Movie Review: "The List"

Rated: PG for thematic elements including some peril and brief incidental smoking
Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Chuck Carrington, Hilarie Burton, and Will Patton
Released: 2008

Synopsis: After the death of his estranged father, lawyer Renny Jacobson (Chuck Carrington) is shocked to discover that he doesn't get any inheritance...but soon finds out that his father was part of a society known as The List.  Renny soon joins the society's meetings, but not everything is as it seems.  With everything he holds dear hanging in the balance, it's up to him to overcome the apparent evil once and for all.
Based on the book by Robert Whitlow.

The Good: The performances are great here, but that's to be expected from stars of mainstream hit shows such as JAG and One Tree Hill.  It's also great to see a "PG" film that targets adults instead of kids; too many films with that rating are a chore for anyone over the age of fifteen to sit through.  The production values were better than usual for a Christian movie; this is more like the average PureFlix production than a total mess like C Me Dance, at least in that regard.

The Bad: As good as the production values and performances were, they are ruined by the plot.  This movie is very pokey, and it seems to go on forever.  It waits until the last half to introduce supernatural elements, which should have been present from the beginning.  Even the ending doesn't resolve most of the plot threads, and some sequences don't make all that much sense.

Content Concerns: As mentioned above, this movie may be rated "PG," but the themes would go right over most kids' heads, and some moments could scare them as well.

Conclusion: Christian movies often get drubbed by critics, even ones of the faith.  I usually try to give an "inspirational" flick a chance before I give up on it...but, this one was just terrible.  It's such a shame; the wonderful production values and acting talent were completely wasted on this dreck.  Let's hope that the crew behind this film gives some thought to the story before trying their hand at the art of cinema again.

Score: 2/5