I must admit that I was initially lured in to watching the 2021 sci-fi thriller "Risen" given the movie's poster/cover, as it seemed like something that could be interesting. And I hadn't seen the trailer for the movie, nor did I know absolutely anything about the movie that I sat down to watch.
Well, the concept of the movie was solid enough. However, the movie itself was just shoddy at best. Writer and director Eddie Arya was initially on to something here with "Risen", but the storyline quickly went astray and turned into a boring experience of grand magnitude.
I wasn't familiar with anyone on the cast list, which is normally something I tend to enjoy. However, the cast here in this movie were just not handed a proper script, nor given fulfilling characters to work with on the screen. So the outcome of the performances were lukewarm at best.
For a sci-fi movie then the effects and usage of green screen in "Risen" was just appalling to look at. For a movie made in 2021, it felt like watching something from the early 1990s. And a sci-fi movie with bad special effects or CGI is just something that is holding it back.
While I managed to endure "Risen" to the very end, I can't claim to be particularly entertained, nor having overly enjoyed the story told here by writer and director Eddie Arya. And "Risen" is by no means a movie that I would recommend you waste your time, money or effort on. Some of us did so you don't have to.
I am rating "Risen" a very generous two out of ten stars, given the movie's first quarter and the fact that there was potential to work with there.
