Sin Eater - The soul of evil

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Movie
German title Sin Eater - The soul of evil
Original title The Order
Country of production USA , Germany
original language English
Publishing year 2003
length 102 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Brian Helgeland
script Brian Helgeland
production Craig Baumgarten
Thomas M. Hammel
Brian Helgeland
Michael Kuhn
music David Torn
camera Nicola Pecorini
cut Kevin Stitt
occupation

Sin Eater - The soul of evil ( The Order ) is an US-American - German Fantasy - Thriller by Brian Helgeland from the year 2003 with Heath Ledger in the lead role.

action

Alex Bernier is a priest working in New York City , he belongs to a dying secret order, the Carolingians. When the leader of this order - Alex's fatherly friend and mentor - dies in Rome under unknown circumstances, the young priest travels to Rome , accompanied by his friends Thomas Garrett and Mara Sinclair.

Alex learns of a ritual built around the Sin Eater (dt. Sin- Bearers), which is supposed to enable a person to be freed from their sins on the deathbed without the involvement of the church. All sins are transferred to the person who carries them. While doing his research, Alex meets a cardinal named Driscoll. He hands him a dagger that is said to be able to kill a Sin Eater . While searching for the Sin Eater , Bernier's companion and friar Thomas is attacked by demons, but Alex is able to save him from them.

Through a cruel ritual of a hooded Christian sect, in which the hanged get visions as they die, Alex is able to find out where the sin-bearer can be found. He meets the Sin Eater William Eden in St. Peter's Basilica. This claims to have delivered people from their sins for centuries. Eden wants the priest to succeed him because he finally wants to find his peace. He persuades the clergyman to give in to his feelings for Mara. As a result, Alex resigns from his priesthood.

When he then rejects Eden's offer to become a sin-bearer, the latter kills Mara. He explains to her beforehand that he has been working towards transferring his duties to Alex since he was a child. For this purpose he had intervened several times in his life. He was also responsible for the alleged accidental death of his father and the suicide of his mother, as well as the meeting with his mentor and also with the cardinal. When Alex finds the dying and already unconscious Mara, he discovers the objects with which he can carry out the ritual of the sin-bearer and sees in this, since he is no longer a clergyman, the only way to free Mara from the mortal sin of suicide.

Thomas Garrett, who is still looking for a way to defeat the Sin Eater , is lured into a trap by the aforementioned sect and learns that Cardinal Driscoll, who identifies himself as the head of the fanatics, is making common cause with Eden and in return for his help hopes to be elected Pope. In addition, before his capture, Thomas receives the second part of a parchment through which he comes to a shocking realization.

Meanwhile, Alex forcibly gains access to another ritual of the sect in order to track down Eden, which has disappeared without a trace. Since he was not burdened with any mortal sin when Mara was freed from sin, he suspects that Mara has used it and wants to take revenge. He recognizes Thomas in the hanged man this time and can save his friend at the last moment. While on the run, he tries to share his findings with him, but before he can catch his breath, Alex has made his way to St. Peter's Basilica. Before Thomas can stop him, he kills Eden. In doing so, he suffers a fate that his friend wanted to warn him about all along: he becomes a sin-bearer himself and thus receives Eden's strength and all the sins that have been collected. Thomas leaves him in the cathedral with the promise to look for a way to free him from this burden.

After one of the two Driscolls betrays the pact with Eden to the church and thus ensures its excommunication , the latter calls the sin-bearer. The former cardinal then commits suicide by bloodletting , but is not freed from his sins by Alex as hoped. In the end, he explains that he does not sell his services like his predecessor, but only helps those who really show repentance and thus deserve it.

Reviews

The lexicon of international films wrote that the film was an " overloaded fantasy thriller full of pseudo-theological set pieces ". His action is " trivial ", his staging oscillates " between ridiculousness and helplessness ".

Cinema magazine wrote that the film contained “ demonic rumblings ” and that it was “so ugly and wretchedly boring that it should be banished to the deepest lead chambers of the Vatican ”. The " rushing pathos " and the " ridiculous dialogues of this inflated popschanz " were ridiculed.

background

The film was shot in Italy , including Rome and Naples . Its production amounted to an estimated 38 million US dollars . The film grossed approximately $ 7.66 million in US cinemas.

Heath Ledger , Shannyn Sossamon and Mark Addy have already stood together in front of the camera for the film Knights Out of Passion , which was also directed by Brian Helgeland.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Sin Eater - The Soul of Evil in the Lexicon of International FilmsTemplate: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used , accessed July 26, 2007
  2. Cinema, accessed July 26, 2007
  3. ^ Filming locations for The Order, accessed July 26, 2007
  4. ^ Box office / business for The Order, accessed July 26, 2007