Nicolas Cage, a prolific and unpredictable screen presence, leads the cast of the forthcoming religious-horror film The Carpenter’s Son — a dark, unsettling take on episodes from Jesus’ childhood. As someone who admires Cage’s recent work in films like Pig and his classic turn in Face/Off, I found the premise intriguingly strange — though it has already prompted some early pushback online.
Writer-director Lotfy Nathan draws inspiration from the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, an apocryphal and contested text that recounts episodes from Jesus’ youth. In that disputed narrative the boy—portrayed as learning and misusing supernatural abilities—occasionally causes harm, with scenes that, in some tellings, have tragic consequences for others.
Nathan’s adaptation centers on a family sheltering in Roman-era Egypt and the uncanny events that unfold when a child known only as “the Boy” begins to manifest powers beyond his control. As his abilities surface, the family finds itself besieged by both earthly terrors and inexplicable, possibly divine, forces.
The Carpenter’s Son follows a family in hiding in Roman Egypt. The Boy, raised under the care of the Carpenter, is unsettled by the arrival of another enigmatic child. As he rebels and discovers extraordinary powers, the Boy’s actions draw down horrors upon his family — forces that are both natural and supernatural in origin.
Cage portrays the Carpenter (identified as Joseph), joined by FKA Twigs as the Mother and Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place) as the Boy. The film’s first teaser offers only a brief glimpse of Cage’s performance, but it’s intense enough to make the picture feel like a must-see for fans of bold, boundary-pushing cinema. That said, some viewers — particularly among religious communities — have voiced discomfort in advance of the release, posting reactions on forums and blogs. Examples include threads on Reddit and commentary on independent sites like The Bible Artist.
Whether that early controversy will extend beyond online reaction remains uncertain. For viewers who find the premise provocative, there are plenty of other Cage vehicles to watch — including the 2014 faith-themed thriller Left Behind — while the debate around The Carpenter’s Son plays out.
Source: Polygon
