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The acclaimed actor may be the perfect choice for a audacious scary movie about the biblical figure, though not for the reasons certain fans might assume. Truthfully, the star does not even act as the central religious figure in The Carpenter’s Son: his role is credited simply as The Carpenter. The actor is framed as the Joseph within this tale, striving to uphold his beliefs while his son (played by the young actor), their teenage foster child, starts to display divine powers. The explanation it’s difficult to imagine any other leading star playing this part is that even as the role becomes stricken with various difficulties, Nicolas Cage appears almost emotionally certain that the murky, somber feature is deserving of his effort.

Cage's Recent Career Choices

Nicolas Cage was spending that time more selectively lately. He yet does additional projects than the majority of average viewers could possibly view — for instance, did you know that the actor has completed a trio of distinct cowboy movies over the last few years? — however he also includes high-profile critically acclaimed roles for example one recent hit, Pig, and a further title. The Carpenter’s Son sounds like a similar project, as it’s genre-adjacent, likely to stir debate, and handles a campy-sounding description quite seriously.

The Film's Premise and Handling

Sadly, writer-director Lotfy Nathan does not justify viewer engagement. The film opens in a compellingly nomadic place, positioned as inspired by an apocryphal lost gospel about the early years of Jesus. The Carpenter, The Mother, and their child relocate frequently, afraid of doctrinal intolerance or suspicion regarding The Boy’s unusual abilities. “Trouble pursues us,” The Carpenter mournfully notes. This persists when dark forces focus on the household at their new home, initiating on that well-known scriptural test for the youth.

Sometimes, the film mirrors an demonic possession-type supernatural thriller, but none of the central roles are explicitly taken over. On the contrary, they grow increasingly alienated from one another, when these powers influence a nearby girl (Isla Johnston, listed as an outsider) that The Boy connects to, and gives each character troubling visions of a dark tomorrow. Cage's role in particular fights with his place in the narrative, occasionally chastising the boy he can’t fully understand.

Controversy and Caution

The content is prone to stir disagreement, and Nathan handles it with much sensitivity — overly, perhaps. The idea of a teenage boy confronted with his future martyrdom and lured by unknown powers is certainly terrifying, but the filmmaker may be hesitant regarding looking exploitative and eager to telegraph his aims, therefore he regularly retreats into dimly foreboding visuals. The figures brood incessantly — FKA Twigs, who demonstrated real promise in the 2024 Crow remake, surprisingly — yields her acting to her character's costume, sometimes broken up by some gruesome scary visuals.

The Star's Portrayal and Film's Weaknesses

At the same time, the actor toy with just the sort of exaggerated performance that those who enjoy his campier roles might be looking for. An instance (shown) in the trailer where Cage flips out and shouts “I’ve lost my faith!” If that kind of dramatic explosion is part of your Jesus-themed horror movie, possibly a more boldly ridiculous style would make better use of Cage’s willingness to be extreme as required. On the other hand, the film more closely resembles the weaker low-budget movies he starred in during the last decade — apart from the B-movies instead the dramas and supernatural thrillers that typically appear interesting, and frequently include some select memorable scenes, but finally come across like, indeed, cheap home video fare.

Frankly, some of those, though not as grand, were easier to view in general. Here is where I must break my usual practice, not faith-based but professional: Previously, a beloved editor urged me to banish adjectives like “boring” or “dull” from my film-criticism vocabulary. These words convey little other than a individual and broadly stated lack of patience, avoiding the duty of clearly expressing the mental and feeling of viewing an individual production. It's hard to communicate tedium without appearing dull yourself. It's equally vague as labeling a movie “notable.” “Explain further,” in other words.

But I must confess, I felt uninterested during much of The Carpenter’s Son. On the positive side, it is a devotional type of stultification, not for The Carpenter’s Son is lecturing, but as it demands a type of patient acceptance to sit through it. Eventually soon after starting, this feature settles into a repetitive rhythm of simmering distress, and fails to