User reviews

This movie was a little hard to follow. The flashbacks are too sporadic and abrupt. Joanna is reminiscent of Mother Abigail from The Stand but seems more like a Saturday Night Live spoof character than an homage. The cast are all good actors with established careers but I feel the script and direction failed them. The story is an important one to tell but the execution missed the mark for me. I watched the entirety of the film to see it through but it was a bit of a struggle to do so. It had the potential to be a blockbuster but left me with more of a dark, Hallmark movie vibe. Being that this was based on a true story, I would love to see it retold in a more cohesive manner. The styling and cinematography were well done. I will give it that. I do think it's still worth a watch because it touches on mental health struggles and understanding grief which are two topics that everyone needs to talk about more often to help with the stigmas attached to both.

I fully agree with the other comments here. The movie got me intrigued and I thought it was going to develop into a decent plot. It turned out however that it is more intended to spread a message of forgiveness and Christianity. The fact that it claimed to be inspired on real events made it sound even more interesting. The acting was good, but the movie itself turned out to be very disappointing, trying to convey an message which most people will strongly disagree with. If Danny Turner went to heaven, then Hell is empty.

... boy, are you in for a treat! The story is told in a series of stilted, unnatural monologues. It plays more like one of those made-for-TV, crime reenactment shows.

If you like learning midway in that you've rented a faith-based movie ... you'll be as happy as a born-again Christian at a church-basement potluck.

Added bonus: stock-music soundtrack that doesn't quite match the various years the story references. Really groovy.

I paid seven dollars to rent this movie based solely on the IMBD reviews. My guess is the reviews were generated at the church basement potluck right after the coffee cake was served.

I think this is where I'm supposed to forgive everyone involved in this pretentious, badly acted and annoyingly pontifical movie.

I do not forgive. I mean ... seven dollars is seven dollars.

I have never written a review for a movie before. Yes, that's how bad this one is.

They pulled me in with the "based on a true story", "true crime". But it really was more of a religious propaganda film. Should be listed in the "Christian genre". Pretty deceiving just to get more views, in my humble opinion. I don't know how they got Eric Dane and Teri Polo to agree to be in this movie. Not what I was expecting or what I wanted to watch.

I really wish I would have read these reviews before I decided to watch this. Couldn't agree more with the 1 star ratings. This gets a big thumbs down for me.

This movie was not a mystery OR a thriller. It was some kind of supernatural-old woman-can-see-things movie. I kept waiting for it to get good or even decent, but it never did.

Another thing this movie isn't is FIVE stars - it's not even TWO stars! The people who made this movie must've coerced everyone they know to get this movie to the 5 star rating on the platform I rented it from - that's the only thing that makes sense.

Please, and what I've said is just my opinion - you may feel differently, but please, don't buy this movie. If you have to waste your money and time on it - maybe because you lost a dare or a bet - rent it, and then try to forget it. Shouldn't be hard.

I enjoyed the film - even though the subject matter is not pleasant. Great cast and performances, in my opinion. A film built on spirituality, grief, and redemption. It's a drama, not a whodunit murder mystery. If religious movies turn you off - this won't be your cup of tea.

.... in the end I didn't. A load of pretentious garbage and a waste of an hour and a half of my precious time on earth. I'm sure those who watch film as some kind of intellectual exercise might appreciate it but I watch films to be entertained, and this did not do that. Sat waiting for the big reveal, but there wasn't one.

Unfortunately, all the 1 and 2 category reviews seemed to be off-putting because it had a spiritual message. I thought it was a decent movie that made you think about the struggles of the real world and those that fail to have faith. The 1 and 2 category reviewers fall into that class and bash it just because it's "faith". Belief in God is all too frequently the target of ridicule as can be read in these reviews. Acknowledging that there could be something bigger than our simple lives scares too many in today's society. Decadence has become the norm and it shows in movies and in some peoples response to a movie that even slightly promotes faith. It's a good movie. Period.

A family is left devastated when a shocking crime leaves them all wondering what and why, as the family come together, they hear of a shocking past, which may just hold the answer to recent events.

Based on a true story, The Ravine is an interesting enough movie, one that is for the most part, worth your time.

At times it becomes a little confusing, it doesn't particularly flow well, the flashbacks don't always seem to make sense, I did have to rewind back once or twice to just try and put the pieces together.

It just goes to show, someone may present as being sane, sorted and living the perfect, wholesome life, it's not always the case.

Acting was decent, Peter Facinelli was rather good, he's maturing well.

6/10.

What a huge disappointment this movie was.

First off, there's no indication in the categorization that it is a CHRISTIAN movie. I had to stop and back out to re-read the description and make sure. It says Mystery, Thriller. But this is definitely a faith-based movie along the lines of God is Dead. I don't appreciate being tricked into watching by dangling the mystery/thriller carrot. If I had paid for this, I'd be asking for a refund.

It teases that there is a mystery to be solved which is a complete lie. There is no mystery, we know immediately who did what because they spend the entire movie hand wringing over how to forgive this evil person who doesn't deserve any sort of grace. But the over-arching message is that if you want to have peace within yourself, you have to forgive them no matter what despicable act they committed.

