Review of The Shack (2017) by Patrick L — 20 Oct 2017

"It is well-acted and obviously it has good intentions but "The Shack" has the feel of an overlong Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation".

DVD Movie Review: The Shack.

Date Viewed: May 22 2017.

Directed By Stuart Hazeldine (Exam).

Screenplay By John Fusco, Andrew Lanham and Destin Cretton, Based on the novel by William P. Young.

Starring: Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer, Radha Mitchell, Tim McGraw, Avraham Aviv Alush, Sumire Matsubara, Alice Braga, Gage Munroe, Megan Charpentier, Amelie Eve and Graham Greene.

It's uplifting package of spirituality but it just didn't cut it for me. "The Shack" is the latest in a long line of mainstream Christian movies that have come out over the past few years. What's different about this faith-based film is that God is being portrayed by an African-American female. She's played by none other than the always likeable Octavia Spencer. How can you not like her? She's a fine and risk-taking actress but playing God (whose real name is actually Papa) in a Christian movie? That's taking things a little too sucky don't you think?

Based on the sleeper bestselling book from Canadian author William P. Young, "The Shack" centers around a father and his devastating family tragedy. Mack Phillips' (Sam Worthington) life gets shattered one day when his youngest daughter, Missy (Amelie Eve) vanishes without a trace during a camping trip. The police later find her torn dress and blood in a vacant shack and they determine that she was slain by a mass murderer.

Mack's teenage daughter, Kate (Megan Charpentier) blames herself for her little sister's death because her reckless behavior caused her father to save her and her brother, Josh (Gage Munroe) instead of looking out for Missy. This family tragedy derails Mack's life as well as his faith but one day during winter time he receives an unstamped letter in his mailbox. The note is signed "Papa" which was Missy's name for God and he wants Mack to meet him at the shack.

Thinking that there's possibly a chance to catch the killer who took away her daughter, Mack goes to the shack only to discover that's it's broken, desolate and empty. Consumed with anger and frustration, Mack almost has the temptation to kill himself but he later finds himself in a more harmonious place and he encounters three strangers. An African-American woman named "Papa" (Spencer) a.k.a. God, a hippie fellow known as Jesus (Avraham Aviv Alush) and Sarayu (Sumire Matsubara) a.k.a. the Holy Spirit.

As the three spiritual strangers comfort their guest, Mack is trying to find an understanding into why Missy died because even though his wife, Nan (Radha Mitchell) is doing her hardest to keep her family together, his two remaining children are on the verge of distancing themselves away from him. "The Shack" is well-acted and obviously it has good intentions but I just didn't buy this story. The screenplay by John Fusco, Andrew Lanham and Destin Cretton is so filled with grief and regret and the movie's extremely dark flashback sequences fails to ring any emotional bells whatsoever. I will admit that "The Shack" does have a few emotional moments but nevertheless it's still a very, very, very odd film.

The faith-based community will eat it up but I think it will probably offend white Christians because they always envisioned God as a wise old man with a huge white beard. Again, it's heart is in the right place but "The Shack" has the feel of an overlong Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation.