The Masked Saint – surprises in store for God fearing Christians.

This film won the Best Picture at the 2015 International Christian Festival and is entertaining, action packed, includes characters who ensure our Christian faith is challenged and has quite a few tear jerking and awe inspiring moments.  How does a man who is a professional wrestler, sometimes taking falls for his money hungry boss, making the audience cringe and almost withdraw, become a priest who is essentially an American version of the star of the  well-loved British series, The Equaliser?  The film was spawned by a bestselling book of the same name and is based on a true story.

Loveable wrestler aka The Saint Chris Samuels retires from that game to become a priest in a small town.  Together with his wife and daughter – the daughter having witnessed with her mother the not so pretty events in the wrestling ring which Chris has experienced, they try to increase attendance at the local church only to find the residents of the town are unfriendly and many trapped in unhealthy relationships. Within the Church are characters who are set in their ways, aggressive, and struggling with finances to keep it running.  Chris’s sermons start in a faltering way and he eventually has to deal with a pile of bills and invoices which lead him to make him make a strong decision – to go back in the wrestling ring – the same ring in which The Reaper fought him and broke his leg in a horrid  violent manner which must have been one of the reasons Chris left originally. But he has to make money for the church and so the story unfolds.

Chris has a devoted daughter and strong relationship with his youthful naturally beautiful wife – who in the story becomes pregnant with a boy.  However, Chris’s previous training in violent wrestling means he cannot leave his previously feisty devotion alone and after witnessing local women in the area he works in as a Pastor being brutally treated by totally unsavoury men, he grabs his mask and leading a double life, beats up several men and saves women on the way, hotly pursued by a local policeman who can’t wait to incriminate and prosecute him. Even a line-up proves futile for the officer when Chris manages to grab the attention of the lady he wants to give him away by a subtle shake of the head.  The acting throughout the story is well executed and there is no moment when the audience are not totally wrapped up in the story of Chris’s progress.

This moving story stars Brett Granstaff (Vice), Lara Jean Chorostecki (Hannibal), Oscar nominee Diahann Carroll (Grey’s Anatomy), James Preston Rogers (Pixels) and the late WWE Halld of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in his last confirmed film.

In many ways the story tells us that in life nothing is black and white.  There are many grey areas where even a man who takes up the cloth and becomes a pastor cannot prevent himself from seeking justice on those who no-one else wants to handle. We see the rise and rise of the church and a basketball event with plenty of manoeuvres all part of the money-raising and networking ventures.  There is a very endearing lady character –            who charms the pastor/saint and is happy when the congregation grows while the pastor is busily putting people in their place behind the scenes.  The best part of the story is that is based on true events. Try not to miss the film when the DVD/Digital release in the UK happens on 23 May.  It is a Certificate 12 with a running time of 101 mins.  Solo Media and Matchbox films are the  distributors. Enjoy.

Penny Nair Price