....it continued with a plot. I was wondering where we were going with the story. It was interesting. ....and then it became a christian redemption movie. It was like the Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormons knocking on my door at the same time.

What a dreary, miserable, predicable, God forsaken movie this is. Typical American claptrap. 3rd rate acting and a 4th rate script. Dont waste your time watching it.

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of Forgiven; here's the breakdown of my ratings:

Story: 1.00 Direction: 1.00 Pace: 0.75 Acting: 1.25 Enjoyment: 0.75

TOTAL: 4.25 out of 10

My primary reason for watching Forgiven was Kevin Sorbo. I became a fast fan after Andromeda and Hercules - this guy and his series have cheered up my life in bleak times. I've even enjoyed some of his movies. And by and large, this isn't a bad movie. It's the subject matter and the outcome that could exasperate some folks.

The story is basic though sound. It's well structured and has a delightful subtle twist three-quarters through. The trouble for me was the bible bashing, which starts around the same time. Right at this moment, you know the outcome of the story. The writers and director are a shade heavy-handed in getting the point and moral across. The problem is that I can see some Christians being dismayed by the blatant "Happy Ending".

The director does a respectable job of bringing the story to the small screen. There are a few interesting camera angles and decently structured compositions. However, the slow pace of the telling is too dull. This inertia only hinders the film by dropping the audience into the lap of boredom. I started to tap my feet and look away around the hour mark. Then when the "Happy Ending" came, it only added to my exasperation.

The cast is the shining star of the project - They all excel in their roles, except for Casey Fuller, who plays the hostage-taker. Fuller undersells his role immensely. He doesn't come across as scared enough, worried enough, or reproachful enough. James could have been and should have been the focal point of the story. He is, after all, the transformation of Christ's belief.

If you are a Christian who believes in the Love Of Christ and God, then this film should be for you, and the ending shouldn't be too irksome. Though, if you're not a believer, the film is okay, but be warned of the cringe-worthy ending. If it helps, then do as I did - give it a Die Hard ending. I had the sister blow him away as he left the church :-) - An-Eye-for-an-eye, and all that.

Please feel free to visit my The Game Is Afoot and Dramatisation Of Life lists to see where I ranked Forgiven.

Take Care & Stay Well.