Nicolas Cage's Religious Horror Movie Isn't as Wild Than Expected

The acclaimed actor could be the ideal selection for a daring horror film about the biblical figure, though not for the motivations certain audiences could guess. Truthfully, the star does not actually act as Jesus in the new film: his character is listed simply as The Carpenter. Cage is framed as a father figure of this story, working to uphold his faith as his son (portrayed by Noah Jupe), their adolescent foster child, starts to display divine powers. Why it's hard to envision another leading star in this role is that while the role grows weighed down with various trials, Cage himself appears nearly emotionally confident that this gloomy, grim small film is worth his time.

Cage's Current Career Choices

Nicolas Cage has been allocating that time more selectively recently. He yet does additional projects than the majority of average viewers could possibly view — for example, were you informed that the actor has completed three distinct frontier films recently? — but he also mixes in high-profile critically acclaimed roles like one recent hit, another notable movie, and a further title. This new film seems like in that category, because it’s genre-adjacent, likely to stir debate, and handles a campy-sounding concept in a earnest manner.

The Film's Storyline and Direction

Sadly, writer-director Lotfy Nathan does not justify viewer engagement. The Carpenter’s Son opens in a interestingly wandering setting, marketed as drawing from an apocryphal lost gospel about the early years of Jesus. Cage's character, the maternal figure, and their child travel from place to place, afraid of religious persecution or distrust about The Boy’s strange powers. “Disaster trails us,” The Carpenter gloomily remarks. That continues as sinister entities attack the household in their latest settlement, getting a jump-start on the traditional religious challenge for the son.

Occasionally, the film resembles an Exorcist-style horror film, but no one of the lead characters are explicitly taken over. Rather, they grow progressively isolated from each other, when these powers influence a local young woman (the actress, listed as an outsider) who the son connects to, and presents each character troubling visions of a dark tomorrow. Cage's role in particular grapples with his position in this story, at times scolding the son he can’t fully understand.

Controversy and Caution

The subject matter is likely to stir disagreement, and the director approaches it with a lot of sensitivity — too much, perhaps. The concept of a adolescent facing his future martyrdom and seduced by unknown powers is certainly frightening, but the filmmaker could be cautious about looking exploitative and anxious to indicate his intentions, thus he frequently falls back on dimly foreboding cinematography. The figures constantly ponder — FKA Twigs, who displayed notable talent in a recent film update, of all things — cedes her acting to her religious attire, at times punctuated by several gruesome scary visuals.

Cage's Portrayal and Movie's Weaknesses

At the same time, Cage flirts with exactly the kind of overacting that those who enjoy his campier roles may desire. One scene (featured) in previews in which he erupts and shouts “I’ve lost my faith!” If that kind of florid outburst is included in a Jesus-themed horror movie, maybe a more boldly ridiculous approach would make better use of Cage’s willingness to be extreme when necessary. Instead, the film is closer to the poorer straight-to-DVD films Cage made through much of that period — excluding the campy action films but rather the dramas and paranormal movies that typically appear interesting, and usually have a few choice actor's highlights, but in the end seem like, frankly, low-budget DTV material.

Honestly, a number of those, though not as grand, were more entertaining in general. This is when I must violate my own dogma, not religious but work-oriented: Previously, a respected mentor urged me to banish words like “monotonous” or “lifeless” from my reviewing language. These phrases express scant but a subjective and broadly stated lack of patience, disengaging from the job of clearly expressing the thoughtful and emotional experience of seeing an individual production. It’s difficult to convey tedium without appearing dull personally. It's just as unclear as terming a movie “notable.” “Say more,” in other words.

However, I admit, I felt uninterested throughout the film. On the positive side, it is a churchy kind of boredom, not due to this movie is lecturing, but because it demands a sort of patient acceptance to view it. Eventually in the beginning, the movie locks into a repetitive rhythm of simmering anguish, and never really