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I went to see The Borne Ultimatum on Sunday in Provo and one of the previews was for a new movie coming out titled Passage to Zarahemla.

From the trailer, the basic storyline is of a magic portal between Book of Mormon times and modern day. I'm not sure what time period of the Book of Mormon is on the other side of this passageway, but you see tribal looking Lamanites come through. The lamanites are waging war on the Nephites (surprise there, huh) and a modern day girl gets mixed up in it somehow. One of the Nephites comes through the passage and becomes the love interest. Of course they all speak English.

As far as LDS movies go, and judging solely from the trailer, this one looked like it had a much better production budget to work with. Still full of cheese, but if I had to watch it, it would probably entertain me. It wouldn't be like the Book of Mormon movie, which was torture to sit through.

Someone will need to go see this and return and report. I think it opens tomorrow.

Edited to add:
Apparently this was a screenplay, turned novel, turned screenplay again. Here is the synopsis...

Sakerra and Brock McConnell are Californians who are being forced by law to separate after their mother's death by overdose. In an attempt to keep the small family together, the orphans steal a car and drive to their Mormon relatives in southern Utah. Within a forest on their relatives farm is a portal to the ancient American world, where the Nephites are fighting to protect their lives from the ruthless attacks of the Gadiantons. This portal was opened up when an earthquake hit the area. Kerra and Brock get associated in this fight, but are also being chased by the gang that Brock used to be in called the Shamans.

Ummm...where are there any dense forests in Southern Utah???

That sounds an awful lot like the Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites book series. I wonder if it's an adaptation. Chris Heimerdinger works a lot of Mesoamerican details into the stories that are absent from the Book of Mormon itself (dogs being raised for food, etc.), so they're sort of a "limited Tehuantepec theory for teenagers" introduction. It was in those books that I first heard the "two Cumorahs theory."

Thinking back, I also remember there being a secondary character who was struggling with the inconsistency between Jacob 2 and D&C 132. And guess what? It turned out he had a sexual morality problem! And after he resolved his sins with his bishop, his doctrinal concerns disappeared! How incredibly convenient.

It's apparently based on Chris Hemierdinger's books. Many people have read Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites and Gadiantions and the Silver Sword. I read them years ago and they were simple and entertaining. For someone who believes the Book of Mormon narrative to be based on actual events I can imagine it would be entertaining.

Regarding the Book of Mormon movie. I think its quite possibly the worst movie I've ever seen. It did however stay very close to the text of the Book of Mormon including having everyone speak pseudo King James dialogue.


Phaedrus

I edited a couple of Heimerdinger's books several years ago (I wasn't impressed). Lately he's had some troubles with the law, apparently.

So that's how horses, chariots etc. got to pre-Columbian America - through a time portal. I get it.

I guess you need to live in provo to see those previews (maybe they are on the net). I did go see "Stardust" and if it is still out it it would be great to take the whole family to; A great movie.

Scottie wrote:
Ummm...where are there any dense forests in Southern Utah???

I think where the world of the Nephites borders Narnia and Never-Never Land, there is a small forest in Southern Utah.

Sakerra and Brock McConnell are Californians who are being forced by law to separate after their mother's death by overdose. In an attempt to keep the small family together, the orphans steal a car and drive to their Mormon relatives in southern Utah. Within a forest on their relatives farm is a portal to the ancient American world, where the Nephites are fighting to protect their lives from the ruthless attacks of the Gadiantons. This portal was opened up when an earthquake hit the area. Kerra and Brock get associated in this fight, but are also being chased by the gang that Brock used to be in called the Shamans.

Ah, the Shamans! I used to love their do-wop sound. Perhaps the Shamans are on the comeback trail. Go 50s!

Scottie wrote:
As far as LDS movies go, and judging solely from the trailer, this one looked like it had a much better production budget to work with.

I've actually read a couple of reviews of this that lament its crap budget and corresponding crap production values look comparing it unfavorably with such high budget fare as Return With Horror, er Honor.

But both of these exist in some bizarro world of filmmaking with which I am entirely and happily unfamiliar, so I'm no judge.

Runtu wrote:I edited a couple of Heimerdinger's books several years ago (I wasn't impressed). Lately he's had some troubles with the law, apparently.

Could you elaborate?

Mercury wrote:

Runtu wrote:I edited a couple of Heimerdinger's books several years ago (I wasn't impressed). Lately he's had some troubles with the law, apparently.

Could you elaborate?

It's all online, including the court documents.