Dir: Mel Gibson
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Rachel Griffiths.
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“What you did on that ridge is nothing short of a miracle …”

War is absolute hell but occasionally there are still angels to found – even on the battlefield and this ‘based on true events’ film shines the spotlight on one unlikely such hero who stood by his Christian faith and made an incredible difference as a result.
Hacksaw Ridge is the astonishing story of Desmond T. Doss (Andrew ‘Amazing Spider Man’ Garfield) – a Seventh Day Adventist who became the first Conscientious Objector in American history to be awarded the Military Medal of Honour. He achieved this feat on the front line of the battle of Okinawa – which was a desperate attempt by the US to take the tactically important ridge despite the Japanese being dug in to defend it – whilst refusing to carry a weapon or attack the enemy. Doss served as a field medic and his willingness to stay behind and try to save those injured when his battalion was overrun saw him single-handedly save the lives of over 75 of his comrades.
Director Mel Gibson begins the film with Doss’s early life in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains where his embittered war veteran father Tom Doss (Hugo ‘The Matrix’ Weaving) is quick to anger and often whips him and his brother with his belt. We get to know young Doss and journey with him as he awkwardly woos hottie nurse Dorothy (Teresa ‘Triple 9’ Palmer), and finds a better use for his belt in saving an injured man’s leg with by using it as a tourniquet after a car accident.
When the Second World War involves America, Doss signs up for military training but his faith based refusal to wield a weapon brings him into the firing line of Vince Vaughn’s task master sergeant as well as barracks bullyboys including Lucky Ford (Gibson’s son Milo).
Eventually facing a Court-martial for his objections, Doss fights for the right to enter combat only with his medical kit.
The final half of the film is an inferno of visceral war sequences – be prepared for some of the most brutal, harrowing and probably accurately grim scenes every committed to screen. The battle scenes are up there with Saving Private Ryan in their brutality and excellent depiction of just how random, awful and desperate man to man combat is.
Doss’s improbable bravery in the face of sheer horror is very well handled, Garfield is superb in the lead role and the despite Gibson laying on the faith angle hard it never weakens the film, unlike in many films that try to depict faith in a positive way and end up as almost unwatchable sermons-in-disguise. Hacksaw Ridge is an emotionally charged and intensely intimate study of one man’s struggle to make a difference and the huge impact it had. It’s is also an epic and unforgettable film that deserves to be seen.

Thinking Material

Biblical themes abound but arise naturally from the source material here rather than being shoe-horned in. Doss’s willingness to potentially sacrifice himself for his injured comrades is humbling and awe-inspiring in equal measure. Hacksaw Ridge has been described by its makers as an ‘anti-war’ movie but it is more than that, by the end this is relentless assault on the senses that will move you and leave you pondering just how much of a positive difference you’re making for you fellow man. You don’t have to go to war to be a hero, it’s all about how you live your life.

Rating:
*****

5 out of 5 stars
Related Films: Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket, The Passion of the Christ

Silence (15)

Dir. Martin Scorsese
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson, Tadanobu Asano, Ciarán Hinds, Issei Ogata, Shin’ya Tsukamoto, Yoshi Oida, Yôsuke Kubozuka

“I pray but I am lost. Am I just praying to silence?”

I was invited to see an advance screening of this film, it’s due for release on 1st January 2017. All I knew about it beforehand was that it was about persecuted Christians in 17th century Japan – and it was about 160 minutes long … so I found a comfy seat and settled down.
The film begins with a graphic scene of Japanese Christians being tortured with boiling water, observed by Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson) who is forced to watch having been captured for propagating Catholicism.

We then see two young Jesuit priests: Father Rodrigues (Adam Garfield) and Father Garppe (Adam Driver), back in Portugal, who have heard reports that Ferreira has renounced his faith, so they head off to Japan to find their mentor and discover the truth.

This is a powerful film that is incredibly challenging and well-acted. It is based on Shusako Endo’s historical novel and depicts the clash of cultures between East and West.
Directed by Martin Scorsese, ‘Silence’ shows the relentless testing of the Japanese Christians. It certainly challenged me to consider how I would react when faced with extreme torture and even death – could I stand firm and hold on to my faith? Or would I apostatise, abandoning my beliefs to save my skin?

