Flight From the Inside

1^st half of movie = suspension of disbelief.

2^nd half of movie = some decent morality lessons.

So – all told I’ll give it 3.5 stars of 5

There’s been a bunch of hoopla recently about the date 12-21-12, and depending on whom you read, it either marks the end of the Mayan calendar (and thus the end of the earth), or the beginning of a new cycle in the Earth’s history ushered in by cataclysmic events.

Personally, I don’t put any stock into the Mayan calendar.

I do recognize that there are many end times prophecies in the Bible that will be quite cataclysmic – earthquakes in ‘strange’ places, wars, famine, the raging of the sea, visible disturbances in the heavens, a massive heat wave (which could theoretically be triggered by a massive solar flare), and what “looked like a mountain on fire falling into the sea.”

So big, terrifying events are indeed on their way.  Whether these occur in 2012 or not remains to be seen, but they will have devastating effects on the earth.  (As an aside, scientists claim that we are due for a massive solar flare soon – which at the least could possible render all electronics useless – and this is not without precedent.)

And please, please, please don't even bring up the whole Nibiru thing (rolls eyes).  Glad that this movie steered clear of that!

But back to the movie…

It starts in 2009, in India, with a conversation which includes some scientific sounding jargon that most movie-goers including myself will not be able to question the veracity of, due to our lack of knowledge… but suffice it to say that it sounded like a “we’ve never seen this before – so you can’t question it” scenario.  Basically due to massive solar flares, the sun is microwaving the earth's core and turing the mantle(s) into liquid... but somehow leaving the earth's crust.... crusty.

The president of the USA is warned and he subsequently warns other heads of state. 

Here’s one of my first gripes.  You find out later in the movie that these heads of state include mainly only countries that are: a.) wealthy and b.) familiar big players.  Zero mention of informing anyone on the continent of Africa, or South America, or Australia or the mid-East.  It’s pretty much the U.S., Canada, France, Italy, the U.K., Japan, Germany and China.  I’m sure I missed one on this list… but that was about it. Seriously?  In a movie that ends with a call to preserve the human ‘species’ this is how little is thought of those places not part of the G8 summits?  Hmmm.  Maybe there is some truth showing through in this movie.

Rather than give a blow by blow review, here’s my nickel review:

Actors - nothing Oscar worthy, but good for a disaster flick.  And I really enjoy John Cusack.  Though he tends to feel like the same character in most of his films.  Is this just Lloyd from "Better Off Dead" all grown up?  Or was Lloyd in "One Crazy Summer"?  Or was that "Grosse Point Blank"? See what I mean?

Cusack and Amanda Peet do manage to convince that they are concerned for the kids' well being.  But not necessarily that these kids are their children.

The plot is fairly weak – but come on it’s a Roland Emmerich movie.

And Mayan and scientific doubts notwithstanding, the movie – like so many others – misrepresents the Christian end-of-days prophecies.  No Mr. Emmerich the ‘rapture’ is not synonymous with world wide tectonic shifting, super volcanoes and world wide simultaneous tsunamis.  And yes – we catch the in your face crumbling statue of Jesus in Rio as a not so subtle reminder that you view the Bible and its prophecies as weak.

The special effects were great.  But you have to head into this movie with the knowledge that these are going to be what can only be considered the most logic-defying, laugh out loud implausible disaster scenes ever put to film.  And a scene like this (where our heroes not only cheat death, but groin-kick and mug the grim reaper) happens more than once.

So great visuals, but totally unbelievable.
Outrun a Yellowstone supervolcano? No problem.  Only had 2-3 plane lessons?  No problem – all this airplane flying stuff is easy, right? OK – I’ll stop there.

Oddly, I ended up liking this movie – with a bit more editing and less over the top sequences it could be as good as ID4.  Emmerich also seems to think that natural disasters can chase our heroes (see also “The Day After Tomorrow” where the element ‘cold’ chases people down a hallway!)

Some of the family dynamics and conversations are good reminders to not leave relationships undone, and to value each day we have.

