Gareth Evans turns his martial arts back on the genre of film that made his name. The Apostle, a period horror is, therefore, a gamble which I do not think pays off. I see Raid 3 on the horizon.
The film is a thinly-veiled cousin of the Wicker Man – set on a remote island surrounded by a bunch of weirdos who have their own religion. No Edward Woodward here but a delicate and exposed performance from Dan Stevens whose mission is to find his sister.
This overran in screen time for me (138 mins). Too rambling and uncertain of its high points. The film was gruesome and murky thought Michael Sheen (and his brutal haircut) should rejoice with an unbiddable role as a murder some preacher. I spotted my favourite character of all time (The Thick of It’s Jamie) and he played a bit part as a wondering (non-swearing) minstrel of a servant to the devil preacher. They all have secrets and the one in his film is how I sat through it.
All told, a mismatch of entertainment and certainly some legerdemain to get the audience to think it is the film which delivers. I wanted it to be better but it fell flat.
Les Rowley's world 