A Different Kind of Priest

Mason Harper (Mark O’ Brien) is an expert exorcist. Battling demons is just another day for him. Mason returns to his small hometown after a particularly rough exorcism that resulted in the death of a fellow priest

He’s shocked to discover that his deceased preacher dad, Angus (Shaun Johnston), has been miraculously resurrected. But is this man truly his father, and if so, who brought him back? Is this God’s work, or Satan’s? As Mason investigates the bizarre circumstances of his father’s return, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a demented cult.

Shadow of God is a mixed bag, but its most compelling element, by far, is the protagonist. He isn’t the solemn, sermon-spouting character you see in countless exorcism movies.

This guy smokes cigarettes, trash talks demons, and even has a lady friend, Tanis (Jacqueline Byers). The extent of their relationship isn’t clear, but it’s implied to have been physical at some point. Catholic priests aren’t supposed to have girlfriends, so this is very naughty indeed.

This movie would have been special if everything about it was as unique as its main character. Unfortunately, it isn’t.

Adrian Hough plays the villain, a generic cult mastermind with an army of henchmen to do his bidding. Speaking of the cult, these folks are more cartoonish than scary. This is the least intimidating cult I’ve seen in awhile. The teen cultists from Yellowjackets would literally eat these guys for lunch.

Mason is the only character who gets any real development. Mark O’ Brien does a solid job as Mason. Byers is likeable as Tanis, but she doesn’t get enough screen time.

The Ending Goes Off The Rails

I was hoping Shadow of God would finish strong, but instead it makes a series of grave errors. First, it blatantly rips off a famous scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

I’ll keep from revealing too many specifics, but if you know what happens to the Nazis at the end of Raiders, it’s similar to the baddies’ fate here. Remaking something that was already done perfectly by a previous film is a recipe for inevitable failure.

Worse, it compounds the error by using awful bargain basement special effects. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – low budget movies should not use CGI! Practical effects are much better in this case.

You need major resources to make truly convincing computer effects (like the dragons in Game of Thrones). Shadow of God‘s producers aren’t HBO. They don’t have the resources to pull this off. This results in a climax that becomes unintentionally laughable. This movie uses computers to *not* accomplish what Raiders accomplished brilliantly with vintage practical effects.

Rating

Shadow of God‘s protagonist gives it a big boost, but not enough to recommend watching it. The movie’s final moments hint at a possible sequel. Maybe Mason will return in a better movie.

Rating from 1 (avoid at all cost) to 10 (masterpiece): 6 

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