As the two young priests search for their mentor they come across several villages where Christians live, existing in continuous fear and secrecy. They only meet under cover of darkness, but their faith in God is so strong that when they are confronted by the ‘Inquisitor’, they would rather face a torturous death than renounce their beliefs.
‘Silence’ also confronts the issue of calling out to God and not hearing a reply. When faced with uncertainty or a difficult decision, many of us pray in the hope we will have a clear reply, or see God intervene in the situation. How do we cope when all we experience is silence?
It might be a bit epic in length, but it certainly doesn’t drag – I found it to be a compelling film and I would recommend you get to see it when it’s released.
To get more from watching this film, I suggest getting hold of the free church resource from Damaris, it gives you ideas for both personal reflection and group discussion.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (12a)

Dir. Gareth Edwards
Cast: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Alan Tudyk, Wen Jiang, Riz Ahmed, Mads Mikkelsen and Forest Whitaker
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“I fear nothing. All is as the Force wills it.”

Prepare to jump to light speed once again as we find ourselves caught up in the big screen sci-fi events of a rebellion built on hope… Not ‘A New Hope’ which was the blueprint for the last year’s The Force Awakens but rather a desperate gambit by some plucky rebels who must risk everything if they are to help stop the Empire’s new ‘Death Star’.
Rogue One is both the prequel to Star Wars IV (A New Hope) and a kind of sequel to Star Wars III (Revenge of the Sith). It’s certainly a new kind of Star Wars prequel, namely one that doesn’t suck.
Meet gutsy young Jyn Erso (Brit actress Felicity ‘A Monster Calls’ Jones), whose dad happens to be the architect of the Empire’s planet destroying super weapon. Aided by a rag-tag fugitive crew that includes Force samurai Chirrut Îmwe (Donnie ‘xXx: Return of Xander Cage’ Yen), freelance assassin Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen) and a possibly reformed Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook (Riz ‘Nightcrawler’ Ahmed).
Also on hand for this potentially suicidal mission to steal the plans of the Death Star are Rebel Alliance Captain Cassian Andor (Diego ‘Elysium’ Luna), Clone wars veteran Saw Gerrera (Forest ‘Arrival’ Whitaker) and comedy kick-ass enforcer droid K-2S0 (Alan ‘Big Hero 6’ Tudyk). And if you don’t recognize any of those names from the sequels – you just know that all bets are off as to who will survive, which gives Rogue One a fantastic sense of unpredictability and peril.
The Dark Side sees the glorious return of the iconic Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl-Jones) and suitably nasty Director Orson Krennic (Ben ‘Slow West’ Mendelsohn) doing the Empire’s nefarious bidding.

When the skirmish / heist to steal the plans kicks off it’s all wonderful Star Wars battle-em-up fun and there is pure nostalgic joy in seeing AT-ATs attacking the rebels whilst X-Wings and a variety of other spaceships duke it out in some of the best space combat ever committed to film!
If you’re not on the edge of your seat by the finale you’re probably in a Force coma – Rogue One is a cracking space odyssey that does great fan service to those who love the original Star Wars films whilst simultaneously expanding the universe in new and cool ways.
This is how you make a truly epic prequel Mr Lucas.
 

Thinking Material

What’s strikingly different about Rogue One from the ‘main’ Star Wars films is that it really brings the war dynamic to the fore. Those classic war tales such as A Bridge Too Far come to mind with stark sacrificial themes of just what is required when the few try to stand in the path of a super powerful evil. This is a darker and grittier Star Wars which feels very contemporary in our war ravaged world at the moment.
The journey of the ‘heroes’ here is one that sees them as flawed and brutal individuals who choose to stand for something whatever the cost. These folk are desperate – driven to their actions by the galactic oppression that The Empire is dishing out. In this Rogue One is a rallying cry to all for us to consider where we stand on issues and what we’re prepared to do about it.
The fact that it leads to a film called ‘A New Hope’ feels well judged. Rogue One is the dark night before the daybreak and for many of us out there it is important to realize that there will be bad times, tough times, where faith doesn’t seem like a very good comfort in the face of crushing problems. But there is hope, and clinging to that can be a way to find the resolve to ‘do what’s right’ even when it costs so much in terms of time, energy, emotional pain or physical trauma.
Rogue One is a bold addition to the Star Wars universe – it’s one worth seeing and discussing down the pub afterwards as there is plenty to unpack and relate to.
 
