Monday, January 23, 2006

I've heard numerous opinions regarding "End of the Spear," the movie released this past weekend by Every Tribe Entertainment. For what it's worth I'll give you my take on the 111 minute flick that I watched at the Saturday matinee.

I don't pretend to know much about art or film. Infact, concerning both of those areas, I'm pretty clueless. However, I'm not so clueless that I failed to observe the fact that "End of the Spear" was not particularly good movie making. Much of the story was very one dimensional, the characters were not well developed, and on top of that, the Indians had bad wigs. Obvious inaccuracies scattered the film, supposedly to make the movie better, but I think instead that they worked against it. I don't think the movie even came close to doing justice to the real story, but I didn't go into it thinking it would, so I was prepared for the disappointment.

My biggest problem with the movie is that it seemed to overlook the passionate relationship with Christ that the missionaries possessed. Although there were a couple references - the film didn't present a faith that would cause someone to give up their life. I'm not asserting that the movie should have been made for the purpose of evangelizing or that it should have ended in an altar call, but just for the sake of accuracy and in fairness to the real events, the faith of the men and their families should have been more prominent.

However, despite a slew of negative things I could recount, I disagree with many who say that the movie contained no element of the Gospel. Although the name of Jesus was not spoken, and the plan of salvation was not given in Christianese - we were presented with a beautiful story of how God (the Waodini term was used) had a Son who was speared, and did not spear back, so that we might live well. While a very simple explanation, it was powerful to me because it showed the fact that the Gospel transcends culture and is relevant to even the most savage tribespeople in one of the remotest parts of the earth.

Overall, I wasn't particularly pleased with the movie, but I don't regret watching it. However, I would recommend the books that cover the events over the film any day of the week.
posted by Christie
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