And I know there's not a lot of great work in H'wood for mature black actresses, but I was even sadder to see the great Leslie Uggams being used in this fashion. Stalking around whispering magical affirmations to the kind non-black folk in town.

This had the makings of a really good thriller but someone came along and layered it with mounds and mounds of christianity and ruined it. I would give it zero stars if I could.

It's like two completely separate movies were cut in half and then just taped together. If they had gone with the whodunit theme, or had gone with the Christianity theme of forgiveness and overcoming evil, either way would've been fine. But the fact that the trailer set it up more as a whodunit,and they didn't finish it in that manner, it just really didn't make any sense.

Promoted as a "Mystery Thriller", with Not Even a Hint of its "True" Nature.

This is What's Categorized in the Sub-Genre of "Christian Movies" Today.

A "False Witness" Exercise in "Sleight of Hand" that Leaves the Majority of Viewers Angry for the "Hoodwink".

What is "Witnessed" by an Unsuspecting Audience is a Confusing Story from the Get-Go with a Motivation for the Killer, who Brutally Murders His Wife and His Son. The Motivation is...

Wait for it...

The "Dark-Side" Made Him Do it, Or so Says a Christian Clairvoyant who Speaks to Heaven's Representative.

Shown in the Form of a Soft-Spoken, Elderly, Black Woman Who Channels Messages from the After-Life...That Accurately Speaks to Her of the Future in Selected People's Lives.

There is Much Sermonizing and Soul Searching, Weeping, Wailing, and Gnashing of Teeth. A Lot of it, and then the "God-Whisperer" Shows Up, Consoles, and Everything's Hunky-Dory.

Exorcised from All the Woo-Woo, there is No Here There and What is There is the Stuff of 'Day-Time" TV.

The Only Mystery Here is Why These Movie-Makers are Afraid and Embarrassed, by the Film's Message and Hide it From the Promotion and Packaging of its Picture.

For Scheming and Underhanded Handling of the Post-Production,

its Penance...

Say 3 "Our Fathers" and 3 "Hail Marys" and Donate All Profits to a Non-Christian Charity and Thank Heaven for Forgiveness,

Also, Should Vow to Not Repeat this Type of Sham Ever Again.

NOT RECOMMENDED.

First, the "thriller" shelving is all wrong. It's only labeled such as a marketing tactic. At no point is a protagonist in danger. There is some "mystery," but that's hardly the point of the movie. It's a spiritual drama.

Had it been shelved appropriately, I wouldn't have watched it tbh. But since I did, I must admit that I did desire to see the solution. It was a let-down. Even if I was interested in a spiritual drama, I wouldn't have been pleased. The film is almost entirely exposition and artlessly done. It's obvious and it all falls flat.

I gave it a chance because it was on sale on Prime for 99 cents and because I recognized. Teri Polo from earlier work and Eric Dane from Euphoria. As skilled as they are, they couldn't save this project from poor writing and cinematography. A dollars a dollar but that 2 hours (a full 2 hour) would be nice to have back.

The first 15 minutes introduces some the characters. I regard that as a slow start. Then they start to get the bad news and that's where I quit.

I did of course read the blurb about the film but I thought it would be more of a crime investigation story. Perhaps it is, but I guess I'll never know because as I said above, I quit watching. I have no desire to watch a depressing film such as this.

From what I did see, the acting is top notch. The start was a bit confusing, switching from character to character, but I guess if I'd watched further it would have made sense.

Give it a go if you want to be depressed.

I myself found the movie to be excellent. Loved how the writer explained the importance of forgiveness. I also truly appreciate the truth behind the movie. Daily we have to exercise our freewill choosing to will ourselves to do what's right for the whole meaning those you love or in your immediate circle or choosing to use our will for self which normally effect the whole. As a Christian, I truly enjoyed the movie and would recommend this movie as a must share. Lol, Lord knows I immediately begin using the share link sharing with family and friends. Look forward to seeing another movie like this.

Skip this sappy time-waster. Just a bunch of unfounded and illogical "spiritual" claptrap dressed up as a mystery crime drama.

The wise, all-seeing woman appears on the scene bragging she has talked to the dead so she has all the answers for the poor suffering people left behind wondering. She gives no proof of her whole concocted story, and the friends don't know her from Adam (who could have actually answered their questions ) yet just believe every little thing she says.

She even had the nerve to call it The Universe at one point, contradicting even the flawed Christendom stories she had been telling!

Just plain stupid.

No redeeming characteristics at all; even the music is cheesy.

Totally disrespectful to the families of real life tragedies . When a husband ie. Scott Peterson wipes out his family there is no "evil" or "angel" ! So disgusting this film! Disgusting!

Arrogance, misogyny, entitled, selfishness are what make a father kill his entire family.

This movie plays it off as if it was out of his hands, mysticism evil made him do it, seriously how horrible to represent the murdered this way! Murders his children!!! Oh but the angel stepped in to save the last one? Please!

The acting? Everyone is acting how to act; brutal! Teri Polo tried so hard but she never acts, she just looks like she's on the toilet face in every scene mustarding no emotional response from the audience.

Hard Pass, i do not recommend!

Christian propaganda film! Just like everything else CHRISTIAN, this movie is incredibly manipulative. It started out great with good acting, then went downhill. Good God.