CVM Rating: **** 4 out of 5 stars
Related Films: Star Wars ep IV: A New Hope, actually all the Star Wars films!
Other CVM Star Wars reviews: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12a)

Pete’s Dragon 2016 (PG) – in UK cinemas from 12 August 2016

I’m old enough to remember the original ‘Pete’s Dragon’ film, and it also happens to be one of my wife’s favourite films too, so I was really intrigued to watch this new version and see what Disney had done with it.
I’m quite used to watching films that are suitable for a family audience as I have three children under 10 and we really enjoy cuddling up on the sofa to watch our favourite family movies – this one would certainly feature on that list now!
The animation has been dramatically improved since 1977 and really helps to re-tell this powerful story following Pete and his friendly dragon, Elliott. The setting is slightly different – moving from a coastal town, to one set in the heart of a large forest in America’s Pacific Northwest, but otherwise the storyline is very similar.

‘If you go through life only seeing what’s right in front of you, you’re going to miss out on a whole lot.’
Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford)

It starts with a very young Pete being orphaned and meeting Elliott who takes care of him. Then, years later, he is taken in by a new family and things don’t go very smoothly … this gives great insight into the meaning of ‘family’ in it’s widest sense, and the struggles faced by modern-day families. This and other issues are discussed in the excellent ‘Family Activity Book’ produced by Ethos Media that will help families, friends and neighbours to explore themes of faith and family that are evident in ‘Pete’s Dragon’.
Produced in collaboration with Home for Good as well as HOPE, CPO and Urban Saints, this community resource encourages you to not only watch Pete’s Dragon in the cinema (from 12 August 2016) but then to come back to your house to share together in fun, food and reflection. This booklet can be downloaded here, or order free printed copies from CPO here.
Robert Redford plays Mr Meacham, an old wood carver, who has spent years telling local children stories about a dragon that lives deep in the woods – but it is not until his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard), who works as a forest ranger, meets Pete that she realises these stories are not just tall tales.
It is quite easy to see parallels between believing in the existence of a big furry dragon, who is sometimes invisible, and belief in God who is often not seen either. The children catch on much quicker than the adults. Also, Elliott is not a typical dragon as he protects and cares for the ones he loves, and uses his considerable power to combat evil forces. There are some really great Biblical truths coming through in this film that could lead to some very interesting discussions afterwards.
Whether you remember the 70s original or not, you are sure to enjoy this re-imagining of a classic tale! Take the kids – either yours or someone else’s, and prepare to be moved, challenged and entertained by this summer’s Disney film.
See what others thought of it here in this short video featuring clips from the film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Y3gd-aZ8Q

Director: Kevin Reynolds
Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth, Cliff Curtis, María Botto, Luis Callejo, Antonio Gil
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“What frightens you?”
“Being wrong. Wagering eternity on him.”

