Sunday, May 21, 2006

I don't have a lot to do right now. I'm in Colorado Springs, without a job, without an apartment, and without friends. I do know people--three to be precise: my possible future boss, my possible future apartment manager, and a friend of a friend who I met this morning at the church service I attended.

Not complaining here. Just stating the facts.

All of this time on my hands leaves time to explore my new city, read a lot, and watch a lot of movies.

So I decided to go see the movie and see what all of the fuss is about. I'm referring to The Davinci Code, of course. I've read the book and enjoyed the thrill of the chase. Dan Brown's tale is hard to put down as it spins you forward through the story, though as a writer I personally think he leaves a bit to be desired. Beyond cleverly intertwined and fanciful theories, Brown's writing is fit for the dime-book shelf in my opinion. But as I wasn't looking for something to stimulate my intellect at the time, I found it an entertaining read.

I can't say that I felt the same about the movie. Meticulously boring. Possibly the worst performance I have ever seen from Tom Hanks (granted he didn't have much of a script to work with). I felt no connection with any of the characters. I could have cared less if they fell in love, died, or found the buried treasure at the end. I just prayed for it to be over and would have walked out if I was not in the middle of the row in a very crowded theater.

I am not a movie or book critic by profession, so please note that these are just my opinions. However, I must say that I am quite amused at all of the hullabaloo over such a horrifically bad movie. Before the movie came out, my stomach churned with disgust any time I heard it mentioned. In my opinion it is something incredibly trivial for so much of the world to be focused on.

What breaks my heart and almost seems laughable to me now is that the Church will spend so much effort on proclaiming the heresy of a movie that even the professional critics dislike, but spends so little effort on teaching people to be Jesus--to move like Him, walk like Him, talk like Him. How many pulpit sermons were wasted on defaming The Davinci Code that could have been spent teaching people to be merciful, to be good neighbors, to be servants.

I can't help but think that Jesus would not have been amongst the raving minions. I don't think He cares one way or another what becomes of The Davinci Code. But I do think He cares about the millions who will see the movie, the millions dying worldwide because of poverty, and the millions worldwide who have yet to know the things that Jesus truly cares about--loving God and loving people.

So my non-professional final criticism of the movie is this: who cares.

8 comments:

Kristi said...

Hey sorry your bored. Consider it a blessing. You should check out Ryan Woods' feelings on all this:
http://www.ilikecheeseandcrackers.blogspot.com//

Heather said...

i haven't seen the movie yet, but i have heard that the reviews are not so good. i do agree with you about the church, spend 5 minutes saying that the whole thing is FICTION, and then move on to the important stuff.

Ryan Woods said...

I don't think that I know you. But I like what you've said about this movie. I haven't seen it and probably will not ever see it because I have a small baby and I am too cheap to pay a babysitter. Anyway, I like your review and I agree.

Steve Maxwell said...

AP, I hear you loud and clear. I have not decided whether or not I want to see it yet or not. I am not one to easily swallow popular or any opinion when it comes to films. However, I like the fact that the "Christian Community" has yet surfaced again. We came out when it looked like same sex marriages were going to run through Portland, Oregon and then the Nation. We came out when the hurricane hit the south and the Tsunami hit over in Asia and surrounding. We also came out during the tragic 911 events. I guess I am saying that I am glad I can see my brothers and sisters "apparently" united about defending Jesus. My prayer is that Christians now take advantage of this movie and book to speak truth in love. There is my 1 cent. The key for me will be "speaking the truth in LOVE" and screaming our truth with opinion.

Jason Hill said...

Thanks for your thoughts Amanda. You've finalized my decision to make this the first Ron Howard movie that I don't see.

While I hear what Steve is saying about Christians surfacing, I cringe that we get all worked up about this. Its like we've been poked with a stick and we have to respond. I heard my preacher say something like, "Well, I guess we better talk about this thing, since its out there."

And it fulfills so many people's stereotypes about us. "Ooo, let's see what the Christians do with this heap of offensive trash."

Nah, let's let it slip by. I agree with you that more energy should be put into mercy, good neighborship, and serving.

Unknown said...

I did forget to mention that Ronnie's directing is superb as always despite too many close-ups on the "shocked" faces of Hanks and his counterparts, and going for the gore of the albino mutilating himself too many times.

Christense Andersen Jiang said...

AAAAMEN! I agree with you and Steve. If we would get half as riled about daily tragedies of humanity and have compassion for the lost as we do about a movie, the Church would be a radical new creation busrting at the seams. Look, kids, if we feel so threatened that a movie will change peoples' opinions about Christianity, why don't we live that way? If we believe a movie will change someone, how much more transforming will a conversation on the bus be?

Christense Andersen Jiang said...

Oh yeah, and, er, if you have no job and no apartment, are you living on a bench or something?