by JAIME LORITE
VIDEO/Three Coin Productions/Youtube
‘The Carpenter,’ a film about a martial arts fighter trained by the Messiah, is the latest addition to a growing trend of Christian propaganda films disguised as action, horror, and thrillers
The year is 29 AD. A Viking called Oren seeks a fresh start in Nazareth by breaking into the world of mixed martial arts. His journey takes a pivotal turn when he encounters the perfect trainer. And that trainer is none other than… Jesus Christ. This is the premise of The Carpenter, a film that brings together professional fighters, martial arts, and parkour, all set to a soundtrack featuring metal bands like Mötley Crüe and Drowning Pool. While it might initially evoke the spirit of parody films like Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001), The Carpenter is not a comedy. “I fell in love with the premise right away, asking the question so many of us have asked: ‘What was Jesus’ life like in the years leading up to His ministry?’” said director Garrett Batty, who released Faith of Angels, another Christian-themed film with a more restrained tone, this year.
This is yet another example of a “faith-based” film — a term coined in the United States — that shifts away from traditional proselytizing methods to focus on entertainment. Some of these films have achieved surprising returns, though The Carpenter has not followed suit. Released in the U.S. on November 1 in around 500 theaters, the film has earned just over $230,000, far from the $3 million invested by the family of Kameron Krebs, a former college football player from Texas, who plays the lead, Oren.
This trend has also spread to Spain, which saw the recent release of Libera Nos: The Battle of the Exorcists, a movie marketed as “the only documentary approved by the International Association of Exorcists.” In this film, devout viewers can hear the famous Father Gabriele Amorth share reflections such as “the rosary is more powerful than the atomic bomb.”
For those looking for a traditional horror film about exorcism, listening to two priests speak directly to the camera for two hours may not be of interest. These viewers, however, may prefer Nefarious: When the Devil Speaks, which was released earlier this year. The feature-length drama, grounded in ultra-Catholic views, features Satan speaking from the body of a possessed person, telling the victim he will go to hell for supporting his mother’s euthanasia request and his girlfriend’s decision to have an abortion.
El Pais for more