Wednesday, July 07, 2004
The Apostle and King Arthur
Movie review time! I don't want to post reviews on my site (though I do eventually need to find time to update it) of these, so I'll just post my thoughts here.
The Apostle:
I had high expectations for this movie after reading How Movies Saved My Soul. I was expecting a really profound, spiritual movie. Unfortunately, I was let down. Robert Duvall deserved the Oscar nomination, but this movie just didn't connect with me. Perhaps it was his style of preaching (this guy is definitely not Baptist), I don't know, but I just wasn't involved in the character as I should have been. You either love it or you hate it. I'd give it a 5/10.
However, it does bring up some interesting points about formal religion. Robert Duvall should also be applauded for creating a protagonist, the preacher/apostle Sonny, who is flawed but portrayed compassionately at the same time. He is the definition of many Christians today: his heart is in the right place, and at his core he really loves the Lord, but at times he can be a real hypocrite. The movie is about how he kills a man in a flash of anger and runs away, refusing to take responsibility for his actions. Only when he starts his own church can he truly find himself and be forgiven. It's an interesting premise, but one I think could have been handled better (though many people disagree with me).
Some interesting points about religion:
1. Too much "religious speak". Sonny has been so brainwashed by the church he is unable to talk in a more normal way. Newsflash: Simply saying the name "Jesus" over and over does not make you a Christian, or serve any real purpose, which many of these characters seem to believe.
2. There is a difference in talking and talk and walking the walk. Sonny is excellent at the former but struggles with the latter. He kills a guy and comes extremely close to committing adultery. Then again, he's only human, and I'm sure many people can relate to this.
3. The commercialization of Christianity. I'm sorry, but preaching like that over a radio kind of freaks me out. I don't see how it could do anybody any good. Sonny's sermons are full of style but most of the time they lack substance.
4. Grace and forgiveness. One good thing this film portrays is how grace abounds among a fellowship of believers. There are more than a few conversions, and the congregation is more than willing to forgive all past sins.
There are many other aspects to discuss as well (read the previously mentioned book), though those are the ones that come predominantly to mind.
Overall, it's not bad. Who knows, maybe you'll love it.
King Arthur:
It came out today, and I was there to see it. The theater was nowhere close to being full, so unless this picks up on the weekend I doubt its box-office take will be very high. Which is a shame, since it's better than I thought it would be.
Any movie claiming to be "the real story behind the legend" sounds stupid. And it's true, the old legend of King Arthur has some really cool aspects that would have been good to see in this movie. As its own story however, it's not bad. It does bring up some interesting points of view about faith and Christianity - I can't recall Arthur ever being portrayed as such a religious guy. And, unlike Sonny, he walks the walk. He's the geniune hero, helping others when all of his men tell him to walk away.
The action scenes are pretty standard for a PG-13 movie. I, for one, would have appreciated at least a tad more blood. As it is, some parts feel too staged and unreal. Also, those expecting an all-out action fest should be warned: there actually aren't that many action scenes. The film deals mainly with Arthur and his internal struggle to decide whether or not Rome is worth fighting for (Camelot doesn't exist in this version, and Arthur is a soldier not a king). However, the battle on the ice was a great idea that was carried out perfectly. I loved it. I'm surprised something like this hasn't been put in a movie before...if it has, I don't remember seeing the movie.
Things I Liked:
1. The Knights. These are just normal guys who sit around talking about freedom and women. Some of the jokes are pretty funny.
2. Keira Knightley. She's hot. And when she's painted blue she looks really demonic, but still hot.
3. The religious/faith aspects mentioned earlier. Though I'm not really sure if the movie is portraying Christianity in a positive or negative light (you'll see what I mean). At least it takes it seriously though, which is more than most films these days.
4. Clive Owen. Surprisingly good. He's not a buff hero like Brad Pitt or Eric Bana. Just an average soldier with his heart in the right place. There are probably people out there who could have done a better job with the role, but he gets the job done.
Things I Did Not Like:
1. The sex scene. Completely gratuitous, and not in character. Stupid Keira.
2. The narrator. How could the people making this movie not realize what a major continuity error this is?
3. Excalibur. There's nothing about why it's more special than any other sword. Plus, it doesn't even look that cool.
Overall though, not bad. In comparison to Troy, it might actually be better. Especially when you consider that Troy had a budget of $200 million. 7/10.
