Screen Media Films, through Universal Studios, will release Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek, the home video name for 2005's indie release Miracle at Sage Creek. I would assume that the "Christmas" was tacked onto the film's title for the DVD market, and it's certainly going to need it, because despite its good intentions, Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek can be pretty slow going. A western made specifically for families to enjoy, and approved by The Dove Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting entertainment that contains positive Christian values, Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek certainly won't offend anyone, and I suspect there's a market out there for this kind of film. But it's a shame that "family entertainment," such as Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek, so often equals lackluster filmmaking

It's the Wyoming Territory, 1888. And there's a feud brewing on Ike Franklin's (David Carradine) land. It seems that Ike is mad that John Red Eagle (Tim Abell), a white man who was given land on Ike's ranch in anticipation of marrying Ike's daughter Mary (Sarah Aldrich), is gathering wild mustangs who roam around Franklin's and Red Eagle's range. Ike's also mad at John for not only not marrying Mary, but for taking an Indian wife, Sunny Red Eagle (Irene Bedard). It seems that Ike now carries a hatred for Indians, ever since his beloved wife was massacred by an Indian tribe.

Things aren't much better between Ike and his son-in-law, Seth Keller (Daniel Quinn). Ike, a highly successful rancher, looks down on Seth, and views him as a financial failure, feeling that his grandsons Kit (Wyatt Turner) and Zachary (Darian Weiss) should be brought up in a fine house, and not a raggedy cabin. It certainly makes Ike mad that Zachary has become friends with Samuel Red Eagle (Masam Holden), John's son, and that Seth and Mary are on friendly terms with their Indian neighbors, including Chief Thomas Red Eagle (Wes Studi), John's grandfather. As Ike plots with Justice Stanley (Michael Parks) to kick the homesteaders off their land, John is ambushed by a gang and feared dead, while young Kit takes deathly ill with fever. Can Chief Thomas save him, and bridge the gap between families?

Pacing is what kills Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek. The story, while familiar, at least provides a few subplots to generate some tension and conflict, but first-time director James Intveld, working from a script by producer/writer Thadd Turner, mistakes inertia for stateliness. To pull off "stateliness," you better have the eye of David Lean, but the mundane visuals for Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek are better suited to a made-for-cable TV western, rather than the big screen (the anonymous, droning score doesn't help much, either). Much of Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek's script is poorly constructed, as well; too many plot points are hinted at and suggested, but not properly explored. There's a scene where John exchanges morning greetings with his former fiancé Mary, that's fraught with meaningful glances between the two. But where's the explanation for this obviously important scene? Does he still love her? Does she? What broke them up? We never find out. In addition, why did John take his wife's Indian last name? That would have been a pretty significant step back in 1888, and an intriguing plot point that might have provided some needed depth to the character. But an explanation is not forthcoming.

We're asked to assume too much in Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek. Carradine's Ike is played so low-key, that we rarely ever feel any threat from the film's sole "bad guy." Indeed, he's hardly threatening; rather, he comes off as merely peevish in his machinations. There's no passion in his hatred, and we have to feel that if we want to believe his motivation for evicting John Red Eagle and his family. As for the "Christmas miracle" of Kit's illness, it's so predetermined and expected - just as is John's sudden resurrection from the desert -- that those still sticking with the movie don't praise the film's intentions of providing a relatively non-violent family western, but condemn it for being so predictable and dull.

The DVD:

The Video:
Shot on Hi-Def video, Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek's anamorphic 1.78 widescreen image looks fairly good in this transfer, although there's noticeable blurring during any of the more complicated camera moves. The colors are nicely balanced and strong.

The Audio:
The Dolby Digital English 5.1 soundtrack is quite bold during the shootouts, but the levels mixed during dialogue scenes leave a lot to be desired. Luckily, close-captioning is available to sort out some of the mush.

The Extras:
Supposedly, there's a commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek, but on the screening copy I received, those extras weren't listed on any on-screen menu, so I can't judge them.

Final Thoughts:
I'm the last guy to kick a family movie when it's down, but Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek is just too bland and lugubrious to be of any use to most people looking for an uplifting western. By all means rent it if you're looking for a safe alternative western for young children; it certainly won't harm them. But don't be surprised if they get restless (mine did). As I've said in many other reviews: good intentions don't automatically result in good films. Rent Christmas Miracle at Sage Creek.