Plot Summary
Cadi Forbes has lived all her life in a Welsh immigrant settlement deep in the Appalachian Mountains, isolated from the world outside. She has lived in fear, as have the people in her settlement, and now she has a terrible secret to guard. Not only that, but she has risked trouble on her life by laying eyes on the forbidden sin eater—the cursed individual who must atone for the sins of those who die in the settlement. Seeking a way to end it all, a mysterious girl guides Cadi to listen to a stranger preach to the forest about a hope she has never heard before. She is now more curious than ever to learn about the stranger and even the identity of the cursed sin eater. But what will it cost her in the end?
Production Quality (2.5 points)
The production of The Last Sin Eater is excellent, with only minor problems. The camera work is good, as is the video quality. The only issue to raise is the inconsistent lighting in some scenes, though it could be argued as realistic. The audio quality is overall good, though the soundtrack could be a little more inspiring. There are diverse sets and the Appalachian scenery is realistic. Some of the flashback content seems a little low quality, perhaps on purpose. In the end, this production is done very well.
Plot and Storyline Quality (3 points)
This is likely Michael Landon Jr’s best movie to date, but it can be credited to the writing genius of foundational Christian author Francine Rivers. Her book that inspired this movie is among her best, and Landon’s adaptation is seamless. The plot ties realistic historical events to an excellent fictional story built around believable characters. The superstition is woven wonderfully with Biblical elements. The characters are realistic and flawed, driven by true-to-life dialogue. There are twists and turns in the plot, and the end is slightly unexpected. In short, this excellent plot can be attributed to the genius authorship of Francine Rivers and to the honest adaptation of Michael Landon Jr.
Acting Quality (2.5 points)
For a cast of largely little known actors, they perform quite well. The line delivery is mostly accurate, though it seems forced at times. Sometimes the Welsh accents seem fake, but other times they do not. Despite these small issues, there are no extremely negative elements where the acting is concerned. This cast is a good example of what can be done with the proper coaching.
Conclusion
There are plenty of lesser and well known Christian novels that can and should be adapted for the screen. Where many movie plots are stock, there are plenty of Christian works of fiction that could be portrayed through video instead of more bland inspirational films. The Last Sin Eater is an example of what can happen when an excellent novel is adapted correctly into a movie. This film should be a blueprint for many more movies in the future.
Final Rating: 8 out of 10 points
Box Office Revolution 