Film Comment: The Wicker Tree

The Wicker Tree (2011), the sequel to the truly creepy cult classic film, The Wicker Man (1973), compares very unfavorably with its predecessor.  The first film stars the veteran film actors Christopher Lee (Count Dracula in numerous Hammer Studios films) and Edward Woodward (best known for The Equalizer television series and for Codename: Kyril). If the first film is a pair of silk pajamas, the second film is an old tattered flannel shirt which is missing a few buttons.

The Wicker Tree has no Christian message so why include a review of the film in this blog? The answer is because it has two characters who are explicitly portrayed as Christians.

Beth Boothby and her fiancée Steve are excited and horribly naïve evangelical missionaries from rural Texas (USA). They plan to spend two years evangelizing the pagan people of Scotland.

Beth and Steve find the people of the village of Tressock to be friendly, polite, and generous hosts, but no one is interested in any way in the religious tracts which the two attempt to distribute. The most enthusiastic response from the villagers comes during an assembly in their obviously unused church when Steve and Beth teach them the hymn, “There is Power in the Blood.” The Lord of the village tells the missionaries, “It’s going to be fun … trying to convert us heathens.”

It is almost immediately obvious to the viewer, but not to Beth and Steve, that something is not right in the quaint old village. Beth feels honored to be selected as the new May Day Queen. Steve thinks it is a fine game to  play the part of the Laddie. If you have seen the truly chilling first film you will not be surprised at what the missionaries ultimately find.

Objectionable elements in the film include nudity, vulgarity, sex, gore, and profanity., but there are two other points in the film which I found to be more objectionable.

The portrayal of evangelical Christians is little more than a crude caricature. Beth, while sincere, is unbelievably naïve and is totally unprepared to evangelize. Steve succumbs to the very first temptation set before him.

Beth and Steve are supposed to be from Texas (USA) but they are totally unable to hide the fact that they are British actors. Steve (Hebry Garrett) has a very difficult time staying Texan.

The Texans in the film all attend church wearing their cowboy hats and their missionary organization is “Cowboys for Christ.” In modern secular usage, “cowboy” often is a perjorative and derisive term denoting someone who is violent, stupid, and reckless.

This film, which I believe was intended as a Black Comedy, is insulting to evangelical Christians whom it portrays as naïve, simple, and gullible. It views them as people whose faith is as thin as onion paper and is based, in reality, on nothing.

Actually, the film is also insulting to neopagans, who would be repulsed at the idea of human sacrifice.

The other insulting thing in the film is a cynical utilitarian statement by the lord of the village. “I believe the old religion of the Celts fits our needs at this time. Isn’t that all you can ask of a religion?”

Totally ignore the 2006 Nicholas Cage remake of The Wicker Man.