Welcome to one of the biggest and most speculated about events in history. It’s 33 A.D. – a key date for the biblical narrative as it was when Jesus / Yeshua (played here with huge amounts of charisma by Cliff ‘Fear The Walking Dead’ Curtis) was crucified and buried. Yes, Risen is the latest bible-em-up reworking of the resurrection, overlapping and following on from the events in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of The Christ.
The difference this time is that Director and co-writer Kevin ‘Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves’ Reynolds retells the events through the eyes of a non-believing Roman Centurion named Clavius (Joseph ‘Shakespeare In Love’ Fiennes).
As religious fervor threatens to ignite civil unrest across Judea in the wake of the disappearance of Jesus’s body, the Roman Prefect, Pontius Pilate (Peter ‘Spooks’ Firth) orders an inquiry into what exactly happened. The religious leaders and Pharisees claim that the body had been stolen by Christ’s followers, the soldiers tasked with guarding the tomb go into hiding fearing for their lives and the rumours of a resurrection start to spread.
Risen (although possibly the biggest spoiler title for a movie ever) starts off effectively setting the scene with Clavius and his men caught up in a bloody skirmish with Jewish renegades. As the events of the first Easter Weekend unfold, turmoil and uncertainty run rampant through the city and it’s well portrayed – and avoids falling into the ‘Life of Brian’ style farce.
Fiennes is good as the hard bitten Clavius and his journey is compelling as he gets to lead, along with his ambitious aide Lucius (Tom ‘Harry Potter’ Felton), the manhunt for Yeshua’s body.
As a Christian who reviews films, I’m often massively let down by the attempts to bring scripture or overtly ‘pro-faith’ stories to the medium of film. I really don’t want to be ‘preached at’ any more than the next cinema goer. The fact that Risen actually works as a historical thriller for much of its running time before eventually getting a bit carried away with the ‘it must be true’ narrative is to the credit of the filmmakers. It’s kind of like an ancient times alternative to a Dan Brown novel.
But seeing as the ‘did Jesus rise from the dead?’ question is one that continues to be asked 2,000 years later, Risen is a thought provoking option for cinema audiences to mull over this Easter.
Thinking Material
You won’t need to be Columbo to unravel the ‘mystery’ of Risen – the film makers make sure that viewers will be in NO DOUBT that Jesus is very much alive (and not just in the hearts of believers). But it doesn’t matter if you’re a fervent God bothered type or a serious sceptic whose somehow never come across the New Testament story of Christ, this is a film that delivers enough thinking and talking points to warrant a decent conversation.
Why does it matter? Well, if Risen is telling the truth – then it changes absolutely everything!
CVM Rating: *** 3 out of 5 stars
Related Films: The Passion of The Christ, Jesus of Nazareth
Additional resources:

• Damaris Media are providing free resources for those looking to chat about and reflect on issues raised by the film:
• A Leader’s Guide with quizzes, activities and discussion questions, suitable for community groups of all kinds
• A special resource aimed at helping church groups talk more about the spiritual issues raised by Risen
• Video featurettes featuring interviews with cast and crew, as well as clips from the film

These resources will be published at www.risen.damarismedia.com

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, Domhnall Gleeson, Paul Anderson,  Brad Carter.
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20 on Twitter)

“As long as you can still grab a breath, you fight. You breathe … keep breathing.”

Revenant: a person who has returned, especially supposedly from the dead … which makes the title of this epically brutal ‘survive-em-up’ spot on.
The ‘revenant’ in question here is Hugh Glass (Leonardo Di Caprio on surely Oscar winning at last form) – a real life frontiersman and fur trapper in the 1800s who underwent an incredible wilderness ordeal to try and find revenge.
Strap in then for a seriously perilous thrill ride of survival, where the extraordinary power of the human spirit is writ large in breathtaking cinematic style. Glass’s experiences of the uncharted American wilderness are certainly not for the faint of heart. Brief highlights include a brutal bear attack, beatings, being shot at with arrows and guns, freezing conditions and surviving on no provisions, plus being left for dead by his own friends. Broken limbs, life threatening injuries and a hunting party of bloodthirsty natives tracking him, Glass’s quest for survival is the very definition of ‘against the odds’.
The bear who mauls Glass is a work of cinematic genius, terrifying and brilliantly realised – this is the best on screen bear since, erm, Paddington … although anyone looking for a Paddington sequel here will be severely traumatised!?
Villain of the piece is back-stabbing scumbag John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy also on good form) whose betrayal of Glass sets up the main plot. The sheer force of will that sees Glass battling enemies, the elements and physical ailments in order to exact bloody vengeance is a glimpse into the dark motivations that lie under the civilised surface of man. This is a decent man who chooses a terrible course of action in order to exact a form of justice and find inner redemption. In the process he burns up his soul along with the astonishing physical torment he has to endure.
Director Iñárritu brings jaw-dropping cinematic spectacle to this snowy tale, the scenery is liable to transfix you with wondrous shots of forests and mountains which wouldn’t look out of place in a gallery.
The Revenant packs a compelling story, aided by a top notch cast. The two leads are ably supported by Domhnall ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Gleeson and Will ‘Maze Runner’ Poulter in particular.
This is a movie that will make you appreciate your nice warm home and safe existence just a little more. Highly recommended!

