n 1964, seven Bedouins choose one of their own as the central player in a ritual held in a desert. They put a stone pendant around his neck. The image on the pendant magically shifts and changes. Thunder rips though the sky above them. A bolt of energy pours down from the clouds and into all the Bedouins. Blood streams from their eyes, and they collapse. Only the chosen one arises. It looks as if he's keeping the souls of all seven men.
Fast-forward to present day. Two thieves, Terrence Christian (Walls) and Cory Mahoney (Rowland), are on a mission to steal Lincoln's famous stovepipe hat. But these thieves are more like fraternity brothers than hard-core mercenaries. Like Charlie's Angels, they've never seen their boss, Mr. "M." When they report to his office, they talk to Mr. M through the speaker-phone on his desk. But the news after their latest caper isn't good. Mr. M fires them.
Terrence and Cory drown their sorrow at their favorite bar. A couple of beautiful women ask them if they believe in the supernatural ... and if they believe in the power of the human soul. The women take them to a house, where the thieves find themselves suddenly hired by a new employer, Pascal (Dourif).
Pascal gives them the lowdown: The stone pendant is the Rock of Lazarus, rumored to be touched by God. It acts as a portal between Earth and the afterlife. After being entombed for 2000 years, the rock was unearthed by Bedouins. The problem is that the Rock of Lazarus allows lost souls to return to Earth—and the ones closest to the portal are the most evil souls.
Pascal offers $110,000 to the thieves, plus an initial clue. Terrence and Cory set off to find the Rock of Lazarus. What they don't know is where the search will lead them.
Video veterans go to camp
Soulkeeper is a bit like a "B" movie from the 1950s. The plot is haphazard and sloppy. The thieves often seem to be on a scavenger hunt rather than taking real steps to locate the object they've been hired to steal. Soulkeeper has a lighthearted spirit, but the humor is hit-and-miss—with more misses than hits.
One bright spot is watching veteran actors go for the campy jugular. Brad Dourif and Karen Black are fun to watch as they take silliness to new heights. Also, the special effects are fine and sometimes imaginative.
Despite the fact that Soulkeeper is an action/adventure comedy, it misses the opportunity to be about something. Although it spouts occasional comments about a higher power and the human soul and fate, nothing adds up. The bad guy that Terrence and Cory eventually encounter wants to destroy faith. That's a big task. It's pretty unclear exactly how this task can be accomplished. Ironically, there's a brief mention of an increase in domestic terrorism, which is used to explain why people are suddenly doubting their own faith. Even if that task were accomplished, it's unclear exactly what the payoff will be, and what it means to a couple of silly thieves.
Is Soulkeeper worth watching? For simple escapism, the answer is a qualified "maybe." Viewers who enjoy series such as Comedy Central's The Man Show will probably like Soulkeeper. Although the humor is inconsistent, there are some funny moments. Soulkeeper also has an unusual and unexpected ending. But those who lean more toward PBS fare are likely to be disappointed.
