Horror movies with religious themes seem to be everywhere these days. I mean, some joker even had the nerve to re-make "The Omen". While The Visitation does not quite belong to the upper echelon of religious horror, it is certainly one of the more accomplished efforts in recent years, largely due to its stellar cast and Robby Henson's steadfast direction.
Without giving away too much, The Visitation is an adaptation of Frank Peretti's novel about a young man, Brandon, who appears in a small town and begins performing miracles. Before too long the locals consider Brandon to be the embodiment of Christ and start acting like his disciples. The problem is that Brandon's powers seem to be coming from below, instead of above. While the story is not incredibly original, it is treated with intelligence and sincerity. The film takes time to develop the supporting characters, such as the disillusioned ex-priest, Travis, and a single mother, Morgan. As a result, there is an attachment to the characters and a deeper understanding of their sometimes illogical actions.
I hate to think how awful The Visitation could have been without its excellent cast. In fact, the film has something of an indie dream cast with Edward Furlong, Martin Donovan, Richard Tyson, Kelly Lynch and Priscilla Barnes. Edward Furlong is great as Brandon. In a role that could have so easily been drenched in hysterics, Edward shows restraint and turns in a genuinely creepy performance. His talent is such that he makes Brandon both abhorrent and sympathetic. Martin Donovan is as low key and convincing as ever, while Kelly Lynch only gets better with age. I can finally forgive her for "Curly Sue". Almost. It is great to see Richard Tyson and Priscilla Barnes in anything, so it's a special treat to see them act together as a somewhat demented married couple. He's possessed, she would like to be.
Robby Henson's direction is considered and the film succeeds in building a creepy atmosphere. There are some problems with the film, namely some very poor post-exorcism CG effects and an unusual lack of gore. The special effects are understandable given the film's tiny budget; less forgivable is the film's limp approach to violence. I suspect The visitation was butchered in order to get a lower rating, which is ridiculous given the nature of the material. There are several scenes, particularly one at Mrs Macon's mansion and one explaining how Brandon received his "gift", which feel incomplete and less graphic than intended. However, these gripes are pretty inconsequential in comparison to the film's many good qualities.
The Visitation is one of the highest quality straight to video horror releases in recent memory. This is the perfect example of a well made film with an excellent cast that still somehow managed to fall through the cracks. It deserved better.
