The Sin Eater

Review by Clint Morris

With A Knight's Tale director Brian Helgeland and his excellent ensemble - headed by Australia's Heath Ledger - crafted an undeniably fun comedy adventure romp that had as much zest as it did potential to be something quite novel.

If The Sin Eater is proof of anything, it's that lightning [almost] never strikes twice.

About as far away from the cheery, camp fun of their first film together, The Sin Eater sees director and talent reduced to playing mere puppets in an anachronistic story of the Catholic Church - again - under threat from the man in red.

Ledger stars as man of the cloth, Alex, who gets about trying to find answers to his mentor's death. You see, he died under rather inquisitive circumstances.

Someone calling himself a "sin eater" would perform a ritual in which, for a price, he would assume all the dying person's wrongdoing and guiltiness so they would be free to enter Heaven. Big time contravention's needed to be exchanged here.

There were a number of tip-off's to just how vinegary this film was. In the states, there was no media screenings [that's an even bigger avowal overseas than here], it's title was changed several times [from The Sin Eater to The Order and back to The Sin Eater, for oz anyway] and most prominently, it's released date has been pushed back more times than production of Schwarzenegger's Crusades epic.

As good as the cast is here, none of them seem to give two hoots about the film they're performing in. Ledger, especially, looking about as lackadaisical as someone about to enter a dentist's office.

But after sitting through this shallow swim, the thought of attending the dentist sounds quite exciting. No third collaboration please guys.

1.5 out of 5

The Sin Eater
Australian release: Thursday February 19th
Cast: Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Peter Weller, Benno Furmann.
Director: Brian Helgeland.
Website: Click here.