USA: Hilary Swank stars in "The Reaping", a film about a university professor who uses science to disprove what others view as miracles

In "The Reaping," actress Hilary Swank portrays a former Christian missionary who abandons her faith after the tragic death of her family, and has since become a world-renowned expert in disproving religious phenomena. Swank plays university professor, Katherine Winter, who is focused on finding scientific answers to what others are calling "miracles" around the world. And when a high school science teacher named Doug (David Morrissey) approaches her to investigate events in a small Louisiana town called Haven that appears to have been struck by several Biblical plagues, she accepts the challenge. The church-going members of the community start pointing to a little girl named Loren (AnnaSophia Robb) as the source of the dark forces that seem to threaten their existence. And for the first time in her career, Winter is having difficulty explaining the strange occurrences, from a river that has turned to blood, to a swarm of angry locusts, to the death of a local herd of cattle. Swank, who read the screenplay just prior to winning her second Best Actress Oscar for her performance in "Million Dollar Baby," says bringing this screenplay to life was a different experience for her because she has never before acted in a thriller. She also says the script intrigued her because it was so different than anything she had ever read. "This was one of those supernatural thrillers that was really smart. That was, you know, twists that happened in it, and turns that I didn't see coming. Um, which really surprised me, cause I read a lot of scripts and I see a lot of movies and I just couldn't believe that I didn't see that. And I think that it also deals with, um, some interesting dramatic moments, too. It's smart," said Swank. To prepare for the role, Swank read a number of books on debunking myths, a magazine called The Skeptical Inquirer, and the Bible. Swank believes the reason the movie is so frightening is because the events portrayed not only fall into the realm of the possible, but some are actually documented in the Bible as having taken already taken place. "I think actually what, part of what makes it scary is the whole idea of could this happen and did it happen that makes it almost scarier," said Swank. "We had a PG rating until they felt like it was based on real events, because it was in the Bible." Meanwhile, British actor Idris Alba, who plays her assistant Ben in the film, portrays a man who is conversely trying to confirm his strong faith in God during the disturbing fact-finding mission. Alba agrees with Swank that the darker undertones of the film which imply that the horrifying events that unfold on-screen could actually happen in real life are what make it the most spine-tingling. "It's definitely one of those films that um, it's cerebral. It's creepy," said Alba. "But it really gets into you regardless of your religion. It's really not a religious film. It really discusses what would happen if that higher being decided to show it's true form in what we know as the plagues. And what was interesting about this film is that you know it really takes a realistic, visual aspect to it. Like, real. So I think um, you know, regions around the world are really going to be able to relate to it." According to Alba, the film fits into the same genre as "The Exorcist," "Rosemary's Baby," and "The Sixth Sense." And the special effects certainly create a realistic and suspenseful atmosphere. Fellow London-based actor, David Morrissey, plays the small-town schoolteacher seeking the help of Swank's character to get to the bottom of the bizarre set of events. While describing the premise of the film, Morrissey reflected upon the larger issues at play in the story. "It's interesting, isn't it, that argument between religion and science," said Morrissey. "I think that's a very relevant argument. It's certainly one that is raging in the U.K. and I think here in America, too. And in the movie you see somebody in Hilary's character that is totally religious, somebody who has taken that message out, who turns her back on that. Who turns her back on God. And embraces the scientific world, and everything that stands for, to the point where she's disproving God's existence really. And of course, what she has to do is she has to have a little bit of both in, in her life." And 13-year-old actress AnnaSophia Robb may be best known for her recent film "Bridge to Terabithia," and made her big-screen debut in the family film called "Blame It On Winn-Dixie" about a loveable dog. But in "The Reaping," Robb found herself faced with the prospect of an entirely different type of acting. "It was different than anything I'd ever done. Really I just had to use my eyes and my body language to express my character. And I talked with Stephen a lot about about Loren. And we thought it would be best for her to be based on a cat. Cause she's has very cat-like instincts and kind of lurks around. And, just very mysterious and elusive," said Robb. She also said that Swank offered her acting tips, including guidance on staying in character. "The Reaping" is directed by the Jamaican-born and U.K.-bred Stephen Hopkins, who won an Emmy for his made-for-TV biopic, "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers." Hopkins is also know for his work on the hit U.S. television series, "24." Hopkins co-produced nearly two dozen episodes. "The Reaping" opens Thursday (April 5) in theatres across North America.

ITN Source | April 12, 2007

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