I saw a powerful, uplifting movie this weekend, called "To Save a Life". As I continue to contemplate this movie, its message, and its potential reception, I was drawn to seek out the secular reaction. As such, I went to RottenTomatoes.com. For those who are unfamiliar, this site provides probably the most comprehensive cross section of reviews that I know of.
The cumulative "professional" rating was lower than I would have given it. Of the 11 Industry reviews posted, only 3 gave it a positive review. The generally negative response prompted me to read all 11 reviews. There were some definite trends. Of the eight negative reviews, half of the reviewers revealed what I would consider a clear "anti-Christian" bias. Two of the four complained that the Christian "preachiness" detracted from the quality or message of the film. The other two dismissed the movie outright due to its Christian basis. One even suggested their hope that teen viewers, who this movie is targeted toward, and who would be most directly impacted by the message, would avoid the film altogether. Interestingly, both referenced, and dismissed, the same minor element of the film as part of their 'reviews'. Both complained of the filmmakers' decision to thank God in the closing credits. To be clear, I say minor due to its importance to the art of filmmaking, not due to what it represents. I found their distaste oddly humorous, as this reference came at the end of the credits, where none but the most ardent film junkie would be likely to see it. Did they both sit through to the very bitter end, just to look for something else to dislike?
Here are several other trends that I noticed, in no particular order. More than half of the reviews made no mention of any of the key messages that were meant to be conveyed. Two of the reviews(oddly, not the two most outwardly anti-Christian reviews mentioned above) made negative references to the use of "Christian persecution", and dismissed this as a non-existent phenomenon. Only one reviewer indicated a resonance with their own faith, and in turn gave the most positive review provided. Here's another trend that I found interesting - three of the reviewers pointed out that no Bible or Scriptural references were used in the movie. I didn't notice at the time, but upon recollection, I believe that they were right.
RottenTomatoes also includes a forum for the community at large to provide their own reviews or ratings. Here, the movie scored much better, garnering a 93% positive response. I was initially surprised, but immediately saw the logic in that. This movie will, at this early stage, have been seen by largely Christian audiences. Not being offended by the film's "Christianity", they would tend to be receptive to the message contained therein. I may have to come back in a month or so to see if this changes by much.
I didn't think about it during my viewing, but reading these reviews allowed me an opportunity to reconsider the film from a different vantage point. In all honesty, at the risk of alienating some readers, I would almost label aspects of the faith in this film as "Christianity lite". As mentioned, there was no reference of the Bible that I can recall, no scripture, and very little theological depth whatsoever. What this film did have in spades, which is a key to the "Christian ideal", is application. Specifically, it was a strong, vivid encouragement to Love your brother as yourself. But even this -should- extend beyond Christendom. Last I checked, Christians certainly don't have a monopoly on the desire to make a positive impact on the people around you.
It is just disappointing to me that in this age, any media endeavor to which the Christian label is applied is often dismissed or belittled as an attempt to indoctrinate. Instead of allowing the message of the film to resonate, it is generally waved off as dogma without substance.
Side note - I went back and looked up Fireproof and Facing the Giants, two recent notable Christian films with positive messages, just to see how they stacked up. Fireproof scored 40% positive reviews among critics, and 82% among the community. Facing the Giants scored a reprehensible 9% among critics, and a far more respectable 65% among the community. Sadly, I am largely unsurprised by the size of the chasm between the reviewers and the public.
I think I've done enough aimless railing for one night. Maybe I'll follow up on this in a day or two, once I've had more time to process.
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