Depending on one’s familiarity with religious texts, perhaps the claims of The Carpenter’s Son being based on the Infancy Gospel of Thomas will be significant. For this viewer, that meant very little; however, following the storyline comes relatively easy when pared down to the basic elements. This is a version of the traditional story of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, but with Jesus as a burgeoning teenager with a bit of an attitude. Written and directed by filmmaker Lotfy Nathan, there are several ambitious ideas and a dash of stunning cinematography for this mystical religious horror set in 15 AD. The performances vary wildly between serviceable to campy to nuanced, often with members of the ensemble feeling as if they have been imported from another movie entirely. By framing its subtext in a pretentious sheen of elevated horror, The Carpenter’s Son plays its scenario far too seriously to squeeze much fun from a promising premise.
We open with an unremarkable birthing sequence—a woman writhes in labor as her husband, a weary Carpenter (Nicolas Cage), delivers their child under a blinding celestial light. A raid on their village leaves infants slaughtered and families in flight, causing them to frantically hide The Boy. The Carpenter and his wife escape with their son, who seems touched by divinity, or could he be cursed?
Traveling through the desolate countryside, the trio seeks peace, pursued by whispers and skepticism. Many years pass by. Visions plague The Boy (Noah Jupe), now a horny teenager, causing him to awaken in a crippling fear that his father will not tolerate. When The Boy’s touch miraculously heals a leper, the locals proclaim him holy, but the miracle turns to horror as mania spreads through the town. The Boy befriends a strange, taunting girl, aptly dubbed The Stranger (Isla Johnston), who toys with him spiritually and physically. The interpretation of this Satan embraces tropes of the possession subgenre, as well as literal snakes being ripped from mouths. The imagery does not exactly reinvent the wheel here, but it can be unnerving enough to leave a minor mark.
Nicolas Cage eventually delivers exactly the manic performance expected of him. His Carpenter is hollow-eyed and haunted, torn between belief and fatherhood. He mutters prayers before erupting in characteristic fury, teetering between campy and traditionally unhinged. Noah Jupe, meanwhile, portrays The Boy with a perfect dash of wide-eyed innocence as he begins to discover the reality of his powers. Jupe’s piercing screams and bushy brown curls make The Boy feel terrifyingly human. Hopefully we get more of Jupe in the horror space after two Quiet Place movies. FKA Twigs is sadly underused as the mother, mostly relegated to anxious glances. Her matronly character altogether is a missed opportunity to deepen the familial connections.
The most baffling aspect of The Carpenter’s Son is in its intent. Who was this made for? Clearly many people will view it as blasphemous. Not extreme enough for the horror crowd, and not purely dramatic enough for the churchgoers—who, then, would want to seek it out? The only answer appears to lie in Cage’s appeal. The wackiness of his performances and the sheer volume of content he puts out as an actor have earned him quite a reputation amongst film aficionados. The rest of the movie around a wiry-haired Cage functions entirely differently and more generically than anticipated. At least we have a blood-drenched Noah Jupe giving final Boy energy.
Spread the gospel of The Carpenter’s Son exclusively in theaters on Friday, November 14th.
