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| Samson and his abs |
“Do
You Even Lift?”
A Review of Samson by Nick Olszyk
MPAA Rating, PG-13
USCCB Rating, Not Rated at the time of this review
Reel Rating, Three Reels
For
over a decade, PureFlix has been producing some of the biggest independent
Christian movies in the industry. Samson
may not be the biggest, but it certainly is the buffest, both in the muscles of
its protagonist and in the ferocity of its action sequences. This is new
territory for the company which has always been “family friendly” but now
ventures into new territory with its first PG-13 film brimming violence,
betrayal, and lust. This is not a criticism. Quite the contrary, it’s nice to
see the producers willing to be more faithful to the Bible’s racier stories
when they could have easily gloss over it for a story with less controversy.
As
a Nazarite, Samson (Taylor James) was dedicated to God from birth, taking three
vows: no drinking, no touching the dead, and no shaving. This gives him super
human strength, but he spends most his time beating up bullies, chasing tail,
and pulling pranks with his brother Caleb (Greg Kriek). Yet when his new wife
is murdered by the local general Rallah (Jackson Rathbone), Samson accepts his
destiny as God’s judge and works to free his people from Philistine oppression,
first through brute force, then political diplomacy. Knowing Samson’s weakness
for women, Rallah enlists his wife Delilah (Caitlin Leahy) to seduce the hero
of the Hebrews and find the secret to his strength. This adaptation hits all
the basic plot points of the Biblical narrative while adding just enough
characters and backstory to fill two hours. It doesn’t always meet the mark but
stays true to the spirit of Samson familiar to any Sunday school educated
child. That fact may be the film’s biggest attraction and most problematic
drawback. It’s an attraction because it meets the expectations of its core
audience but detraction because, as a feature length film, feels like a cheesy throwbacl
to 80s strongman films like Conan the
Barbarian and Beastmaster.
The
focus thematically is on God as a mighty conqueror. Before he smashes the
skulls of his enemies, Samson prays for strength, then quivers his fingers as
if being endowed with supernatural powers. It certainly looks that way to the
Philistines who die by the dozens at his hands. “He is a god,” one soldier
tells the Philistine King Balek (Billy Zane). “He is NOT a god,” the King
screams. Indeed, Balek does not believe in even his own gods, telling Rallah
they are only blocks of stone but useful for controlling weak minds. This
paints Balek not only as a pagan villain but a representation of our
disbelieving age, both of which will be overwhelmed by the true God. Samson improves remarkably in the last
act. After Delilah’s gives her lover the world’s most infamous haircut, Samson
is humbled for the first time and admits his failings as judge. He recognizes
that he has used his supernatural gifts foolishly and should have focused on
God rather than God’s gifts. Blind and facing death, he prays not for himself
but for one last chance to do God’s will. Only then does his strength return.
It
is easy to tell the filmmakers were Christian, not Jewish, because icons of the
faith are everywhere. The Biblical story itself, with its unique birth,
supernatural qualities, and dramatic death, is an obvious foreshadowing, but
director Bruce Macdonald takes this even further. In one scene, Samson uses his
strength to open an immense wooden door, placing the bottom on his shoulders
like the cross. When he is tortured by the Philistines, they flog him while
tied to pillar, giving the audience flashbacks to The Passion of the Christ.
Even
for a PG-13 film, the violence in Samson
is surprisingly graphic, especially given its production company. Samson kills
without hesitation or mercy, so much that even his fellow Israelites fear his
wrath. Yet the scenes with his former wife and Delilah are tame, sometimes
downright mundane. Unfortunately, this gives more evidence to the – perhaps
justifiable – stereotype that Christian organizations are far more tolerant of
violent imagery than sexual situations. This is not an argument that cinema
should embrace immodesty, only that some sexual content would have been
appropriate, perhaps even necessary, for this specific story.
Despite
its occasionally dark material, Samson
is more action-adventure than serious Biblical drama. The only thing missing
was a “kill count” graphic at the bottom of the screen. Taylor James fleshes
the role with humor, anger, and pathos to create quite a compelling performance
– all while clearly enjoying himself. Samson
is a wobbly yet important step in the right direction for a once underdog
company that is slowly maturing into a major cinematic powerhouse.
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