#fundchristianmovies

[virtuoso32]

Soldiers & Samson: 2 stories of Heroism on screen

Last night, I had some time to kill, so I took in a double-feature at the Cinemark theater. The first movie I saw was Clint Eastwood’s new film 15:17 to Paris.  Since this is a true story about events that took place in recent memory, the viewers may go into the theater with some preconceived notions about what they’re about to see. But, unlike other Directors, Eastwood took a leap of faith and, rather than casting big stars in the lead roles, like Chris Hemsworth or Tatum Channing, he cast the actual heroes of the incident in their respective roles.  

 When was the last time you saw ANYONE else take that risk on the big screen?  Pretty much never.  

One thing to note: the cast of this film isn’t 100% amateur.  You’ll see performances by Judy Greer (too many films to list) and Jenna Fisher (The Office) playing....hold onto your seat....Mothers!  Yes!  They cast women in their late 40′s as mothers of young men in their early 20′s.  That’s refreshing, considering most women in our age group are type-cast, cast aside and/or retired from the industry.  It’s nice to see actresses portraying a character that is age-appropriate.  Don’t get me started...that’s a blog for another day. 

As expected, the Liberal, Anti-American Hollywood critic society judged the film harshly, as if those amateur actors were supposed to somehow be transformed into seasoned action heroes. I honestly believe they’re panning the film because it pulls the, pardon the pun, veil and exposed the treacherous, terrorist actions of the lunatic who tried to take out a high-speed train carrying hundreds of people.  

 You may recall, the Jihadist burst out of the train lavatory scattering gunfire throughout the cabin and these 3 young, American servicemen were able to not only subdue the terrorist but save the life of another passenger whose carotid artery was burst due to gunfire. It was a truly extraordinary event that begged to be recreated on film, but you must spend the first 45 minutes suspending reality a bit, because the amateur actors’ self-portrayals were, shall we say, pedestrian in nature.  On a side note, why shouldn’t a movie be given this latitude?  Look, if Big Hollywood expects me to believe that a 105 lb girl, like Charlize Theron can roundhouse kick about 50 dudes and knock them out cold in Atomic Blonde, I think I can give an iconic actor & director like Clint Eastwood the same latitude when it comes to letting the actual people portray the events of that day.  I think it was an honorable choice, so good for him!  But, as is always the case, Hollywood & New York critics will not be kind to this film.

 So, don’t expect to see best actor awards for those 3 heroes, but that really wasn’t the point, was it? Eastwood is at the point in his career that he can take risks and simply do films that he believes in.  It’s a shame that critics don’t get it.  I’m afraid that this movie hasn’t gotten a fair shake.

 The second film I saw, Samson, has similar themes as 15:17 to Paris-a hero follows the urging of his Heavenly Father to put himself in harm’s way to save innocent people.  Much like the medium of “Christian Rock,” the quality of faith-based entertainment on the big screen has come a very long way in my lifetime.  There was a time when I wouldn’t have spent a dime to see a movie with a 3rd rate cast & low-budget sets and special effects on the premise that it has a Christian theme.  I’m not proud of that, but it’s true.  

 Recently, however, I’ve noticed that with the advent of PureFilms and other similar studios, I’m seeing more and more projects like Samson, attracting mainstream, well-known actors and actresses.  In Samson, for example, the antagonist is played by Jackson Rathbone of Twilight fame. He was the swarthiest, nastiest bad guy EVER!  Wow, he blew me away.  Taylor James’ portrayal of Samson was stirring, yet, a bit jejune.  I looked at his filmography, and, although he’s in his 30’s, he hasn’t broken out in any particular roles.  One thing that caught my attention, though, was that Kenneth Branagh tapped him to play Capino in Shakespeare’s Masterpiece:  The Winter’s Tale.  If he had HIS seal of approval, I’m on board with him too.  Suffice to say, are you going to see a cameo performance from Tom Hanks?  No.  But you’ll see some familiar faces like Billy Zane (Titanic), Rutger Hauer (Bladerunner) and, surprisingly, Lindsay Wagner, Yes!  The Bionic Woman

 Unlike most stories from the Bible, Samson’s story had many twists and turns, therefore commanding several chapters from the Bible [Judges 13-16], and this screenplay was effective in carrying themes and arcs from the Biblical text while keeping the viewers’ attention.  Some spectacular feats of strength were captured by above average special effects.  To be honest, I learned more about the story of Samson than I remembered from my childhood.  

 Overall, if you go to see Samson, expect that you’ll see a story that spans many years, following Samson’s calling to lead and protect the chosen people of his tribe.  He is beguiled by Delilah and she cuts his hair, but none of that happens until the very end, so don’t expect the well-known aspects of the Bible story to jump out at you from the very beginning.  The story develops exactly like it does in the Bible.

 I saw the movie alone, but I would certainly recommend it for children of all ages, because, even with the violence, bloodshed wasn’t egregious.  

 Oh…one final note:  The conclusion of Samson included something I have NEVER seen from a faith-based movie house…..a tease for a sequel!  YES!  I couldn’t believe it!  It foreshadowed the next big story they plan to tackle:  David & Goliath.  That should be a gripping story to see portrayed on film.