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More and more movies made by Christians, about Christians, and marketed to Christians are opening in theaters every month. Most of them are shrugged off by critics—including members of the religious press—as mediocre (or worse) in their craftsmanship, and as preachy in their storytelling.

Only a handful of recent such films—like The Second Chance—combine excellent craftsmanship with inspiring portrayals of Christian faith. They have impressed viewers with content and with form, showing more than telling, exploring rather than proselytizing.

It begs the question: Are Christian moviemakers taking the best path by sending message-driven movies out to theaters in second-rate packages? Doesn't excellence—or the lack of it—send a message of its own?

The latest of these films, The Last Sin Eater, is earning some praise for its lead actress, 11-year-old Liana Liberato. But is it a step in the right direction for Christian filmmaking?

That depends on which critic you ask. Christian film reviewers are divided over this adaptation of Francine Rivers' novel, which was directed by Michael Landon Jr.

Peter T. Chattaway (Christianity Today Movies) says, "The film suffers from pedestrian direction, but it benefits from decent performances, especially where its young star, Liana Liberato, is concerned. As a window into an older culture, or an evening's entertainment with the family, you could certainly do worse. Just don't be surprised when the movie starts preaching to the converted—that is, to the fellow believers who will undoubtedly make up the bulk of its audience."

Under a title calling the film "mediocre," Annabelle Robertson (Crosswalk) says she's "uncomfortable" criticizing a fellow Christian's art, but affirms that we must hold each other to high standards. To that end, she observes that Landon is "a bit heavy-handed with his gospel presentation . . . leaving little to the imagination. As a result, non-Christian viewers will probably not enjoy the film."

She adds that there are problems with the production values, the "didactic" dialogue, the pacing, the editing, the "stale" cinematography, the "off-kilter" sound, and more.

But she concludes that "Christian audiences looking for solid teaching about the faith will appreciate this very much, along with the beautiful Utah scenery."

Bob Hoose and Steven Isaac (Plugged In) praise Liberato, and applaud the film for "telling a story about how Christ's redemptive work can set free even the most guilt-beset heart." But they add that "[M]any of Liberato's adult co-stars fail to live up to her potential. And chunks of the script feel as if the writer was working around commercial breaks, not directly addressing more savvy theatergoers whose expectations are rising right along with ticket prices."

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) is fairly complimentary, saying it's "rather short on period atmosphere, but consistently holds your interest despite plot improbabilities, and registers as good family fare for all but the very youngest viewers. … There are fine Christian messages, in an evangelical vein, about redemption, reconciliation and renewal."

But most mainstream film critics find it to be an elaborate advertisement for Jesus instead of a memorable work of art.

Jessica Grose (Village Voice) says the film has "a heavy-handed Christian agenda and barely legible plot." And Joe Leydon (Variety) agrees: "Never afraid to overstate the obvious … Landon establishes, underscores and italicizes each plot point with the well-intentioned didacticism of a Sunday School teacher."

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February (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51