The Sin Eater Review

Sin Eater, The
Alex is among the last of a heretical order of the Catholic Church committed to fighting supernatural evil. With the death of his mentor, he travels to Rome to tangle with an immortal who offers an alternate route to Heaven for those who die outside the church.

by Kim Newman |
Published on
Release Date:

12 Sep 2003

Running Time:

109 minutes

Certificate:

15

Original Title:

Sin Eater, The

Given that a batch of religious-themed horrors (Stigmata, Lost Souls, Bless The Child) crept out and died in 1999, it's amazing anyone should return to the well-trodden secret libraries of the Vatican and attempt yet another murky mix of barmy theology and body count terror.

Brian Helgeland regroups his Knight's Tale cast, whether they fit their roles or not. Heath Ledger has his silliest lead to date as a designer-stubbled, hunky, demon-busting priest; Shannyn Sossamon blows her Rules Of Attraction cred as a formerly possessed mental patient who becomes his love interest; and Mark Addy bumbles along as an Irish clerical hardman. Also in for the shame are Benno F³rmann as the eponymous goateed tempter and Peter Weller as the camp, mad cardinal who plans to be Pope.

The sin eater myth offers all manner of interesting plot angles, but this fails to make sense even on a level of how characters get from one place to another let alone how they solve the mystery.

No. It just trudges from one half-baked scene to the next.

Related Articles

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us