No miracle this.

Rating: Null/10 (2 December 2012)

I heard the hype regarding this film over the years, and when on vacation I was almost bombarded by its presence on TNT Turner Classics. To be honest, I'd never thought much about it, but had heard about Tom Hanks and Michael Duncan being in the film, and how profound and moving the film was.
Well, I finally saw it, and I can't say that I was all that taken with it. A key plot point in the opening sequence is never addressed, and in turn what we're left with is a supernatural unresolved story, leaving this audience member scratching his head.
The film revolves around a condemned man and his restitution to the public, if it could ever be characterized as that. We are made privy to the operations of condemned men in the South, and those who keep watch over them.
As I sat there and watched the film, and as entertaining as I found if, I was still curious as to how the situation, the characters and audience find themselves in, came to being. But, as I say, it is never addressed by the film.
Therefore the film is a kind of ambiguous setup and story, which is designed to leave you with a sense of wonder via your own imagination. And I guess that's why I found it entertaining, but dissatisfying all at once. It's not a film I'll ever wantonly see again.
Technical points; it's a first class production. There are no faults here in execution. This is A-quality commercial film making at its finest. The one fault that prevents me from liking the film is the writing. The whole premise and setup upon which this film is based is left blank. And, if this is not addressed nor otherwise explained, then how on earth can the rest of the film hold together? Simply put, the writer asks you to believe in the supernatural based on the opening scenes and the fate of the main characters. But, even if we're asked to believe in things that cannot be proved, the whole setup, a real situation, is never addressed to begin with. And, if this is so, then how can we invest ourselves in the rest of the story? Again, the fault of the author.
All in all an interesting film, but not one that really held my interest in any regard (I was forced to watch the thing three times while on vacation). If you're of the religious mindset, then you might find this film entertaining. Even if you're not it is worth seeing once for the film itself.
Give it a try.