The human spirit of compassion is highlighted.  It was like during the 2^nd half of the movie they went from – “look at our pretty special disaster visual effects” to “be human.  Be compassionate. Be forgiving.” And more than once we see reflected what Jesus told us was the greatest form of love – that one would lay down his life for his family, friends, even complete strangers.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The human race is preserved with massive ‘arks’ that were built by the Chinese (how?  Hello?  Though never mentioned explicitly through forced labor!) at the request and financing of wealthy countries.  (survivors include those chosen as "helpful to humanity - scientists, artists, intellectuals, etc.... and those who could afford 1.5 billion Euros a seat.  Lifeboat indeed!) And it only took them 2 to 3 years to build them all and the massive underground hanger in the middle of China?   To quote Bill Cosby, "riiiight!"  This over-reaching plot element assumes that the Chinese government desires that they not be the only country or people left on the face of the earth once the smoke clears.  Emmerich has obviously never studied Mao or the even the current Chinese heads of state.  And wait - if the world is ending, what good is a fiat paper currency to those who will survive?    But I digress… curse you, Logic!  I forgot that reason went out the window once the limo smashed its way through the tumbling office building  :)

The earth is flooded except for sparse areas – the largest of which is … wait for it… the continent of Africa!  Ah – the ‘cradle of civilization’.  Where we are told our ‘first ancestors evolved’.  Our heroes and the remnants of humanity are last seen heading for Africa.

I don’t think this ark element was a snub at the Biblical account.  Almost all cultures have worldwide flood stories (which I and others contend came from a shared actual experience) – so the idea of making new arks is not an affront to the Noah account, but a recognition that ‘hey!  That’s not a bad idea!’

As the credits rolled I turned to my friend Frank and discussed the movie.  Both of us have a hobby of editing commercially released movies, and we both said similar things at roughly the same time – with a few more edits it could have been even better.  So… 6 months from now when it drops on DVD it will be a project for me/us.  :)

I read on several websites that 2013 will be possibly be heading to television – will it survive without the flashy FX and without the sense of an impending end of the world?  I doubt it.

I mean – it’s not like it’s “V” or anything  ;)

So you’re looking for a new, meaningful, refreshing Christmas album this year?

I humbly submit the following “Twelve CDS of Christmas”*

(no particular order)

   So unique, so blissfully wonderful

    Was this CD created in heaven and floated down to earth like a snowflake?

    Honest, raw, real and hey!  Banjo!

*exceptions:

-- The album “The Word Incarnate” by Stephanie Seefeldt (née: Martens) will always
    make my favorite Christmas albums – there’s so much of who I am wrapped into
    the album.  It is unfortunately no longer available

-- “Behold the Lamb: The True Tall Tale of the Coming of Christ” by Andrew Peterson is so much more than a ‘Christmas’ CD that I play it throughout the year.  Yes, it is Christmas, but it is just such an awesome worship project that I can’t relegate it to just a Christmas list

Holiday Novelty – perennial faves that are fun, but not Christ focused:

Living Water at the Well [part III]

(this post is rather late, since I needed a break from the internet… it was becoming too consuming)

We left off with Jesus and the Samaritan woman discussing that God’s worshippers must worship Him in Spirit and Truth….

The Samaritan woman’s interest is more than piqued – she is truly thirsty now for the living water.

“I know that the Messiah is coming,” she says,” when He comes He’ll explain all this to us.”

And in one of the few instances where Jesus directly confirms who He is, He answers,” I who speak to You am He.”

(cultural aside:  let me remind you that not only was it culture breaking that Jesus (a Jewish man) would be talking to her (a Samaritan woman) – but that Jesus chose for one of His divine pronouncements of deity specifically this woman should remind us that the Christian faith elevated the worth, importance and dignity of women – and continues to do so in our day in places such as China, India and the Sudan.)

Her jaw must have dropped.  I’m getting goose bumps and watery eyes at the thought of being in her shoes.  Seeing the Messiah with your own eyes; audibly hearing His voice…

Given their conversation, knowing His patience and yet unwavering pronouncements of truth, experiencing this person’s graciousness.  This is unlike any righteous or religious person she has met and then He affirms that He is the long awaited Messiah.

How that must have blown her mind, her preconceptions of God’s character.  God’s ultimate representative did not bring her condemnation, but grace.

The disciples return to Jesus and the woman leaves for her hometown – leaving her water jar behind.  She tells everyone she can that she thinks she has met the Messiah, the One who knows all the intimate, even sordid details, of her life.   Many begin to believe.

The Samaritans invite Jesus to stay… and He does.  Listening to His teaching they put their trust in Jesus, telling the woman it is no longer just based on her words – but now they have seen and heard from Him directly.

“And,” they say, “we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

What a great Savior He is!

He comes to the despised, the outcasts and offers grace piled on grace.  He shows the tender, compassionate heart of God the Father to those who expected only judgment.

What a Savior!