KSL Movie Show Review: ‘Faith of Angels,’ compelling story from talented director

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SALT LAKE CITY — This review of “Faith of Angels” is as much about a director as it is about a compelling story.

I’ve known filmmaker Garrett Batty for a number of years and have reviewed most of his movies. From 2018’s “The Saratov Approach” about missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints abducted in Russia, 2015’s “Freetown” featuring a handful of missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ghana, and 2019’s “Out of Liberty” profiling the last days of the Prophet Joseph Smith, Garrett has shown a keen eye for picking subject matter and making it sing.

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So it’s no surprise that he brings that master’s touch to his latest project, “Faith of Angels.” This film is a reexamining of the traumatic disappearance of a young Joshua Dennis in the Hidden Treasure Mine south of Tooele in the fall of 1989.

Lost in the Hidden Treasure Mine

Josh (played by newcomer Michael Bradford) is on a camping trip with his dad Terry (Kirby Heyborne) and other fathers and sons, to explore the Hidden Treasure Mine. It was no longer active, but twisted down and around for miles. It would be so easy to get lost in there and thus this heartfelt story.

So how does something like this happen?

Two groups were walking through the mine. The group Josh was in decided to head back to camp. Josh wanted to continue, so he tried to catch up with the other guys just barely ahead.  But with just a moment’s hesitation, suddenly he was alone. His dad thinks he’s fine, but when the second group returns with no Josh, saying they never saw him, they know they’ve got a problem.

At the same time in a Montana wilderness, John Skinner (John Michael Finley) is having a camping respite from some writing struggles as a would-be author, when he hears a voice say, “Help them see.” And I swear it sounds like the same voice that says, “If you build it; he will come,” from “Field of Dreams.”

John’s reaction is just as bewildered as Costner’s.

Intimate knowledge of the Hidden Treasure Mine

Skinner cuts his vacation short and heads home to Utah, where he learns of Josh’s disappearance. It turns out that Skinner spent a lot of his formative years in those very mines and has extensive drawings of its passageways, something the local sheriff is aware of.

However, the sheriff only wants his maps and doesn’t want him or anyone not considered a professional wandering around in there. He’s already got one missing kid. He doesn’t want to make it worse.

So over the next few days, both Josh and John will get guidance, promptings, comfort from let’s say “outside sources” – angels, spirits, who knows – to keep them calm and focused on getting to Josh before it’s too late.

It’s a terrific story told by an exceptional filmmaker – and you should go see it.

FAITH OF ANGELS (B) Rated PG for thematic elements. Starring Kirby Heyborne, John Michael Finley, Michael Bradford and Jason Wade. Written and directed by Garrett Batty (“The Saratov Approach” “Out of Liberty”) – filmed in Utah. Running time: 98 minutes.

The KSL Movie Show with Andy Farnsworth and Steve Salles airs Fridays on KSL NewsRadio from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Follow the show on Facebook, and join The KSL Movie Show Club for exclusive perks by texting MOVIE to 57500.