The Reaping

Starring: Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Stephen Rea
Directed by: Stephen Hopkins
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Thriller
2007

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A religious "miracle" debunker (Hilary Swank) travels to a small rural community that seems to be experiencing the ten Biblical plagues.

Review:

Tim: This is a film that is right up my alley, yet I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy it. First off, it seems like it steals from multiple other films in the same genre. It doesn’t even bother to add new elements or to breathe new life into the story. It is a pure recycle job, with a ton of special effects, in an attempt to cover up its rotten underbelly.

By the film’s conclusion, we don’t even care what is happening. The actors are still acting all dramatic and scared, and there’s something about a little girl who some people are protecting, while other people want to kill. I couldn’t really keep the whole thing straight, because I just simply didn’t care. The film starts off strongly, and I legitimately thought this might have been surprisingly good. However, the whole thing falls apart soon after, and we’re left with forty minutes left in a movie we’re finding it increasingly difficult to care about.

The special effects are decent, but nothing astounding. They feel like they were used as a panacea to cover up the film’s flaws. This doesn’t even begin to work. We see right through the device. The movie has surprisingly little substance or heart.

Hilary Swank puts a decent amount of effort into the role. At times, you’d swear she really wants this to work, while others, you’re convinced she’s sleepwalking through it. The rest of the cast felt hastily assembled, because this is really all about Swank. No one does a particularly amazing job.

The Reaping is another lackluster film in a subgenre made up of mostly disappointing films. I doubt anyone will remember this movie or regard it with anything but passing notice. This is a forgettable movie that does far too much wrong, and it is better left unremembered.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 5.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Bless the Child