"The River Thief" is unlike any Christian film I have seen. Most Christian films are dishonest, portraying evil in a convenient caricature and clothing good in an unsoiled garment with Bible verses cross-stitched all over. One usually leaves such movies feeling as though he has just witnessed a conflict between angels and demons. But the "The River Thief" is about a conflict between humans.
Diz (Joel Courtney) is an eminently relatable character, hard on the outside but soft on the inside, self-centered but honest. Selah (Raleigh Cain) is proof that godly women need not wear halos and glow in the dark. The chemistry between the two is palpable and genuine. Marty (Tommy Cash) is the soft-spoken but frank grandpa that everyone secretly wishes he had.
The plot is masterful in that it teaches lessons but does so by telling a story. There are multiple lessons--lessons on manhood and womanhood, fatherhood and childhood, courage and faithfulness, forgiveness and thanksgiving. But they are not preached to the audience as to a group of eight-year-olds. In fact, they are often left unspoken. The film is first and foremost a story. Only the one with eyes to see and ears to hear will catch the lessons (along with most of the Bible references). Still, the primary message is plain even to the most disinterested of viewers.
The real showcase of the film is the ending. It is unlike any other ending to a Christian film I have seen, and it is so very satisfying, not because it leaves one with fuzzy feelings inside but precisely because it doesn't. It does what every Christian film ought to do. It crucifies you. And when the credits roll one can begin to hear, ever so faintly, the echo of an empty grave.
The film also showcases breathtaking cinematography. The only complaints I have is that some of the acting, particularly of the extras, is forced and unnatural at times. In two or three places the editing is also a bit choppy. Still, the strengths of the film far outweigh the weaknesses. It is also worth mentioning that the evil in the film is quite graphic at times (guns and blood), so it may not be suitable for young audiences, at least not without parental supervision.
Diz (Joel Courtney) is an eminently relatable character, hard on the outside but soft on the inside, self-centered but honest. Selah (Raleigh Cain) is proof that godly women need not wear halos and glow in the dark. The chemistry between the two is palpable and genuine. Marty (Tommy Cash) is the soft-spoken but frank grandpa that everyone secretly wishes he had.
The plot is masterful in that it teaches lessons but does so by telling a story. There are multiple lessons--lessons on manhood and womanhood, fatherhood and childhood, courage and faithfulness, forgiveness and thanksgiving. But they are not preached to the audience as to a group of eight-year-olds. In fact, they are often left unspoken. The film is first and foremost a story. Only the one with eyes to see and ears to hear will catch the lessons (along with most of the Bible references). Still, the primary message is plain even to the most disinterested of viewers.
The real showcase of the film is the ending. It is unlike any other ending to a Christian film I have seen, and it is so very satisfying, not because it leaves one with fuzzy feelings inside but precisely because it doesn't. It does what every Christian film ought to do. It crucifies you. And when the credits roll one can begin to hear, ever so faintly, the echo of an empty grave.
The film also showcases breathtaking cinematography. The only complaints I have is that some of the acting, particularly of the extras, is forced and unnatural at times. In two or three places the editing is also a bit choppy. Still, the strengths of the film far outweigh the weaknesses. It is also worth mentioning that the evil in the film is quite graphic at times (guns and blood), so it may not be suitable for young audiences, at least not without parental supervision.