‘Rocky’ meets ‘The Chosen’ in a new movie about an MMA prizefighting pal of Jesus

(RNS) — Want to spice up a biblical epic?

Add some mixed martial arts.

And a heavy metal soundtrack.

That’s the magic behind “The Carpenter,” a new film opening this weekend, which tells the story of a first-century prizefighter whose day job is apprenticing for a mysterious, miracle-working craftsman from Nazareth.  

Think “Rocky” meets “The Chosen,” or “Gladiator” meets “Passion of the Christ” — with some life lessons and a Hallmark meet-cute romance added in for good measure — backed with a soundtrack featuring songs from bands like Motley Crue, Godsmack and the Drowning Pool.

Filmed in South Africa for $3 million, the independent film opens Friday on 1,000 screens nationwide.

“It speaks to that audience of sports fans who go to church on Sundays,” said director and co-screenwriter Garrett Batty. “It’s been a fun adventure to be a part of.”

The film is the brainchild of Kameron Krebs, a former University of California football player with a lifelong love of ultimate fighting, and his father, Kenny Krebs, owner of Concrete Reinforcements Inc., which makes the steel frames used in concrete construction projects.

About a dozen years ago, the two were working on a carpentry project at home, and the young Krebs was making a mess of it. His father took him aside and reminded him of some of the adages of good carpentry — like “measure twice and cut once.”

That led the Krebs, who are Latter-day Saints, to discuss the kind of craftsman Jesus might have been — and what it would have been like to be an apprentice in a carpentry shop run by the Son of God. Kameron Krebs, who stars as Oren, the main character in the film, recalled his father saying, “Someone should make a movie about that.”

“Then I said, wait, we should make a movie like that,” he said.

The first draft of the movie was a dud. The scenes of conversations with Jesus, written mostly by Kenny Krebs, were fine. But nothing was happening in the story. “It’s going to be boring if it’s just drama and teaching moments,” Kameron Krebs recalled his real-life brother, Kaulin, who also stars in the film, saying.

Since the brothers were fans of mixed martial arts and ultimate fighting, why not add that as a plot point, they thought.

The mix of action and the chance to dramatize the life of Jesus before his public ministry began — according to the New Testament book of Luke, Jesus began his preaching at about 30 — was a draw for Batty.

“We don’t know much about the pre-ministry of Christ, so we explored that,” he said.

Bringing the movie to life was a roller-coaster ride, said Batty. While they were athletic and enthusiastic, none of the Krebs had any experience making a movie, which is one reason they brought in Batty, who has previously made faith-themed movies like “The Saratov Approach,” which retold the story of LDS missionaries kidnapped in Russia.

Then there was a worldwide pandemic and the limits of working on a tight budget. The Krebs were also struck by tragedy during the development of the film. Kameron Krebs and his wife lost a son who died in infancy. Kenny Krebs developed colon cancer and was on the operating table when his sons flew to South Africa to make the film.

When they arrived in Cape Town — the movie was made on the set constructed for “Of Kings and Prophets,” a 2016 ABC series about the life of King David — Kameron Krebs said he did not know if his father survived the surgery.

While the film is filled with action, detailing Oren’s rise from a little-known fighter to a contender for a championship fight in Jerusalem, it is also surprisingly tender. One side plot shows Jesus giving Oren dating advice and setting him up with a widow.

The film also opens with a montage that cuts between Oren winning a big fight and the death of his adoptive dad, who falls off a roof he was repairing.

That tragedy sends Oren, an orphan Viking boy adopted by a family in the Holy Land, to Nazareth, where he meets Jesus. Once there, Jesus — known in the movie as “Yeshua,” rescues Oren by paying off damage caused by a scuffle with Roman soldiers and offers him a job.

Played by Brigham Young University grad Jeff Dickamore, Yeshua is kind and charismatic and splits his time between working in a carpenter shop and doing good deeds — handing out food to the needy, making toys for children and offering spiritual wisdom to lost souls. 

Batty said the filmmakers had to thread a needle in making the film by mixing the action with a story that feels believable — all on a very tight budget. He said he was aware things could go wrong and that the film could have turned out poorly.

“Or it could go into ‘Sharknado’ territory — where we are just going to embrace the camp and live it,” he said. “I don’t think it’s either of those things.”

Hunter Hampton, who teaches history at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, suspects “The Carpenter” might succeed because it taps into “muscular Christianity,” which combines sports and physical fitness with spiritual growth — it’s the movement that gave America the YMCA, for example, and fueled the nation’s love of football.

The faith-based film also fits with the hopes of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to become part of the religious mainstream — by appealing to building a close relationship with Jesus rather than focusing on other parts of LDS doctrine.

Hampton compared the film to “Facing the Giants” — another home-brewed faith-based movie shot on a shoestring budget — and suspects the new film might also succeed. 

“American Christians flock to the theaters for films made for them that preach a muscular Christian message,” said Hampton, who studies the history of religion and sports in America.

Joseph Stuart, a scholar who studies the connection between Latter-day Saints and sports, said the portrayal of Jesus as a friend and wise counselor who understands human shortcomings will likely find wide appeal. He said that model also fits the compassionate Jesus found in “He Gets Us” ads at the Super Bowl and other events. While those ads are funded by evangelicals, there is some overlap in the portrayal of a kind, understanding Jesus that will appeal to a wider American audience.

Kameron Krebs trained for two years in preparing to make the film, while balancing full-time work at the family business and raising his six kids. He said all the hard work was worth it. His father’s illness and the loss of his son have also reminded him of the fleeting nature of life and the importance of spending time with people you love. He said he is grateful for every day he has with his dad and his family.

“If you have faith that things are going to turn out the way that God wants them to, you can have a little bit more personal peace,” he said. “It’s been brutal but beautiful.”

Krebs said he hopes audiences will give the movie a try. 

“Nowadays, when you go to the movies, you have two choices,” he said. “You can watch something fantastic with CGI that scares the bejesus out of you. Or you can watch a fun movie, eat popcorn with your family and enjoy an uplifting message that encourages and promotes becoming a better person.”