A very literal allegory
'The mindreader' is an allegory of Christ's persecution by the Pharisees. Hamish Briggs plays a stage performer with a mindreading act which is 'too good'. He comes to the attention of a powerful association of stage magicians, who for the life of them are unable to fathom how Briggs works his act. Utterly baffled, they decide to take him out.
This concept holds promise, and is enough to hold your interest. Even so, the realization is a disappointment. Writer and director Rich Christiano is like a hamfisted pianist who insists music is entirely about playing the right notes. The result is entirely mundane.
Production values are reminiscent of 1930s Poverty Row films. Actors go to their marks, deliver their lines, go their marks, deliver their lines, and so on. Briggs is the best part, but he's no more than pretty good. Supporting actors overact, doing him no favors. The 'get out the violin' scenes get out the violins. Literally.
This lasts about an hour, after which follows part two. It turns out the part one is in fact a movie, and a group of students discuss the allegory in tedious, agonizing, mind numbing, wooden detail. Perhaps Christiano didn't have enough footage for a full length movie and needed to pad it out.
Commenters on YouTube loved 'The mindreader', showing it appeals to a certain Christian film audience. But there is not enough depth to convert unbelievers.
PS> Ingmar Bergman's 'Ansiktet' (English title: 'The magician') uses a very similar theme, and is an incomparably better film. Watch it.
This concept holds promise, and is enough to hold your interest. Even so, the realization is a disappointment. Writer and director Rich Christiano is like a hamfisted pianist who insists music is entirely about playing the right notes. The result is entirely mundane.
Production values are reminiscent of 1930s Poverty Row films. Actors go to their marks, deliver their lines, go their marks, deliver their lines, and so on. Briggs is the best part, but he's no more than pretty good. Supporting actors overact, doing him no favors. The 'get out the violin' scenes get out the violins. Literally.
This lasts about an hour, after which follows part two. It turns out the part one is in fact a movie, and a group of students discuss the allegory in tedious, agonizing, mind numbing, wooden detail. Perhaps Christiano didn't have enough footage for a full length movie and needed to pad it out.
Commenters on YouTube loved 'The mindreader', showing it appeals to a certain Christian film audience. But there is not enough depth to convert unbelievers.
PS> Ingmar Bergman's 'Ansiktet' (English title: 'The magician') uses a very similar theme, and is an incomparably better film. Watch it.
- leif-38
- Oct 20, 2024