Or one of the youth pastors houses, if they had a pool.
I know, it sounds like a real blast.
What Is ‘The Reconciler’ About?
Image by Annamaria Ward
You may have heard of this film recently.
What we do know, though, is that these people have enough food and water for seven days.
If they cantreconcile(see what I did there?
Image Via Justice Pictures
)their differences in that time, theyll be trapped there forever.
Or until they starve.
That probably comes first.
Image Via Justice Pictures
The movie begins with two men lying on the floor of what is acting like a warehouse of sorts.
They continue to explore the warehouse together for a way to escape.
However, nothing comes of the search until James reaches into his pocket and finds a key.
Image Via Justice Pictures
Wait, have I seen this somewhere before?
Two guys trapped in a room with a dead body?
If you’re having deja vu, don’t worry; you should be feeling it.
Image Via Justice Pictures
Because it’s the opening of2004’sSaw.
Yep, that’s right!The Reconciler, intentional or not, is pretty muchSawbut for Christians.
And without the deadly games and traps.
They’re all there because of some kind of transgression against the other person.
Though, we aren’t really talkingrealtransgressions inThe Reconciler.
We’re talking about “my brother doesn’t worship Jesus the wayIworship Jesus.”
Not quite the “killed a kid in a crash” thingSawhad going on.
This is the film’s biggest issue, but more on that later.
Its James twin brother, Alex (Jeremy Steel)!
But who cares about that, because Ed says he might know why theyre in this sticky situation!
If they dont reconcile before then, theyll be trapped.
This has Ed working to facilitate a discussion between the estranged brothers.
Most of these conversations go the same way.
The second is a pair of cops, Stacy (Lindsay Lucas) and Bill (Frank Chiesurin).
Theyre following a lead about twin brothers who went missing on the same day.
Until they can get it together, they arent leaving the car.
At first, theyre reluctant, but eventually, they realize they have to open up or starve.
Theyre also the only Reconciler victims not related by blood or marriage.
Theyve been handcuffed together and left in a ravine.
From the start, theyre rather hostile towards one another.
You know, real dad of the year stuff.
Which is insane, isnt it?
However, breaking the cuffs doesnt work, so they go on the walk.
Jeff saves JR after he falls over a ledge.
Its quality bonding time!
The stakes for all of this could not possibly be lower, by the way.
There was no chance of these people dying.
Which would be fine if it wasn’t copy and pastingSaw.
Surely noteveryonereconciled their differences!
Surelythere’ssomeonethat you thought your audience wouldn’t want to live.
Real talk, though, he doesnt really matter.
Who cares, anyway, because, at this point, youre probably wondering how all this ends.
After all, he is the odd man out of the warehouse gang.
He is just some random reporter who knewwaytoo much about the Reconciler.
Well, guess what?
Yeah, you heard that right.
Ed is ourJigsaw…I mean, ourReconciler…I mean, a minion of the Reconciler!
Hes masterminded this whole thing to bring people closer together and back to their faith.
Except, the brothers had never been pulled away from their fate in the first place.
The cops talk it out, father and son grow closer.
And no one dies!
You know, without the dying.
Or any modicum of suspense or dread.
Its just a similar story injected with religion, devoid of creativity, intrigue, or subtlety.
They lied to me.
