Good:  Take a hip pair of teenagers who are trained with special spy skills and come loaded with lots of fun gadgets and pair them with two very cool and hip parents who are trained to back them up and help solve dilemmas and you have an exciting combination that is the premise for Frank Peretti’s latest novel turned movie. The story is aimed at the older adolescent/teen market in a high school setting, so the situations and events are obviously relatable to kids and teens in that age group. Producers Ralph Winter, Joe Goodman and Bobby Neutz have created a new category for their movie; they call it a "family thriller." Indeed the story has several intense and thrilling scenes, including kids hallucinating and seeing Abel Frye’s ghost, Elisha getting stuck in a ventilation shaft with scary creatures, several school fights, etc. There are also a few scary moments: costumed people gather in a witching chamber to cast spells on various students, a couple of kids hallucinate and there's another scary plot point. But I’ve been sworn to secrecy not to give it away (I promise you’ll jump and get creeped out). It's the family moments that take this story in a different direction than most thrillers: caring parents, family discussions, prayer at mealtimes, strong family values and working together. Because the story is aimed at older kids to a high school-age audience, it has an edgier look and feel to it. Peretti has woven a complicated “who-done-it” mystery into a story the younger generation can identify with and be passionate about. The message focuses on the effects our actions have on others and the consequences for everyone when cruelty and ridicule wound the spirits of tormentor and victim alike. The story deals with issues about bullying, prejudice, witchcraft, elitism, interracial dating and judging people just because they look different. The surprise twist at the end reveals just how far teenagers will go when repeatedly wounded by others and how devastating that unforgiveness can be. When the truth is revealed, I hope there will be many students who’ll vow to change the world around them, go back to their schools and treat kids differently in hopes of making a difference. 

Bad:  Parents, I’m calling this a "family thriller," but it's not kiddie-friendly. I don’t think this is a movie you’ll want to take your little ones (age 8 and under) to; it's too intense and too much plot for them to follow. This isn’t a big budgeted, Hollywood horror film with all of the bells and whistles, so don’t try to judge or compare it on that basis. But it's also not a small budgeted “Christian” film with an overt Christian message (in fact the few “Christian” parts are mainly at the end). So don’t discount it as that either. This is the first of Frank Peretti’s books to be made into a movie, so the look and feel of it plays like a teenage mystery novel with interesting plot twists, exciting “spy” action, a wonderful cast of characters and a valuable lesson that will hopefully change a few hearts and minds in the end. For those who are curious about the “ghost” factor, Abel Frye did not kill a girl as rumored; he hung himself at the school because he had been tormented by his classmates. The opening scene shows Abel climbing the stairs to hang himself. We see his swinging shadow against the wall, and there are a few scenes of Abel’s ghostly face appearing to several students who are hallucinating.

Bottom Line:  Parents, please get your adolescent age kids and teens to see this movie. I think they’ll be pleasantly surprised at how it relates to their world and will speak to their hearts and minds. I applaud the people behind this film: Ralph Winter, Jerry Rose with TLN Network, Joe Goodman, Bobby Neutz and Rich Cowan who fought to get this movie made because they believe it can be life-changing for our younger generation. They took a chance on daring to be different by using Peretti’s story, filled with subtle biblical themes, and packaging it in an unusual and unconventional movie aimed at reaching kids and teens. And that’s another great example of how God is using Christians to make a difference in Hollywood!