for all.

Happy viewing.