Thinking Material

What would drive a decent man to kill? Film’s like this have the power to convey the unimaginable – to drag you out of your everyday comfort zone and test your endurance, challenge your emotions and leave you considering the ‘what if’s’.
Could you find the sheer bloody mindedness to overcome impossible physical odds and wreak vengeance on someone who had wronged you? Is that even an acceptable response? I’m not going to go all ‘what would Jesus do’ on this plot because it’s too savage and raw to draw too close a biblical theme from. But echoes of revenge and ‘justice’ are the thoughts that Iñárritu’s Revenant will leave you pondering and I’d highly recommend that you give it a try even if revenge survival westerns aren’t your usual ‘thing’…
CVM Rating:  ****  4 out of 5 stars
Related Films: Unforgiven, The Hateful Eight, Open Range

Director: JJ Abrams
Starring: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis and more…
Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20 on twitter)
“The Force is strong in my family. My father has it. I have it. My sister has it. You have that power, too.”
30 years feels like a long time – Jedi, smugglers and Princesses age, power and responsibility are passed on to new generations and new threats arise. But The Force remains…
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a film I have anticipated for decades, I’m a self confessed huge Star Wars fanboy – my firstborn son is named after Luke Skywalker and I felt the huge disturbance in The Force when the prequels threatened to sully the heritage of the original trilogy more than many.
Which is why I’m delighted to report that The Force Awakens is without doubt a quality Star Wars sequel, which blows the prequels away. Epic, reverent and managing to recapture that original trilogy magic, this is high adventure writ large once more and a total adrenalin rush to boot.
The Force is very much with director JJ Abrams who is aided by a great cast led by smart, savvy scavenger Rey (excellent newcomer Daisy Ridley). Also worthy of credit are redemption seeking Storm Trooper Finn (John Boyega), scary but flawed new Sith on the block Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and hotshot pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac).
Add in the massive crowd pleasing return of Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), plus Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and let the space based action transport you back to a galaxy far, far away in fine style.
The plot borrows many best bits and themes from across the series and utilizes them to huge effect. Lightsaber battles have never looked so good, X-wing vs Tie Fighter dog fights are more impressive than ever and the sheer joy of seeing the Millennium Falcon fly again brought tears to my eyes.
There is so much to enjoy in The Force Awakens and the plot crackles along at such a breathless pace you can forgive it for some improbable moments and coincidences.
At heart once more are the personal interactions and thematic strands of broken family relations, regret, trust and honour. The Star Wars comic asides are great rather than cringe worthy, the romantic elements ring true and the excitement levels are cranked up to dangerous levels.
There’s not a single reason I can give you not to go and enjoy this on the biggest screen you can find!
Thinking material:
Are you a Jedi? Many of us would aspire to be thought of as noble knights who stand for what is right, help those oppressed and who will fight evil in whatever incarnation we come across I – plus lightsabers are freakin cool. But like those who wield The Force in the Star Wars films – there is a dark side and it alluring. In The Force Awakens new (and epic) bad guy Kylo Ren is a character who has chosen the dark side despite (and like Darth Vader before him) having ‘some light in him’.
This internal battle over which path to take, which actions to go with and ultimately what legacy we leave on this planet is one we can’t afford to take lightly.

*Caution – spoiler*

The Force Awakens is a magnificent film – and it deals in some deeper issues than the surface level good vs evil too. The emotional core of the pain of a father trying to win back a son who has turned against everything he stands for is heartbreaking. And even as tragedy encompasses their relationship it will make you think ‘what would I have done in that situation’ – its great that even such pure escapist fantasy as this can impact us at a very human level.

