Revelation film review

certificate_15

REVELATION

If Revelation, Stuart Urban's occult thriller, is an indication of the current standard of British films, then we may as well read our homegrown industry the last rites.

Poorly scripted and acted, the film fashions fascinating real life mythology into ham-fisted hokum, and spends a vast amount of time (and presumably the meagre budget) traipsing from one sunny European locale to the next, when the film-makers' energies really ought to have been channelled into tightening the screenplay.

Terence Stamp accepts a thankless supporting role as billionaire collector Magnus Martel, who enlists the help of his estranged computer expert son, Jake (James D'Arcy), and alchemy student Mira (Natasha Wightman) to locate an ancient relic called the Loculus, which has been fought over by good and evil since time began.

The young couple travel around the world, facing competition from an evil sentinel known as The Grand Master (Udo Kier), who witnessed the crucifixion of Christ and has been searching for the Loculus ever since.

As Jake and Mira edge ever closer to the truth, aided by Father Ray Connolly (Liam Cunningham), the terrible secrets of the relic become apparent.

Their growing attraction to one another also proves an unwelcome distraction, especially with the fate of the world in the balance.

The screenplay splices the ancient arts of sacred geometry, astrology and alchemy, with modern science (genetic engineering), to contrive a race against time around the globe that sees Jake and Mira dash breathlessly from Britain and France, to Malta and Greece.

Revelation aspires to be a 21st century Raiders Of The Lost Ark, but has neither the dashing hero (D'Arcy is horribly wooden), bravura action sequences, or believable supporting characters.