by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Who doesn’t enjoy a film taking them on a journey? To be fair, some people do enjoy the expected and a familiar path. But when a film can truly surprise me and take its narrative to bold new frontiers, that feels like something special. But that is certainly a risk to take. What if the audience gets lost along the way? They could long for the film they started with and become resentful to what the film has become. But this also puts a filmmaker in a challenging spot, as they must navigate this morphing narrative, while keeping the tone in character and keeping up with the natural build of the film.
The question is…does The Ravine’s shifting gears leave the audience caught between them? This “thriller” might turn out to be a hard pill to swallow for most. But let’s set the stage first. There is a man. He sits in his vehicle… staring down a ravine… with a gun. What is going on? There is intrigue that builds at the start of the film, but unfortunately the story structure betrays it in many ways. The combination of nonlinear storytelling and bold shifts in tone lead The Ravine astray. Writer-director Keoni Waxman attempts to do so much in one two-hour drama that it puts a tremendous strain on the film itself.
How does Waxman conduct this weaving narrative of mystery, violence, and faith? Most of the film is quite drab and flat from a visual standpoint. As the film progresses, the tone becomes more melodramatic and lit obnoxiously. This film swings from tense thriller to cheesy and overbearing faith-based film. It leans so heavily into its faith-based elements towards the end that it doesn’t even feel like the same film, let alone an engaging one. If the film was consistent, one way or another, then maybe it would have been more effective.
But is that the only the struggle? Tonally, the film is all over the place, but so is the narrative. There doesn’t seem to be much rhyme or reason to the actual shifts in timelines or framed narratives. There is a solid amount of intrigue about why this man kills himself at the beginning of the film, and what he really did, but the messy structure undercuts it in many ways. For the 120-minute runtime, there are enough narrative elements to engage the audience, but it is not structured in a way that lets the tension and suspense build.
What can the cast do during the messy narrative? Eric Dane (from Euphoria) is a big tough presence who does get some emotions to work with. But really shining star is really Teri Polo, who shows off plenty of range and gets to shine the most in this story. But let’s not forget Peter Facinelli, who has the tough task of being our mysterious being who ends his life at the beginning of the film. Facinelli does some solid work when on screen in those flashback moments trickling throughout the film. Leslie Uggams (a true veteran and classic presence) shines with her presence even if her purpose feels a bit forced and awkward.
Does The Ravine avoid falling off the edge? There are enough elements to offer up some satisfying experiences. The trouble is that this film is so messy that it never feels like it comes together as a single cinematic experience. This bipolar film is one that falters in delivering a satisfying thriller and faith-based examination.
Score: 4/10
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