In yet another desperate attempt by Hollywood to make Aussie actor Heath Ledger a star, 'Sin Eater' is a rickety supernatural thriller which is overly dependent on a legion of 'Exorcist' cast offs.
Ledger plays Alex Bernier, a member of an ancient order of priests called the Carolingians. A deeply secretive organisation, the Carolingians are thrown into chaos when the head of their order is murdered in Rome. A windswept, ruggedly handsome young priest, Alex Bernier (Ledger) is despatched to discover who was responsible for the slaying. He's shocked to discover the body is covered with the hallmarks of the so-called Sin Eater, a maverick sorcerer who offers an unconventional path to heaven through the consumption of an individual's well, sins, really. Realising that he's out of his depth but recognising the severity of the situation, Bernier is forced to call upon a couple of old acquaintances; Father Thomas (Addy on sidekick duties) and - get this - a girl (Sossamon) he once performed an exorcism on.
Think 'The Exorcist' meets 'Lost Souls' (minus all the interesting parts) and you're someway towards the troubled reality of 'Sin Eater'. A self-important shocker with misguided aspirations towards depth and character, 'Sin Eater' manages loses itself in a crowded uneasy narrative and an over-reliance on too many stock shocks. The type of leading man who is so hollow that he makes Keanu Reeves look like Olivier and De Niro rolled into one, Ledger is still charisma free, but at least he looks vaguely interested in what he's doing here. Which is something, I think.