My goodness, was I mad as hell when The Shack ended! Now, before I get into this, I have to say that I have seen many Christian movies over the years, some I like, some I do not. The whole Christian and “faith” thing has never been something to scare me away from a movie and that rang true here.
How to Download The Shack
The Shack was released on March 3, 2017. You can download or stream the film from a digital platform. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. Additionally, check out our reviews of other Christian movies, such as Nefarious, Jesus Revolution, or Lifemark.
The Movie Review
I saw this on Amazon and it had Sam Worthington in it, an actor that I liked, and the description read like it was some kind of serial killer thriller with a dad out for the revenge of the death of his daughter. It sounded pretty damn awesome and I suggested it to my wife and she agreed that it sounded like something we would like.
The Key Facts About The Shack
| Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Movie Title | The Shack |
| Release Date | March 3, 2017 |
| Download and Streaming | Available for download from a digital platform. |
| Main Actor | Sam Worthington |
| Genre | Serial killer thriller with a father seeking revenge for his daughter’s death. |
| Plot Setup | The Shack has an interesting opening quarter with a compelling setup. The story revolves around the main character Mack, who had a troubled upbringing with an abusive father. |
| Mack’s Family | Mack grows up, marries, and has a good life with his wife and three children. However, their family fun takes a tragic turn when his youngest daughter, Missy, goes missing, sparking fears of a serial killer. Mack is devastated, and his eldest daughter, Kate, blames herself. |
| Twist in the Plot | The story takes a strange twist as Mack receives a letter instructing him to meet at “The Shack.” He believes this is his opportunity for revenge and closure in the case of his daughter’s disappearance. |
| Christian Element | The Christian element of the movie comes into play as Mack encounters three individuals at “The Shack,” representing God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. They aim to help Mack heal and find happiness for the sake of his family. |
| Execution and Reception | The execution of the Christian theme may be polarizing. Some find it on-the-nose, while others appreciate its premise. The movie presents a promising serial killer setup, but it doesn’t deliver on that front, leaving some viewers disappointed. |
| Ending | The movie’s ending attempts to be clever, leaving the audience to decide its reality. However, some viewers find it lazy storytelling, which detracted from their overall enjoyment of the film. |
| Viewer Opinion | Opinions on the film vary. While some may find it “okay,” others may share your disappointment, feeling that it’s not worth the time invested. |
The Setup
The Shack is a movie that has an interesting opening quarter and then the rest sucks. It has a fantastic setup and I was completely sucked into this story and cared about our main character Mack. Mack was brought up by a mean and abusive father who caused his mother to leave him and Mack ends up poisoning his father when he is younger.
Mack’s Life
Mack grows up and has a good and loving life with his wife and three children. However, while out having family fun, his youngest daughter, Missy ends up missing and they think she has been taken by a serial killer! Mack as you would expect is devastated and his eldest daughter, Kate blames herself.
A Strange Twist
Things take a strange twist as Mack gets a letter telling him to meet at “The Shack.” Mack thinks that this is his chance for revenge and he can get some closure by killing the person who took his little girl! How awesome does all of what I just described sound? I know right? This movie has such a great setup and I was completely all in.
The Christian Element
Then we get to the Christian twist in the movie. Mack arrives at The Shack and meets three people. These people are the manifestations of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and they are here to help “heal” Mack. They are there to help heal Mack so that he can be there for his family, move on, and be happy.
Execution and Disappointment
Look, as a premise, I can get this, but I hated the execution here. It really was right on the nose with the whole Christianity thing, so much so that it was a real turn-off. Plus, we get this great serial killer setup and there is no payoff for it at all. We do get Mack realizing that he needs to be there for his family and that he still has a lot to live for, but it felt like such a bait-and-switch with how the movie started.
The Ending
To make matters even worse, the ending of the movie is trying to be really clever and try and make the audience decide if it is real or it is not. It just came across as really lazy storytelling and it turned me off even more! My wife said that it was “okay”, however, I really did not like this movie and it is two hours of my life I will never get back. I would 100 percent give this one a miss, even if you are like me and think the plot sounds awesome!
