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The acclaimed actor is likely the optimal selection for a bold scary movie about Jesus Christ, though not for the motivations certain audiences might assume. Actually, the star doesn't even portray Jesus in the new film: the part he plays is credited simply as a craftsman. Cage is cast as the Joseph within this narrative, striving to uphold his beliefs while his son (portrayed by Noah Jupe), their adolescent foster child, starts to display miraculous gifts. The reason it's hard to imagine a different leading star playing this part is that while the role becomes weighed down with numerous challenges, Nicolas Cage appears nearly moving convinced that this gloomy, bleak little movie is worth his time.

The Actor's Current Projects

Nicolas Cage has been spending his time more judiciously recently. He continues to stars in additional projects than most casual fans could possibly view — as an illustration, are you aware that the man has filmed a trio of different frontier films over the last few years? — but he also adds high-profile critically acclaimed roles such as Dream Scenario, another notable movie, and a further title. This new film seems like a similar project, as it’s borderline horror, likely to stir debate, and takes a exaggerated premise with gravity.

The Film's Plot and Execution

Sadly, writer-director Lotfy Nathan fails to repay the audience's focus. The Carpenter’s Son opens in a interestingly wandering context, marketed as drawing from an unknown scripture concerning the youthful days of the messiah. The Carpenter, The Mother, and the boy move constantly, fearful of faith-based hostility or distrust over The Boy’s unusual abilities. “Disaster trails us,” The Carpenter sadly observes. It goes on when dark forces target them where they currently live, getting a jump-start on the familiar Biblical temptation for the youth.

Occasionally, this production echoes an Exorcist-style supernatural thriller, but not one of the central roles are explicitly taken over. Instead, they become progressively isolated from one another, when these powers affect a resident female (Isla Johnston, named “The Stranger”) who The Boy bonds with, and presents everyone troubling visions of a dark tomorrow. Cage's role in particular fights with his place within the plot, sometimes berating the son he can’t fully understand.

Discussion and Caution

This material is apt to court controversy, and the director approaches it with much care — overly, maybe. The idea of a adolescent facing his eventual sacrifice and tempted by mysterious forces is indeed frightening, but the filmmaker may be cautious about looking exploitative and eager to telegraph his goals, so he often retreats into gloomily threatening visuals. The figures brood incessantly — the singer-actress, who demonstrated real promise in another movie, surprisingly — surrenders her acting to her Mother Mary cloak, sometimes broken up by several gnarly horror imagery.

Cage's Acting and Film's Weaknesses

At the same time, the actor flirts with just the sort of overacting that those who enjoy his campier roles could be expecting. There is a moment (shown) in the trailer in which he loses control and yells “My belief is broken!” Should such of florid outburst is included in a biblical thriller, perhaps a more brazenly silly style would be more effective of the actor's readiness to go over the top when necessary. On the other hand, the film is closer to the poorer direct-to-video films the actor filmed through much of the last decade — not the cheesy thrillers but rather the narrative films and paranormal movies that typically appear interesting, and frequently include some select actor's highlights, but in the end seem like, frankly, inexpensive direct-to-consumer content.

Truthfully, several of these, although simpler, were easier to view in general. At this point I must break my usual practice, not religious but work-oriented: Previously, a beloved editor persuaded me to banish adjectives like “monotonous” or “lifeless” from my reviewing language. These words convey little but a subjective and vaguely expressed lack of patience, disengaging from the job of vibrantly communicating the thoughtful and emotional experience of watching a particular movie. It's hard to express tedium without seeming uninteresting yourself. It's equally vague as calling a movie “engaging.” “Say more,” in other words.

However, I admit, I felt uninterested during much of The Carpenter’s Son. On the positive side, it is a devotional type of dullness, not for The Carpenter’s Son is preachy, but as it demands a sort of patient acceptance to view it. At some point soon after starting, this feature settles into a cyclic tempo of simmering anguish, and does not