Tagline
Every soul has its price. Behind the disguise of good hides the soul of evil. The Order will find you. (taken from imdb.)
Plot
This is not a film for the easily scared. You need to pay attention, or you will loose track of what is going on. From the opening scene to the end, the Sin Eater is fast, thrilling and mysterious. The complex world and events happening in this move require you to think actively, they are not explained thoroughly. A welcome experience for those who are tired of the sit-back-and-relax-we-will-bring-you-everything-you-need type films that are so common nowadays.
Heath Ledger is Alex Bernier, a priest from the secret Catholic order: the Carolignians. When the head of the order and his mentor Dominic dies, he travels to Rome to find out what has happened. The circumstances of Dominic's supposed suicide are suspicious and turn out to be more sinister than he imagined. Alex is assisted by his best friend and fellow Carolignian priest Thomas (Mark Addy) and Mara, a girl who recently escaped from a mental institution and turned to Alex for refuge. The strange markings on Dominic's body and the writing at the spot where he died lead Alex to the Sin Eater (Benno Fürmann). The drab atmosphere in this movie, created by using a lot of shadows, rain clouds and dark rooms, and the ghosts and graveyards makes you think this Sin Eater is probably a horrible person that kills whoever he fancies. He isn't. The Sin Eater, who's real name is William Eden, gives absolution to people who have been excommunicated by the Catholic Church and therefor can't recieve last rites. The ritual that he performs transfers the sins into the Sin Eater's soul, so that the person who the ritual is performed on can die peacefully and go to heaven. This actually makes the Sin Eater a good person, were it not that his services come at a high price. Dominic had little posessions, so he offered Eden, who has been the Sin Eater for 600 years and is tired of it, a way out: Alex. Eden tricks Alex into becoming his sucessor. Corrupt Cardinal and Pope-wannabee Driscol (Peter Weller) is the true evil in this film. He tries to corrupt the Church in order to be chosen as the new Pope, and turns out to have a very creepy way of answering questions that involves hanging people.
Acting
Brian Helgeland also directed A Knight's Tale, in which Ledger, Sossamon and Addy play lead roles as well. A nice reunion, but don't think these films have anything else in common! A Knight's Tale is a light hearted comedy, the Sin Eater is a dark and mysterious thriller. Heath Ledger plays his part convincingly. He is perfectly capable of portraying a somber, pensive person with a permanent frown. Alex is confused about what is going on when William Eden takes him to his next case, and although this is not explained in the film, what he thinks shows on his face clearly. The scene where he finds Mara in a pool of blood and on the edge of death is gripping, though he is at his best when he kills creepy Driscol. Sossamon as Mara fails to live up to her potential, which she clearly showed in A Knights Tale. From what you learn about her history, Mara is supposed to be mentally instable, but Sossamon is not able to keep that up throughout the movie. Her acting is somewhat boring and only leaves a lingering impression. This could be because her character is only important at the moment she dies and Alex becomes the next Sin Eater through her death. Addy is the worthy side-kick and a dear friend and colleague to Alex. He is very convincing in the more scary parts of the movie. Fürmann’s part as the evil good guy must have been hard, but he marvels at it. He actually makes you believe he is the nicest person in the world before asking the highest price for your eternal place in heaven.
Verdict: although the comments that this film is a bad rip-off of Stigmata, The Excorcist or Buffy, it's worth watching. In a time when books like The Da Vinci Code are a rage, the Sin Eater fits the genre with it's religious background. If you like the occult genre and have enjoyed Constantine or Anne Rice novels, you will like this too. If you want to swoon over Heath Ledger or Shannyn Sossamon, rent it! I have to add that I have not been brought up religiously in any way, so I am not bothered by any 'mistakes' concerning Catholicism that are in this film.