Hilary Swank may have one of the best track records in Hollywood today. After recently receiving a star on the "Walk of Fame" and winning both her Oscar nominations, it seems Swank could have just about any role she desires.
In her latest film, "The Reaping," Swank decides to take a break from her usual dramatic, heartfelt roles and return to her first supernatural thriller in over seven years.
"The Reaping" tells the story of a small town whose residents believe it is being tormented by biblical plagues. Swank plays Katherine Winter, a young scientist who has abandoned her faith after losing her family in a tragic car accident. Since the accident, Winter finds clarity only in scientific truths.
When she is brought to a small town in Louisiana, where a river runs red with blood, she is asked to investigate the horrific circumstances and discover if God, or dare say the devil, is the cause. Even as locusts arrive in swarms and frogs drop from the sky, Winter refuses to reject her belief in science.
The only connection between these bizarre occurrences is a little girl, who the town believes to be the source of the terror.
In an interview, Swank discussed the similarity of her character's beliefs to her own.
"I'm more faith-driven than skeptic-driven," Swank said.
However, Swank added that she was interested in reading about skeptics and their belief that there is a scientific explanation for everything.
"The movie shows there is room for both [faith and science] and certainly makes you think -- but it's fun and entertaining," she said.
Swank assured audiences the film will scare them. Swank confessed that even she became frightened when she watched the movie for the first time.
"When I finally saw the movie, I jumped at some points and my friends just laughed at me, asking what happened," Swank said. "I forgot some of the scenes even happened."
Often having to work with a blue screen, Swank did not have the opportunity to see the immediate product of some of the most frightening scenes.
"You don't have anything to react off of; it's a new challenge," she said. "But it's fun when you finally get to see them on the screen."
Many viewers may ask how Swank chooses her films after portraying characters such as a transgender woman, a female boxer and a rookie detective.
Swank said the emotion triggered by a movie's script, whether it be fear, joy or even discomfort, was always the deciding factor in choosing a film.
Although it seems Swank has made a transition back to thrillers with "The Reaping" and the upcoming film "Labyrinth," Swank says it is a genre she is currently playing around with. "I'm interested in doing all types of genres because they challenge me," she said.
To prove her point, for the first time in her career Swank announced she would be involved in a romantic comedy called "P.S. I Love You," coming to theaters in 2008.
From tears to terror, Swank has covered much of the cinema landscape. This time out, Swank promises a smart supernatural thriller that audiences will love.
Whether one believes in reason or religion, it's up to audiences to decide whether Hollywood was right to have faith in Swank to deliver another blockbuster performance.
