DVD Review: The List

Renny Jacobson is shaken by news of his father’s mysterious death. Although they were never close, he is stunned to discover that his father has left his substantial estate to charity, leaving his son with nothing but a reference to an obscure entity called “The Covenant List of South Carolina, Ltd.” Setting out on a quest to learn the truth about “The List,” he meets another descendant of a family bound to the secret society and soon discovers that they are both inheritors of an ancient and sinister secret – as well as a vast fortune. Having signed the covenant with his own blood, he is unprepared to fight the evil forces that now seek to devour everything – and anyone – he holds dear.

Review:
The List isn’t what you expect, with religious undertones and a past dating back to the close of the Civil War, this thriller sweeps into modern times as the power of the list lives on. At the end of the Civil War, a secret society was formed in order to preserve personal wealth. After his father’s death, Renny Jacobson (Chuck Carrington) is shocked to learn that his father has left everything (over $22 million) to this group. Seeking answers, Renny sets out to discover the truth about the society, and he ends up finding more than he bargained for. In the process he meets Jo Johnston (Hilarie Burton), a young woman who has been searching for answers about her father for quite some time, only to find out that her past connects her to the very same list as Renny.

The film was adapted from the novel by Robert Whitlow, and while it’s not exactly same, it does capture the message and will leave the viewer feeling satisfied. What you generally have to watch out for with religious movies, is that you don’t preach to the viewers, because you risk isolating a large part of your audience. Thankfully, The List does not do that. While religion and faith plays a sizable role in the movie, it’s not overwhelming or preachy in any sense.

Viewers will be on the edge of their seat until the end, and they will find the special features a nice touch to a strong release. Those features include a featurette about the power of prayer, a bible study discussion guide, deleted scenes, and audio commentary with the producer/writer/director along with actress Hilarie Burton.

Review by Emma Loggins

Grade: B+
Official site: http://www.thelist-themovie.com
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