Foolishness

 

“Foolishness”

A Review of Last Days by Nick Olszyk

 

Distribution Service: Theatrical

MPAA Rating, PG-13

OSV Rating, Not rated at the time of this review

Reel Rating, Three Reels                   

 

            Last Days tells the true story of John Allen Chau, an American missionary who was killed by the Sentinelese after he illegally landed on the island of the infamously uncontacted tribe. The media narrative in 2018 was decisively negative, portraying him as alternatively a simple-minded fool and a genocidal colonizer. He was even cruelly given a Darwin Award for removing himself from the gene pool. Yet this oversimplifies the compelling story of this twentysomething who feared God and nothing else. Director Justin Lin (famous for his Fast and Furious films) wanted to make a film that didn’t “take sides” but treated its subject with respect. For the most part, he succeeds in creating a desperate but beautiful film which unfortunately trips right at the finish line.

             John (Sky Yang) was born to an affluent Vancouver family, and his father pushed him to become a doctor like himself. However, John developed a fierce devotion to Jesus and high adventure from an early age. When his father was arrested for writing illegal prescriptions, he abandoned any thought of an easy domestic life. He attended Oral Roberts University and joined the Protestant All Nations missionary organization, doing trips to Mexico, South Africa, and Iraq. He finally set sights on the ultimate outpost, North Sentinel Island, the home of a rare tribe untouched by the modern world. Despite many obstacles, including a terrible first attempt, he remained determined to bring the gospel to these poor souls.

            Throughout his journey, John is actively looking for signs from the Holy Spirit to guide his way. His father’s legal troubles convince him that a life of material goods is not worth living. A chance meeting with another missionary, an attractive female one at that, drives him to push further than other missionaries. It’s hard to fault his passion, but his discernment also seems to be in an echo chamber. He reads the Bible and prays, but he never consults a pastor, never weighs other options, or takes any significant period to contemplate. This is unfortunately a familiar problem, especially with Protestants but Christians of all strips as well. Discernment comes from the Holy Spirit in union with the Church. It is also necessary to be humble and admit that promptings from the Holy Spirit may be our own desires. Even if virtuous, if they are our own, they can lead us astray.

            This can be seen well in a chance encounter John has with a beautiful, blond tourist. He helps her group by becoming a chauffeur, and they invite him to hang out, drink, and party. They almost have sex before John reveals his reason for being in India. Like a good college-aged American, she accuses him of “genocide,” but he rightly points out her willingness to exploit the Indians in far worse ways. Confused, he spends the night praying. The next morning, he confronts her at the airport. “I thought it was God’s will to evangelize the Sentinelese, but it was really you all along,” he joyfully exclaims. She shakes her head and walks off, leaving him with an intense sense of cognitive dissonance.

            In all ventures of the Spirit, wisdom is necessary. Even if one agrees with Chau’s intentions, it would be easy to charge him as imprudent in his efforts. This isn’t exactly true. He got inoculated against several ailments and spent time in quarantine to prevent the spread of pathogens to natives. He researched previous attempts at contact and brought coconuts on his first voyage as gifts, just like a National Geographic team in the 70s. Yet he also did not know the language, bring any means to contact the mainland, or indeed bring anyone besides himself and his own conviction. There’s a reason Jesus sent his disciples “two-by-two” with a sword as well.

            During production, director Justin Lin said he wanted a “balanced” approach that did not demonize or adore Chau. He is charismatic but not someone most would want to emulate. The key to understanding Lin’s vision lies in a subplot involving Meera (Radhika Apte) a police officer who tries to locate him throughout the film. In the penultimate scene, she calls him “lost,” relating his story to her own personal challenges. It is also heavily implied Chau’s strained relationship with his father is at the heart of his drive to bring Christ to the natives.

            For Lin, and the secular world, Chau isn’t stupid but misguided. To them, the “cross is foolishness.”  Chau had faults but was not foolish. He understood the risks and judgements of the world but counted it as nothing compared to the gospel. It is easy to view his death as not efficacious, but who really knows what seeds were planted? His experience has certainly brought knowledge of the Sentinelese to a wider consciousness, not to mention what might have stirred in the heart of the people themselves.

            The most frustrating aspect of this whole experience is that one young adult had the courage to do what the Catholic Church, with presence of the Holy Spirit and the infrastructure of billions has failed to do. There should be Jesuits on this island right now; we’ve have done far, far more with much, much less. This doesn’t have to be done the way Chau did it either. The Church, which has been present in India since the time of St. Thomas, could work out a deal with the government and gradually bring both the gospel and modern advances to these people. Even if that comes with disease or other unexpected consequences, it will put them in a much better state than they are now, deprived of Jesus and His sacraments. Eventually, the Lord will come to them, and I hope to live to see a memorial to Chau’s efforts on the island.

This article first appeared in Catholic World Report on November 9th, 2025.