Nicolas Cage Can't Save This Jesus Horror Thriller Actorsvaultpro

The Carpenter’s Son will certainly arouse the faithful’s ire with a controversial take on Jesus’ upbringing. Those who do watch this artistic interpretation of biblical events featuring Nicolas Cage as the father of Jesus will see missed opportunities in what could have been chilling and impactful. Instead, the film’s central themes of challenged faith, the search for divine purpose and evil’s temptation are muddied by a disjointed narrative. Good performances from Noah Jupe and Isla Johnston are lost in a stale execution of standard horror tropes. The usual blend of discordant noises, low lighting and graphic imagery aren’t scary in the least. The final result is an uneven thriller that’s mostly forgettable.

The characters in The Carpenter’s Son aren’t explicitly named. The story begins with the Carpenter (Nicolas Cage) hiding his wife, the Mother (FKA Twigs), in a cave while she gives birth to a baby boy as a mysterious light penetrates the darkness and shines on them. The Carpenter watches in awe and confusion and prays for guidance. Nearby, King Herod’s soldiers throw every young boy under the age of 2 in a fire to fulfill his heinous order. The couple hides their infant as the mothers of the village scream in horror.

15 years later, the Boy (Noah Jupe) and his parents roam a desolate Egypt. Haunted by whispers and the sight of a terrifying woman (Elena Topalidou) tracking them from afar, the Carpenter prays constantly. The family arrives in a small village where the Carpenter gets work carving idols. They settle in a small stone hut with a stable, where the Carpenter pours dirt on the entrances at night to track the footsteps of demons.

The Carpenter forces the Boy to pray as well, while his Mother finds the father’s instruction much too harsh. Soon, the Boy becomes enamored by their mute neighbor, Lilith (Souheila Yacoub), who is beautiful and gentle, but another girl lurks like a circling vulture. The heavily scarred Stranger (Isla Johnston) lures the Boy away from his chores. She has something intriguing to show him.

Writer and director Lotfy Nathan (12 O’Clock Boys, Harka) reframes Jesus’ conception and formative years with doubt and confusion. The Carpenter struggles to believe in the concept of a virgin birth; he felt the light of God at that moment, but was left bereft and hollow in its aftermath. Still, he dutifully takes care of Mother and the Boy. This must be what the creator wants him to do, but is it all a lie? Has he been taking care of a bastard the entire time? Is the Mother, his beloved wife, an unclean woman and harlot? Knowing his prayers have not been answered, the Carpenter’s faith starts to crumble as he wonders if he’s been a fool.

Magnolia

The Boy is experiencing a similar crisis. Haunted by vivid nightmares of his tragic future demise, the Boy also questions whether the abrasive Carpenter is his real father. But he can also feel a growing power inside that yearns to be seen. The Carpenter and Mother can sense his burgeoning abilities. Mother knows that he’s divine, but the Carpenter doesn’t share her conviction. Has he raised a conjurer? The Carpenter starts to fear and loathe what he’d been destined to protect.

It’s worth repeating that many will find The Carpenter’s Son blasphemous. The idea that the Carpenter (Joseph) would harbor resentment and suspicion about the Boy (Jesus) is anathema to fundamental Christian teachings. That said, Nathan’s exploration of legitimate human emotions is a worthwhile endeavor. A husband having serious misgivings about taking care of a wife and child that may not be his wouldn’t be controversial outside the religious context. And the Carpenter’s lingering skepticism is completely understandable. He wants another sign from God to prove that he’s doing the right thing, but this goes directly against the basic tenet of faith.

The first problem is that the Carpenter has a singular reaction to the Boy. You’d think he’d have at least an iota of love and compassion for a child he’s cared for since birth. Why go through all this trouble if, on an intrinsic level, you feel duped? Cage plays the Carpenter with bitterness and anger, delivering a one-note performance that could benefit from demonstrating some semblance of kindness and warmth towards his son after all of this time. Also, he’d be damned in the eyes of God if he neglected the Boy and didn’t protect him. We can appreciate his inner turmoil, but the Carpenter needs to be more nuanced.

The Mother inexplicably disappears from The Carpenter’s Son for long stretches. She’s there to weep and suffer when needed for dramatic effect, but she’s otherwise bizarrely missing from the story. Where is the Mother when her son is roaming around or being locked up by her husband? Twigs is largely absent from a movie where she’s the critical piece of the puzzle. Mary can’t be a distant supporting figure in raising Jesus. Nathan had to beef up her role, ensuring the Mother is present when the Carpenter faces his crisis of conscience.

Jupe and his interactions with Johnston, who steals the show, save the film from being a complete disaster. The Carpenter’s Son doesn’t have any jump scares, which might sound like a compliment, but there’s never a point where the creepy theatrics achieve the desired goal. What works in the film is its depiction of the Boy learning the magnitude of his powers as the Stranger tries to corrupt him. Had the film focused entirely on that relationship as the basis of Jesus’ eventual sacrifice for man’s sins, it might have been more effective.

The Carpenter’s Son will be released theatrically on November 14 from Magnolia Pictures.