Captive Hearts

[Valin]

Break Point:

Alex Wainer

September 23, 2015

 

Christian films are having a moment. This weekend, as I sat in the darkened theater waiting for the feature to start (20 minutes of coming attractions and commercials—ugh), there were ads for three “faith-based” films. “Risen” is a story set during and after the Crucifixion as a Roman officer investigates the mysterious disappearance of Jesus of Nazareth from His burial chamber. Another biblically situated film, “Young Messiah,” is based on novelist Anne Rice’s speculative book about the boy Jesus, and there is also “Woodlawn,” a football and faith film based on actual events in early 1970s Birmingham, Alabama. These are following two recent releases, “War Room” and “90 Minutes in Heaven.”

 

 

These mixtures of the factual, fictional, and faithful are offering audiences the chance to see what filmmakers can do with differing types of narratives. They will have the challenge of measuring up to the movie I was there to see, “Captive,” based on another true story that many people will remember from 2005.

 

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Nevertheless, this film demonstrates that if faith-based (don’t you just love that term?) movies have a future, it will be because people of faith and talent make them. David Oyelowo, known as an outspoken Christian, has a producer credit on “Captive.” Last June, at a conference sponsored by Variety, he stated, “I’m not interested in Bible-thumping or beating anyone over the head with the Gospel. But what I am interested in is talking about love, talking about goodness, talking about light in spite of a dark world, and letting that be reflected in my work. And if someone asks me, I will tell them who I am and what I believe, but the work is where I do my real talking.”

 

When high-voltage but unbelieving filmmakers turn to Bible stories, the results are mixed and controversial (Exhibits A and B: “Noah” and “Exodus: Gods and Kings”). At the other end of the spectrum, earnest but inexperienced Christians can seek to proclaim God’s greatness in fictional stories that rig the game, contriving plots in order to make us believers look good and our cultural opponents wrong. If we are called to be witnesses of the grace of God, perhaps we should try to make more stories like “Captive,” that testify to what really happened, displaying the power of a changed life, like Ashley Smith’s. Hollywood has always loved redemption stories. Let’s give them some more true, well-made ones.

 

 

H/T Colson Center

 

 

[Valin]