Plot Summary
Jean Baptiste is a French immigrant who secretly robs dead bodies of their clothes. Once he is finally caught, the judge sentences him to exile on a local salt island. Sheriff Henry Heath is tasked with keeping up the with prisoners on the island and making sure they have what they need as they work. However, he takes special interest in Jean Baptiste as he seems different from the others. Together, this unlikely friendship teaches the two of them that God even offers redemption to those considered to be the worst of sinners.
Production Quality (1.5 points)
Redemption begins with very odd lighting, which is the most noticeable production elements. The presentation comes off as very dark, drab, and depressing, perhaps by design. Though most production elements are fine, including video quality and audio quality, and though there are lighting improvements throughout, this beginning is significant and may deter people from going any further. There are also a lot of boring, lagging scenes and sequences in the first half of the film that don’t hold the attention. On the upside, sets, locations, and props are all very realistic and well-constructed. There are also a lot of realistic gritty elements throughout. Basically, this unique production is a mixed bag, thus warranting the average score.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
Though there is an interesting idea someone lost in this confusion, the plot lacks clear direction and purpose. This is evidenced by the number of confusing and seemingly useless subplots and characters that are never fully explored. At the same time, however, the story is also very limited in scope and based off of a very isolating concept. Hardly anything happens as the same two or three characters just go back and forth doing the same things, combined with too many cheesy Western clichés. Much like the production, there is a dark and brooding feel to this story, as well as some misguided artistry. There is probably one interesting scene in this film that tries to explain some things, but it’s really too little too late. This story needed a lot of vetting and consultation before it was released.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
Besides some of the obviously fake accents of the cast members, there are a lot of bland and vanilla performances here to go along with the dark nature of the film. However, this small cast has some good, honest moments as they tend to improve their performances throughout. They become more human in the end and less of Western clichés, so that is enough to warrant an average score here as well.
Conclusion
This plot had the potential to be a different, interesting, and creative character-based epic showcasing second chances for flawed people, but this idea was unfortunately wasted. Given Rance Howard’s presence in this film, it’s not very surprising that it is a dark one, yet even this element could have been interesting had it been used properly. Alas, Redemption: For Robbing the Dead joins the growing list of Christian movies that desperately need a remake.
Final Rating: 3 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 