THE SIN EATER
US, 2003, 102 minutes. Colour.
Heath Ledger, Benno Furmann, Mark Addy, Peter Weller, Shannyn Sossamon.
Directed by Brian Helgeland.
At the end of the 20th century into the new century, there has grown up a sub-genre of religious horror films which create an eerie kind of supernatural atmosphere using the trappings of the Catholic Church rather than its theology and spirituality. It would be a mistake to think of them as ecclesiastical films, although they do make some points about Church practice and beliefs. But, by and large, they are the inventions of the screenwriters who latch on to some biblical or theological connection and run with them. In the last five years, there have been Stigmata, End of Days, Lost Souls, John Carpenter's Vampires, Bless the Child, Possession.
The Sin Eater is the least persuasive of them. It is a pity because it was written and directed by Brian Helgoland who wrote LA Confidential and Clint Eastwood's Blood Work and Mystic River and directed A Knight's Tale. He has gathered his stars from A Knight's Tale for this strange tale of a personage who has the mission to take into himself the sins of a Church outcast with a ritual of bread and salt, devouring the sins of the deceased and giving them some hope for salvation!! Heath Ledger and Mark Addy belong to a very odd religious order, The Carolingians, who seek strange meanings and power in the Church. When their leader is killed (with his sins eaten), they go to Rome to investigate. They live in odd, candle-lit and art and relic-adorned quarters, visit even more odd bookshops and clubs where a hooded leader wants even more power. With them is Shannyn Sossoman who has escaped from a mental institution after she tried to kill Ledger but, fairly soon, he has let go of his priesthood (which was of a bizarre Tridentine variety) and succumbed to her. And, who should turn out to be a villain (and would-be Pope) but a Cardinal (as they have in several of these films) played by Peter Weller.
Oh well...!
1. An enjoyable film? The blend of horror, religion, ecclesiastical odd-behaviour, satanic background? The trend in films after The Exorcist?
2. The opening in the United States, seemingly ordinary, the scenes of Italy, the death of the head of the order? The focus on Rome, the Vatican, bookstores, nightclubs? Strange apartments? Musical score?
3. The work of the writer-director? His career in light of the thrillers – how successful in this genre?
4. The title, the alternate The Order? The explanations of sin-eating? The plausibility of this kind of behaviour, faith? The orthodox church? Heretical church? The Carolingian Order as a sect? Its members, dwindling? Cut out from the mainstream? Their holding on to traditions – and Alex and his celebration of the Eucharist, the Latin?
5. Rome, the opening with the head of the order, his behaviour, the threats to his life, his death? The later explanations? His purchases in the strange bookshop? His work, his studies? His death and the marks, sin-eating?
6. The cardinal, his visiting the United States, his confrontation of Alex? His status, his giving the background of the order? Alex and his friendship with Thomas, the phone calls to Paris? Mara, her escape from the mental institution? Her working with Alex, his not revealing her to the authorities? Their investigating the texts, the nature of sin-eating, the marks, the decision to go to Rome?
7. In Rome, the visit to the cardinal, the ominous visit to the death place of Dominic? The two diabolical children and their continued appearance? Alex and the detective work, the documents, looking at the body? Going to the shop? The cardinal?
8. William Eden, his personal appearance, his role, with Dominic? With Alex? The many centuries that he was a sin eater? His becoming weary? The nature of his role, the explanations, the illustrations (and special effects)? The killing of Dominic? With Alex, the plan, Alex to be his successor?
9. The club, the types in the club, androgynous, sexual overtones? The hooded figure and the orders and the revelation that it was the cardinal?
10. Thomas, personality, wisecracks, arrival, his joining in the investigation, the attack on him and the violence, his almpost being hanged?
11. Mara, with Alex, the seduction, his giving in, the nature of his priesthood? Her future with him? Her being killed?
12. Eden and his role, the explanations, his own death?
13. Alex and the story of the gangster, his repentance, the sin-eating and his peaceful death?
14. The Cardinal, the unmasking, ambitions to be pope, his death, expecting forgiveness from the sin-eater and his swallowing his own sins? Just punishment – and the credibility of this kind of ambition in the Vatican?
15. The future for Alex – the future and plausibility of sin-eating?
