Thor (2011)***** **

The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

Worldview 7/10

Thor is an interesting movie because it portrays a very interesting worldview derived from Norse mythology. However, Norse mythology is not widely believed like it was before the Christianization of Scandinavia. So Marvel Entertainment took a humanistic approach on the story. They replaced the idea of magic and supernatural with science saying that “Magic is science we don’t understand.” And so with the exception of the power of the hammer the supernatural became quite natural.

Throughout the movie there were some great themes and proverbs. Odin points out that, “A wise king never seeks out war but he must be ready for it.” As well he tells Thor that the hammer is a, “Weapon to destroy or a tool to build” Both of these statements are valuable lessons for anyone who has any form of power or authority. There was a strong emphasis on duty and responsibilities which is a fantastic lesson for those young folks who are beginning to have responsibilities of their own.

Other themes include the acknowledgment of the evil of deception lived out in the life of Thors brother. As well as the benefits of choosing loyal friends. The romantic aspect of this movie was on the disappointing side. Like most Hollywood productions the relationship is superficial and has no strong basis for a lasting relationship.

Content 6/10

Very little content. Thor is hit by a van, some violence in fights between the Frost Giants and Thor and company, a hospital fight, a rough encounter with the FBI and Thor, and the destruction of a robot. Some mild language and *spoiler* Loci commits suicide by dropping off the edge of the plant he is on.

Technical Aspects 8/10

The cinematography in particular was quite good. The writing was very cheesy. But with the characters and storyline, that writing style fit the movie perfectly.

Conclusion:

Thor has some interesting themes and is one of the first Sci-Fi type movies that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I would recommend it to more mature children  as it has some violent content and magical/mythological themes that must be acknowledged as being false. overall a decent flick.

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Forever Strong (2008)***** ****

Rick Penning(Sean Faris), a rugby player is sent to a juvenile detention center.  He is offered a chance to play rugby for the Highland Rugby team his former rivals.  It all comes down to the National Championship where he plays against his former team for the title.

When it comes to faith based, Christian films there is often an amateur quality about them that distracts from the overall picture.  But Forever Strong does not suffer from this stereotype.  It is a fantastic feature film that is engaging, inspiring, and filled to the brink with positive messages.

Worldview 9/10

There is clearly a Christian worldview at the center of this movie.  It may not recite scripture, but rather demonstrates the Word of God in action.  The writer, David Pliler, understands the art of scriptwriting and teling the story through pictures rather than lengthy dialogue.  There are many redeeming qualities to this film.   One of the most prominent themes is the focus on being a man of character on and off the field.  It’s an idea that plays out in ethics, service, self-control and numerous other attributes that compose one’s character.

There is also a strong emphasis on family.  The importance of heritage, honor and a respect for ones family that inspires an individual to do his best to respect ones family.

In the middle of the movie a philosophical idea is presented about the nature of individuals.  The coach, Larry Gelwix(Gary Cole), says, “God doesn’t Make a no good anything.”  There is both a truth to this statement as well as a pitfall.  The truth is that what God created was indeed very good.  God acknowledges this fact many times throughout the word of God.  The value of the image of God that is placed into the DNA of every human being is one that gives value to mankind.  We are truly sacred creatures created by a holy God.  And it is this image that encourages manners and respect for each other.  However, the pitfall is to believe that the natural tendency of man’s choices is towards good.  Although we are stamped with the image of God, man is a fallen creature and therefor our natural inclination is towards the desires of our heart which is towards sin.  And it is generally a harder choice to take the moral high ground because of this barrier.

The last element that I want to share from this film is the element of forgiveness.  There was a moment in the film that almost brought a tear to my eye.  It was a beautiful moment of genuine forgiveness that touched me deeply.  Forgiveness, when authentic, inspires one of the most powerful forces of emotion that I know of.  And I believe that true forgiveness can only be found in freedom given through Christ’s goodness.

Content 7/10

There is very little objectionable or graphic content.  There are a few scenes with underage drinking, a fist fight, and a car accident and death that may be too thematic for youngsters.  But the context and perspective the director gives to the content is one that sheds light into the evil deeds of men and encourages morality and Godliness.  It demonstrates the gravity of death, the consequences of pride, the rewards of honesty, and the honor of integrity.

Technical 8/10

The coloring and creative use of shots by Cinematographer T.C. Christensen tells a great story.  I especially enjoyed the symbolisms used in the dawn shot to move the story forward towards hope and new beginnings as well as symbolism found in the long shots focusing on loneliness and the underwater pool shot establishing a sense of reflection and deep thought.  The script was somewhat predictable but so well crafted that it was engaging and full of great moments at each plot point.  Also notable is the acting from Sean Faris, who had a very demanding role.  The rest of the cast was great as well and there were no weak links to speak of.  altogether it was technically very well done.

Conclusion:

This is an absolutely fantastic movie and I would recommend it to everyone.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope that those who get a chance to see it will also enjoy the same experience I had.  Check it out on Netflix, you’ll be glad you did.  Then let me know what you thought about it by leaving a comment below.  Thanks guys and stay tuned for another review next week.

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Hello World!

Welcome and thank you for visiting this blog.  My vision for this blog is to review movies with the focus being on the world view behind the movie.  Often times review sites only address the three forms of content, Sex, Violence, and Language.  I see this as being very inadequate.  A movie is so much more than the number of curse words it contains.  The context, presuppositions, and philosophy of the filmmaker radically change a movie.  Some of the “Cleanest” movies can actually be more dangerous by manipulating your subconscious and using dialectic techniques to make you question certain moral truths.

I hope you enjoy these posts and I look forward to connecting with you all and starting some great conversations on this beautiful art form. God bless you all,

Ryan Anstett