*end of spoiler*

As new character Maz Kanata says at one point: “The Force, it’s calling to you. Just let it in.” I’d add ‘be mindful of how you wield it!?’
CVM Rating: ***** 5 out of 5 stars The Force is Strong Again!!
Related Films: Star Wars – A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi

As the gripping new crime drama Captive hits the UK, Matt Adcock caught up with the lead star in London … (read Matt’s review of the film)
M.  Why in world where we’re told people are disillusioned with God did you decide to make this film that has a Christian book at its core?
D. Because I don’t necessarily agree with that assessment. Never more has been more of a need for redemption – hope and finding out what God really is: which is Love… The two people in the film are not pursuing God but find that faith, grace and redemption intersect with them in this very dark situation that they find themselves in…
M.  In the film there is a line where Brian describes himself as having a ‘demon in him’ – what are your thoughts on that?
D. Well, I’m a producer on the film and it was a line that I wanted in the film even though it was not in the original script. But he said that, it’s in Ashley’s book, he talked about feeling that he felt he had been possessed by a demon.
For me personally there is a physical, emotional life and a spiritual life and Brian had engaged in a very dark spiritual space to do what he did… He was taken over by something to do what he did – you can’t not have that in the movie.
M.  Could anyone have the capacity to act as Nichols did if pushed?
D. I don’t think everyone has it in them to be a murderer but we all have buttons within us and personalities whereby through nurture maybe nature – we can go to places that are fundamentally the opposite of ‘Godly’. You know ‘sin is sin’ – and I really struggled with playing a murderer.
M. You were scarily convincing can I just say
D. Why thank you, but I could identify (as a father of four) with the notion of being kept away from my children and what that could elicit within me, so there are things that can come along and push you to do things that you probably didn’t know were within you to do.
No one knows how they will react in situations like that but grace is grace and God is God.
M. Do you think believers invest their time in overtly faith based films or just maybe ‘be’ Christians in wider films?
D. For me, I am not interested in preaching to the choir – I feel that anything that has an overt agenda cannot be good storytelling or art – it should be thought provoking rather than leading you to a clear agenda ridden opinion on the basis of the person who created the art. For me I want to make films that make you look at your life… and are films that even if you don’t come from a place of faith you can watch it and get something from it – even it’s just entertainment value.
M. How much did you have to work out physically for the role?
D. Yeah, that was painful. Brian Nichols was an ex football player so was a big guy and I, as much as possible, especially when you play an actual person you’ve got to get as much of an assimilation of the real person as possible…
You also want to play on the audience’s prejudices. You have this big black man who kills four people and then takes this diminutive white woman hostage, that does all kinds of things to your prejudices whether you’re black or white. And as a black person I was like ‘Do I really want to play the black guy who goes and murders people?’  but ultimately it was the humanity  of the people involved that came out…
So yes it was a lot of time in the gym, a lot of work but my wife was very happy with it!
M. Thank you so much.
—
 

Dir Jerry Jameson
Starring:  David Oyelowo, Kate Mara, Michael K. Williams, Mimi Rogers , Leonor Varela
Reviewed by Matt Adcock – read: Matt’s interview with David Oyelowo