The Apostle:
I had high expectations for this movie after reading How Movies Saved My Soul. I was expecting a really profound, spiritual movie. Unfortunately, I was let down. Robert Duvall deserved the Oscar nomination, but this movie just didn't connect with me. Perhaps it was his style of preaching (this guy is definitely not Baptist), I don't know, but I just wasn't involved in the character as I should have been. You either love it or you hate it. I'd give it a 5/10.
However, it does bring up some interesting points about formal religion. Robert Duvall should also be applauded for creating a protagonist, the preacher/apostle Sonny, who is flawed but portrayed compassionately at the same time. He is the definition of many Christians today: his heart is in the right place, and at his core he really loves the Lord, but at times he can be a real hypocrite. The movie is about how he kills a man in a flash of anger and runs away, refusing to take responsibility for his actions. Only when he starts his own church can he truly find himself and be forgiven. It's an interesting premise, but one I think could have been handled better (though many people disagree with me).
Some interesting points about religion:
1. Too much "religious speak". Sonny has been so brainwashed by the church he is unable to talk in a more normal way. Newsflash: Simply saying the name "Jesus" over and over does not make you a Christian, or serve any real purpose, which many of these characters seem to believe.
2. There is a difference in talking and talk and walking the walk. Sonny is excellent at the former but struggles with the latter. He kills a guy and comes extremely close to committing adultery. Then again, he's only human, and I'm sure many people can relate to this.
3. The commercialization of Christianity. I'm sorry, but preaching like that over a radio kind of freaks me out. I don't see how it could do anybody any good. Sonny's sermons are full of style but most of the time they lack substance.
4. Grace and forgiveness. One good thing this film portrays is how grace abounds among a fellowship of believers. There are more than a few conversions, and the congregation is more than willing to forgive all past sins.
There are many other aspects to discuss as well (read the previously mentioned book), though those are the ones that come predominantly to mind.
Overall, it's not bad. Who knows, maybe you'll love it.
King Arthur:
It came out today, and I was there to see it. The theater was nowhere close to being full, so unless this picks up on the weekend I doubt its box-office take will be very high. Which is a shame, since it's better than I thought it would be.
Any movie claiming to be "the real story behind the legend" sounds stupid. And it's true, the old legend of King Arthur has some really cool aspects that would have been good to see in this movie. As its own story however, it's not bad. It does bring up some interesting points of view about faith and Christianity - I can't recall Arthur ever being portrayed as such a religious guy. And, unlike Sonny, he walks the walk. He's the geniune hero, helping others when all of his men tell him to walk away.
The action scenes are pretty standard for a PG-13 movie. I, for one, would have appreciated at least a tad more blood. As it is, some parts feel too staged and unreal. Also, those expecting an all-out action fest should be warned: there actually aren't that many action scenes. The film deals mainly with Arthur and his internal struggle to decide whether or not Rome is worth fighting for (Camelot doesn't exist in this version, and Arthur is a soldier not a king). However, the battle on the ice was a great idea that was carried out perfectly. I loved it. I'm surprised something like this hasn't been put in a movie before...if it has, I don't remember seeing the movie.
Things I Liked:
1. The Knights. These are just normal guys who sit around talking about freedom and women. Some of the jokes are pretty funny.
2. Keira Knightley. She's hot. And when she's painted blue she looks really demonic, but still hot.
3. The religious/faith aspects mentioned earlier. Though I'm not really sure if the movie is portraying Christianity in a positive or negative light (you'll see what I mean). At least it takes it seriously though, which is more than most films these days.
4. Clive Owen. Surprisingly good. He's not a buff hero like Brad Pitt or Eric Bana. Just an average soldier with his heart in the right place. There are probably people out there who could have done a better job with the role, but he gets the job done.
Things I Did Not Like:
1. The sex scene. Completely gratuitous, and not in character. Stupid Keira.
2. The narrator. How could the people making this movie not realize what a major continuity error this is?
3. Excalibur. There's nothing about why it's more special than any other sword. Plus, it doesn't even look that cool.
Overall though, not bad. In comparison to Troy, it might actually be better. Especially when you consider that Troy had a budget of $200 million. 7/10.
# posted by Andrew Johnson : 7/07/2004 04:42:00 PM 
