Positive
Subtle. It’s very clear that N.D. Wilson is steering clear of the typical “Christian movie” fare. Instead of a sermon set to narrative, we get characters living out their worldviews in a situation that is at times very hostile. The villains are dangerous. The Christians are flawed. The world is messy. Sounds a bit like reality, doesn’t it?
Though the plot is cliche at it’s core, it goes unexpected places.
Some solid acting. Paul Johansson was a stand out to me. Bas Rutten’s maniacal character made me nervous. And Joel Courtney pulls of the sympathetic miscreant well.
A punch of an ending. I read a reviewer that hated it. But if you are intune with Wilson’s worldview, you’ll get it. (“Bend your damn neck!”)
Negative
Poor audio mixing. Five minutes in I turned subtitles on because I could not understand what was being said. It seemed to get better about ten minutes in. Some musical interludes were jarring due to jumps in volume.
There is one subplot that feels sort of tossed in. And you may see it’s resolution coming long before the movie gets there.
Some thin acting. Not everyone sticks the landing.
Subtle. I know I said this was a strength. But there are plot points that are too subtle. The audience is forced to fill in too many blanks about the lead characters motivation and change of heart.
Conclusion
The River Thief is an engaging, though marred gem. There are moments where the inexperience of the filmmakers overshadows the film. But the climax is downright haunting.
Ultimately what draws me to The River Thief is N.D. Wilson’s portrayel of a Christian in Tommy Cash’s character.
Too often in secular films Christians are a shallow, ignorant people, ill-equipped to deal with harsh realities. Ironically, in so called “Christian films”, Christian characters have the same problem.
This annoys me to no end, not because it is an insult, but because it is such an obvious strawman. To be sure, Christianity has its share of shallow and ignorant people, but it isn’t dominated by them anymore than any other group of people.
The River Thief is a salve on that wound. It wonderfully blends a gritty, wicked reality with a committed, though flawed, Christian.
And that’s what makes me willing to overlook the films flaws and anticipate N.D. Wilson’s next film outing.
Streaming from Amazon, iTunes, Google Play.
