The Visitation

Other than the budget, I went into this film knowing very little about it. I must admit that, for the first half-hour or so, I was distracted by the unusual shooting style which didn't seem to fit the flow of the story. However, as the film moved along, the jagged, misframed shots made more and more sense.

As the story unfolded, I found myself increasingly intrigued, and even uneasy. Peretti has a talent for hooking his audience, and then taking them for an unusual ride, and "The Visitation" was no exception.

For the minimal budget, this ended up being a very strong effort. I would definitely recommend it for teens and older audiences, but it may be a little too creepy for younger kids.

When I read the book "The Visitation" by Frank Peretti, I couldn't put it down. I loved every minute of it, and recommended it to all my friends and family as a "must-read". Mr. Peretti is a talented author, and has a way of pulling the reader into a story that twists and turns and keeps the reader on their toes. The movie did the the exact opposite. I realize that it is rare that a movie comes close to being as good as the book, but I was hopeful that the spirit of the book, the feeling of the book, or at least the BASIC story of the book be represented well in the movie. It wasn't. Sadly, it fell into the stereotype of a "christian-made" movie. Medeocre. (Which I find frustrating). This was an excellent book, with an excellent story to tell, and it did not deserve to be butchered the way it did. Not only was the story hacked to bits, but the acting was lacking and the cinematography at times was confusing and distracting. As much as I loved and recommended the book, I have to say that this is a movie to avoid.

the book is awesome, potentially life changing. the movie captures probably 1/8th of the content of the book. the book is about "doing church" and contrasting that with having a relationship with Christ. Its sharp and wise observations of people and their organizations alternately enlighten and bring tears. I've wanted my wife to read the book for a long time and watching the movie together sent the completely wrong message. so many characters and stories are missing only to focus on the weakest part: the actual supernatural activities of the false "Christ". The background stories are what make the book so powerful. I can understand that they would make the move too long and actually push the film into another genre, but I was disappointed at what was actually there.

If you watch "The Rainmaker" you'll think it's a great movie. If you watch it after you read the novel by John Grisham that it's based on, it will leave you wanting a little more. "The Visitation" is very similar. Frank Peretti's books, including "The Visitation", have the tendency to draw the reader in until they are immersed in the fear that oozes from the pages. The movie doesn't quite accomplish that. Of course, if any movie were to contain all of the elements of a Perreti or Grisham novel, it would be 12 hours long.

Having said that, the story is well told, though there are moments where it leaps ahead unexpectedly. The movie's opening scene introduces three mysterious men who proclaim "He is coming." Through the rest of the movie they lurk in the background, creating an uneasy sense of expectancy.

Martin Donovan and Kelly Lynch are very likable as the main characters and Donovan is convincing in the role of reluctant hero. Randy Travis shows he is actually a good actor and provides most of the comic relief, which is a bit surprising.

Edward Furlong as "The Visitor" is a bit melodramatic, but does a good job of keeping you guessing to the end. The rest of the characters could use a little more development in the movie.

One thing I did find irritating about the movie is a device the screenplay writer (not Peretti) uses during the frightening scenes. It is pretty much a rip-off of "The Ring".

Overall, the movie is somewhat frightening. It's not scary in a horror movie fashion, but more in a Hitchcock kind of way. It's more of a disturbing feeling than a desire to scream. Kind of like "The Secret Window".

While Perreti is recognized as a Christian author the movie is not preachy. There are some religious themes, but they flow with the story. It doesn't force messages into the film that don't fit as is so unfortunate in many otherwise good stories.

The budget for the movie is about $2 million. It looks like it. It doesn't look cheap, but it doesn't compare to the films with five times the money in the coffers. Perreti is currently working on a screen play for "The Oath". I hope this movie has enough success to convince someone to front a little bigger budget for his next project.

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.