Parents' Guide to

The Masked Saint

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Trite faith-based tale has mature themes, lots of violence.

Movie PG-13 2016 111 minutes
The Masked Saint Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

THE MASKED SAINT (aka Chris Samuels, played by Brett Granstaff) is a popular wrestler. He is also a devoted family man and an ordained minister. After a run-in with Nick, a corrupt promoter, "The Saint" quits wrestling and is hired as the pastor of a decaying church in Michigan. With his supportive family in tow, Chris makes the move from Florida to the Midwest with strong faith, great intentions, and no experience. The church has few parishioners and no money and offers little in the way of enrichment. Beyond that, in short order, Chris encounters a bullying church leader, a vicious pimp, an abusive husband, and armed robbers, all of whom need straightening out by someone with exactly his physical prowess. So Chris puts his other talents to work -- both in the ring, to help finance the church, and on the streets, unrecognized in the Saint's mask, to save lives. Only a skeptical police officer and Chris's own struggles with pride may prevent him from restoring the church, redeeming its sinners, and finding joy and competence in his new endeavor.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Good intentions and declarations of strong faith cannot save this poorly executed and wholly predictable movie that was "inspired by a true story." With few exceptions, the performances are clumsy and self-conscious. The characters are one-dimensional. The situations are hackneyed and surprise-free. The faith-based messages are actually dispiriting because they're repetitive, unoriginal, and lacking subtlety. Both Diahann Carroll and wrestler Roddy Piper (in his last role) make appearances, but their characters are equally one-note. Given all that and some brutal wrestling sequences and street violence, there's nothing to recommend this movie to general audiences. Even those who look forward to movies that affirm their beliefs may be disappointed.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the Saint as vigilante. Comic book superheroes save ordinary citizens from villains all the time, and audiences find that acceptable. In this movie, the real-life hero saves innocents and administers justice on the streets of a real city. Did you agree with the detective that the preacher was a criminal for that behavior? What are both the physical and moral dangers of taking matters into your own hands? What else could Chris have done?

  • Which, if any, characters in this movie surprised you? Why is it satisfying when characters go to unexpected emotional places? Did you know early on what would happen to Mindy over the course of this movie? To Mr. Lumpkin? To the church?

  • Should filmgoers expect excellence in movies that deal with topics about which they are already passionate? Should faith-based movies be held to the same standards as other films? Is that also true for films about other passions, such as baseball, dance, or science fiction?

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