Movie Review:
Last night I left with my wife, brother-in-law, his girlfriend and two of there friends to go see the movie “The Hunger Games”. At my wifes request I had read/listen to the book before we left to go see the film. Keep in mind that this is a big thing for me. I don’t like fiction. I prefer books that strait out teach me something and get my mind thinking. However at her request I read it.
I really wish I hadn’t.
The book, like every book ever turned into a movie, was better than the film. I found myself sitting there the whole time going, “Thats wrong.”, “Thats not how that happened in the book!” and Why would they do that?”
By the time the film was over I was very aggravated. They had taken a book, that I really did like to read, and turned it into a really junky movie (at least in comparison to the book). They had left out major character development parts (I felt like if you hadn’t read the book you really didn’t get the full depth of who Haymitch was) and left out whole chapters of the book. This left the film unappealing. I just wanted to read the book again so I felt like the whole things wasn’t a waste of time.
All of that said, It was ok, if you haven’t read the book you may very well like the movie. They do a decent job in feeling in the blanks of information that you need to know. This allows anyone coming in to have a slight idea of whats happening. Don’t be surprised by the end though. There are two more movies coming out so don’t expect anything close to a resolution.
How It Connectes To The Gospel:
As we drove home from the movie, after I was done ranting and raving about how they left such important parts out, I got to thinking. I think we, as Christians, do the same things sometimes with the Gospel.
By this I mean that many times in our rush to get things done and explain what happened on the cross we jump around some important issues. We talk only about sin, God’s wrath, the cross, the resurrection and being born again but don’t hit the important stuff in the middle of all that.
We leave out the development part of being a Christian. The books of 1&2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippines and so on. The real discipleship part of being a Christian. Many times we talk about being saved in church, but fail to talk about what life looks like after. What the Holy Spirit does, over time, to our hearts and natures. How He changes them to be more Christ-like.
My main aggravation at the movie is that it leaves out such rich story and character development. Though it might not be a common connection in your mind I wonder if its something we all need to think about. Do we, in our rush to tell the story, leave out the rich story and development that God is doing in our lives? Do we tell the really important parts (which should no doubt be told), but leave out what makes the important parts so great?
As we live life let us, as Christians, remember that the rich, and sometimes messy, parts of life are what bring glory to God. That His work is only just begun in us and that he is still working and shaping us.
If you don’t know Jesus, I pray that He puts people in our life that show you this rich story line. So that one day you may too know the glory of who Jesus is. The one that died for you, the one that rose for you!
Pastor Mike Moore 