“I have a demon inside me” Brian Nichols

How far do you have to go before you’re considered ‘beyond redemption’? That’s a key question at the heart of Captive, the impressive fact based crime drama based on hostage victim Ashley Smith’s account: Unlikely Angel.
The plot follows the heart-wrenching impact on two desperate people’s lives when convicted felon Brian Nichols (David ‘Martin Luther King in Selma’ Oyelowo) kidnaps drug addict Ashley Smith (Kate ‘Fantastic Four’ Mara). We get to witness a tense long night of the soul as Nichols holds Smith captive in her home after murdering four people during a frantic escape from the court (where he had just been convicted of rape). As a massive police manhunt rages across the State, Nichols lies low and finds himself interacting with Smith in ways that will potentially change both their lives.
A gritty true crime kidnap-em-up, Captive is at first glance a somewhat unlikely candidate to be a film that carries a heavyweight plug for the power of redemption featuring Christian Pastor Rick Warren’s best-selling book: The Purpose Driven Life. But much like the suitcase McGuffin in Pulp Fiction, Warren’s ‘Christian life motivation tome’ is an interesting element of the plot, which is used sparingly to thought provoking effect.
Director Jameson keeps the action tight and is aided by the powerful interaction of the two leads as they explores issues of including spiritual darkness, desperation and yes redemption but not in an overly saccharine preachy way. Mara is excellent as the twitchy troubled Smith whilst Oyelowo is simply outstanding as the mentally disturbed, psychotic Nichols, who believes that he is fighting a one-man war against his oppression.
Captive provides a strong depiction of two lost souls finding an understanding around their common ground of each having estranged children, which allows their humanity to seep through.
There is strong support from Mimi Rogers as Smith’s aunt who has custody of her daughter and Michael K. Williams as Detective John Chestnut – the lead investigator on the Police task force (who channels the energy of Wesley Snipes at his most dynamic).
Even as film shot through with spiritual energy you should be prepared for scenes of hard drug use and a truly brutal massacre that isn’t an easy watch.
Captive is an intense and tragic thrill ride that will leave you with much to contemplate. Highly recommended.
Thinking material:
‘The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose.’ This is a quote from The Purpose Driven Life – the book that plays such an interesting role in the film Captive. It’s fascinating because although (spoiler ahead) the book affects Nichols’ thinking and could be shown to have helped set him on the path to a peaceful surrender, it is only one element. There are undoubtedly other factors at work including the fatherly bond this killer has in wanting to see his newborn son and even the ‘coming down’ from the meth drug that he takes in the film during the night.
What is awesome however is that God can work through many and varied factors – both those that seem ‘obvious’ such as the passages of the Christian book but also the associated circumstances. e.g. why Nichols picked Smith’s apartment to hole up in at all.
(end of spoilers)
We should never count out the seemingly incidental things that can lead to people’s lives being changed, it doesn’t necessarily have to mean that you go buy 20 copies of The Purpose Driven Life and give them to your family and friends (although it probably wouldn’t hurt). Just being open to the situations of others around you is a great start – you never know how or when something you say or do could have an unexpected and life changing effect.
CVM Rating: **** 4 out of 5 stars
Related Films:  there’s not much else like this out there!?
—
 

Recently I have had the massive privilege of working on a project with TWR-UK to record a thirteen week radio programme for blokes. It has been a collaboration between TWR-UK and CVM and the vision behind this project has been to talk about some of the big issues facing ordinary blokes who want to stay gripped by Jesus. The series will be aired from October and will be worth tuning in, if only to hear a certain Nathan Blackaby’s rendition of Arnie Schwarzenegger.
It was during the recording of this series that we had the immense privilege of reading Nick Page’s The Dark Night of the Shed, and then interviewing Nick himself. During that interview I got to observe first-hand as my co-presenter James Maidment-Fullard and Nick Page developed the shed brothers bond. This was something I did not fully understand at the time but I have since found myself in my own garden looking wistfully at my current unremarkable shed and dreaming of what it could yet become. The reason behind this is that Nick Page with great skill and humour uses the shed as a euphemism for the male mid-life crisis.
On the night that Nick woke up and realised that he needed to rebuild his shed, he described the moment like this:

‘Life as a middle-aged man had become complicated and confusing. At a time when I felt as though I should be confident and assured, I often felt anxious and afraid. I seemed to be dog-tired and exhausted, yet my nights were restless and disturbed. Aches and pains which used to disappear quite quickly now hung around for months. I carried within me a simmering pot of grumpiness which boiled over at the slightest excuse.’

The Dark Night of the Shed is a book that records the author’s journey from the realisation that something is happening within him that both frightens him and fills him with hope and expectation. The book is littered with observations, anecdotes and wisdom that Nick has attributed to his mate Steve (he refers to everyone in the book as Steve largely due to an inevitable mid-life loss of memory).
This is an immensely good read, and not just for those of us who may be either on the brink of the mid-life crisis but for those of us who may feel like this stage of life has enveloped us already. Nick unravels that is the moment when we face the truth that our ‘gods’ have failed us and that life is not entirely what we hoped it might have become when we first set out all those years before. This is the moment that provides us with the choice of ‘mid-life crisis’ or of second half growth and a new adventure.
I really recommend this read for all blokes no matter what age you are. Nick is a very funny guy, but that humour is also underpinned with a wealth of understanding that every man can benefit from.

Buy it now – Kindle: The Dark Night of the Shed: Men, the midlife crisis, spirituality – and sheds
or Hardback: The Dark Night of the Shed: Men, the midlife crisis, spirituality – and sheds