The Last Templar

I just finished watching NBC's, The Last Templar. It'd been a long time since I'd watched a made-for-network-TV movie. 2 hours Sunday night, 2 hours tonight. I found it to be a little cheesy, but that helped make it fun. Much of it was like the Da Vinci code. Other parts Indiana Jones - but all done in an entertaining way. It took me back a bit to when I used to watch those types of shows as a child. I thought Mira Sorvino did a fine acting job, and me, being a history buff, loved the faraway shots of the final battle for Jerusalem seven hundred years ago.

I also really enjoyed the interplay of the protagonist (Mira Sorvino)a moral atheistic archeologist clashing with a devout Catholic detective, and of the self-serving male atheist archeologist who will stop at nothing to expose the Templar’s secrets clashing with an evil fanatical priest who will stop at nothing to destroy them.

Then NBC had to go and screw it all up, forcing its viewers to watch Mira Sorvino’s character find God and making me listen to a half-hour of how great God is and the positive benefits faith bestows upon people. And of the course the bad atheist that refuses to believe in God is portrayed as truly insane and throws himself off a cliff trying to save the Templar’s secrets as Mira Sorvino tosses them to the wind to save Christianity.

What a bunch of crap. As the "evil" atheist said, is the church is afraid their faith can’t handle the truth.

And then, NBC has the gall to include a final clip of the ancient Templars explaining how they made up the document - that it was fake all along.

What a let down.

I would’ve liked the story to end with the ship taking the secrets back to the sea in what was obviously a divine storm and Mira Sorvino and her detective getting washed up on the shore.
Mira says, "It’s a miracle we survived."
Agent, "I thought you didn’t believe in God."
She punches him in the arm and they laugh. (I’d even be happy with her being silent for a moment, staring at the now tranquil sea. The Agent asking, "What?" Then she smiles and hugs him or something along those lines.)
Agent: So what do you think the scroll said?
Mira: The world will never know.
Fade to black.