New Biblical horror movie, The Carpenter's Son, hits theaters for a limited release this weekend, and the review embargo lifted earlier today.
Though some critics had a lot of good things to say about what sounds like a very strange film inspired by the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas, the majority of reviews have not been kind, and The Carpenter's Son currently sits at a disappointing 39% on Rotten Tomatoes.
On the positive side, the performances from Nicolas Cage (Joseph), Noah Jupe (Jesus), and FKA twigs (Mary) have come in for a lot of praise, as has the cinematography.
Have a tread through some of the reviews and reactions below.
“A remote village in Roman-era Egypt explodes into spiritual warfare when a carpenter, his wife, and their child are targeted by supernatural forces. Joseph (Nicolas Cage), Mary (FKA twigs), and their teenage son Jesus (Noah Jupe) have lived for years under threat, clinging to their faith and traditions. But a stopover in a small settlement unleashes growing chaos when a mysterious stranger (Isla Johnston) tries to entice young Jesus to abandon his devout father’s rules.
With every pull of temptation, the boy is lured into a forbidden world, as a terrified Joseph realizes that a demonic power is at work. Violent, unnatural events inexplicably follow Jesus, and he begins to experience nightmarish visions of the future. Finally, he learns the fearsome truth about his new playmate, as well as the child’s real name: Satan.”