Handcart
"Handcart" does a better job than might be expected of telling a story within one of the more tragic episodes in the history of the Mormon pioneers. True, the film is often betrayed by its ultra-ultra-low budget and is bogged down with a mediocre-at-best first half and a tacked-on ending, which blunt the film's overall impact.Yet, unlike some of the more recent LDS film productions, "Handcart" seems to have a lot of heart. And the film's considerably more involving second half helps make it quite watchable.
The story is a heavily fictionalized version of the Martin Handcart Company's 1,200-mile exodus from Iowa City to the Salt Lake Valley in 1856.
Front and center is Samuel Hunter (Jaelan Petrie), a recent convert to the LDS Church. Samuel did so mainly to get closer to Abigail Shipe (Stephanie Albach), a British church member making the trek to fulfill her family's wishes.
Now, as a family outcast, he decides to join Abby, her younger sister Sarah (Gretchen Condie) and 500 other would-be settlers, including the physically imposing but gentle Moose (Chris Kendrick) and Patricia (Stephanie Skinner), a single mother-to-be.
Still, Samuel has doubts about the journey, and there's evidence to back him up. By leaving late in the season, the party is already encountering colder weather. And as party members start dropping, he's not the only one whose faith is wavering.
A lot rides on the cast, which is inconsistent at best. The toothy Albach has trouble maintaining her tricky British accent, but Petrie does make Samuel's internal struggles convincing.
Also, Skinner, Kendrick and Joel Bishop (who plays Edward Martin, the party's leader) merit more screen time. And if only they could somehow have excised the awful and not-nearly-brief-enough supporting turn by local comedian Johnny Biscuit.
"Handcart" is rated PG for a brief scene of violence (a scuffle) and scattered use of mild profanity (religious in nature). Running time: 115 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com