Passage to Zarahemla
At the beginning of this film, Kerra (Summer Naomi Smart) and her brother Brock (Brian Kary) run away to family in Leeds, Utah after their mother dies. They did this to avoid being separated by the state of California, since there are “no known relatives.” So why didn’t Kerra simply tell the state official of her dad’s family in Utah in order to avoid separation from her brother? Confused? So was I.
Kerra reunites with her grandpa, who believes that she has the gift of hearing and seeing “the whistlers”—the ancient dead who were inhabitants of this continent, this land. Grandpa says that these were declared by Mormon prophets to be a noble people. Kerra blows it off, since she’s not really religious.
Later California Welfare and Family Services did some digging, and called the family in UT to alert them of the trouble the kids are in for stealing the welfare official’s car and escaping their custody. It is then that Kerra and Brock’s aunt finds out about the trouble they are in and the death of their mom.
Kerra used to have an imaginary friend when she was a kid, and is given to more imaginary friends after an earthquake. The fault line opens up a passage to Zarahemla—the Book of Mormon ancient land that is now Leeds, UT. She runs into an old imaginary friend in the woods, who is now a Nephite warrior, named Kiddoni (Moronai Kanekoa) (N.B., love-interest). He is fighting with ancient sorcerers, who enslaved Kerra and Brock’s dad many years ago. Later the sorcerers kidnapped Brock, and begin going through Leeds looking for food.
Meanwhile, a gang of modern bad guys from CA come looking for some bag that Brock supposedly has. The ancient warriors all come to Leeds, and battle one another. An aftershock happens and takes all the ancients away, including the latter-day gang leader from CA. The good guys win in the end, Dad and kids are reunited, and we can all forget about druggie Mom, who apparently o.d.’ed at the beginning of the film. Boy, that’s convenient!
Kerra becomes a believer in Kiddoni’s religion after reading the Book of Mormon and having experiences with the passage to Zarahemla. Do Kerra and Kiddoni live happily ever after for time and all eternity? No, but perhaps God will work all that out in the next life if Kerra doesn’t get sealed to someone else before then. Chances are slim to none this will happen given all the flattery she got throughout the film!
If this sounds all ridiculous, it’s because it was. Very ridiculous! Just as ridiculous as believing in the imaginary characters of the Book of Mormon. Save your time and forget about watching this flick. Instead, read more MormonInfo.org!
For more info on Passage to Zarahemla, see here and here.
R. M. Sivulka
West Jordan, UT
February 15, 2010
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