Fatima – A Decent Unobnoxious Religious Drama (Early Review)

For as long as there have been films, there have been religious films. The religious, whatever they may follow, make up a significant portion of the population therefore they tend to show up for films that appeal to their beliefs. As their respective target audiences are large enough, they usually don’t aim outside that target which could make them challenging for any non-religious audiences (you can kind of see where this is going). Similarly, they have not had the need to innovate their messages for the most part (if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it) as many films in recent memory simply do the right things and check the right boxes, consistently resulting in decent success. They attempt appeal to our collective humanity but whether or not they succeed depends on one’s ability to connect with the film’s message. As a result, audiences are likely to hold on to every word or simply roll their eyes at the proceedings with little to no middle ground. Cue Fatima, the latest religion-based film, this time based on a true story in Fátima, Portugal.

Where the film ultimately goes should not come as much of a surprise to anyone. Fatima follows a sister at a Portuguese convent named Lucia (Sônia Braga) as she recounted her story to the skeptic Professor Nichols (Harvey Keitel) (wish there were more scenes between the two but the film kind of squanders the believer vs. skeptic subplot). A 10-year-old Lucia (Gil) and her two young cousins, Jacinta (Howard) and Francisco (Lamelas), in a war-torn Fátima, Portugal in the early 1900s, reported seeing visions of who they claim to be the Virgin Mary (Joana Ribeiro). Suffice it to say that their discovery did not sit well with their respective parents during what was already a contentious time. It was just so hard to believe but regardless of the attempts to keep this quiet, it became increasingly harder to deny as news of their discovery spread like wildfire across the country. Faced with war and death, the masses needing something to believe and hold on to. However, not everyone was on board unsurprisingly. Arturo (Goran Visnjic), the mayor of Fatima seemed mostly concerned of his own reputation in the eyes of the Portuguese government than that of the town while church and other government officials weren’t too keen either.

Subsequent visits between Mary and the children saw her teach them the standard lessons on how to be better Christians and be closer to God. All they had to do was put in the work and most importantly, believe. Now it was up to the children to spread the message to the masses. While they seemed receptive to it, there was still a considerate cloud of disbelief above it all as they spent most of their time spreading Mary’s message as they fought the countless others who did not believe them. Meanwhile, Lucia’s newfound notoriety came at a cost for the rest of her family. At the end of the day, despite the overall mood of the town, her parents were still with her. Those familiar with the story in which the film is based can more or less figure out how this one ends though those familiar with any film can likely do the same. Nevertheless, it was still somewhat compelling to watch but the film as a whole failed to connect Lucia’s story with the present in a satisfying way. If the film was simply that flashback story, it may very well have fared better.

If anything, at least Fatima is nice to look at, boasting some decent cinematography that takes advantage of the Portuguese countryside. Sure, it may be predictable and the subject matter may be eyeroll-inducing for some but it is clear to see how some may be inspired by it. In the end, though it may be a religion-themed film, it doesn’t beat viewers over the head with it in an obnoxious way which is commendable as many films in the genre aren’t as subtle about it. What saves the film was its performances, starting with Gil as the younger Lucia. Her charisma and presence were beyond her years, allowing viewers a way in to connect with her character’s inner plight. While the film may be 10-15 minutes too long, she wasn’t completely dull to watch.

Overall, Fatima is a take it or leave it kind of film. It has a certain target audience for which it will surely find decent success with though anyone else looking for a semi-inspiring story, know what you are going in to.

still courtesy of Picturehouse

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.