• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Film
  • DVD
  • Editorial
  • About ScreenFish

ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • News
  • OtherFish
  • Podcast
  • Give

David Oyelowo

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway – Tell Me Who I Am

July 2, 2021 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

Growing up can be difficult enough without people telling you who they think you are.

Written and directed by Will Gluck (Easy A), Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is an enjoyable romp through the English countryside and city that never loses its heart. Balancing the outlandishly silly and simple charm, Gluck has created a sequel worthy of the original film that should entertain both children and their parents alike. Adding to the film’s effectiveness are the voice cast who are so star-studded that one will likely be shocked by some of the names attached during the end credits. (Admittedly though, other than Corden himself, one would have a difficult time identifying the other actors throughout the film strictly by their performances.)

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway takes us back to McGregor’s garden for the wedding of Bea and Thomas (Rose Byrne and Dohmnall Gleeson). Though they have no kids of their own, Bea and Thomas have developed a makeshift family with the rabbits and other animals and all seems well in their abode. Even so, despite the fact that he wants to be a good rabbit, Peter (James Corden) can’t seem to break free from his reputation of causing trouble. Then, when Bea gets a call from a publishing company about her book, the family hops into the truck and travels to the city. Suddenly out of the garden, Peter finds himself in a world where being a rascal is celebrated. After he meets Barnabas (Lenny James), an old friend of his father, Peter is invited into the criminal underworld (well, for bunnies that is) and must decide what type of rabbit he wants to be.

In some ways, The Runaway is an odd take on the franchise. On the one hand, it doesn’t always feel like the books that were read to me as a child. With my young ears, those simple tales about animals learning lessons about growing up at the farm felt almost thought-provoking with their innocence. However, the film adaptation feels like a different animal entirely. Like the first film, Runaway is filled with energy and life with an eye on pop culture and modern sensibilities. On the surface, that style of vigorous storytelling style feels like it should be incongruous with the original. 

However, on the other hand, somehow Gluck blends the two styles very well together and creates something both fun and honest. Even with its urban environment and life, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway still manages to charm and delight. Instead of losing its innocence at the hands of the big, bad city, Runaway manages to bring the rural purity along for the ride. There’s an intentional desire on behalf of Gluck and his team to allow the heart of the Potter characters to remain true to the characters, despite their change in setting.

In fact, that’s very much the point of the story itself.

As Bea’s stories about Peter become a local success, she catches the eye of major publisher, Nigel Basil-Jones (David Oyelowo). Nigel loves her stories yet he also believes they can make the property even more accessible to the masses by steering the characters into increasingly wild scenarios. For Nigel, success is the standard and that can be achieved if Bea is willing to make a few compromises to her material along the way. (After all, who wouldn’t want to see rabbits in space?)

However, are these changes true to Bea’s characters ? Although fame is knocking on their garden door, Bea and Thomas begin to ask themselves whether it’s worth the cost of their integrity. To them, losing the soul of their characters would demonstrate a lack of authenticity to the stories that they had created. (This is also referenced with a hilarious wink at the camera when the rabbits suggest that these types of stories are often adapted poorly, ‘usually by some cocky American’.)

At the same time, Peter is undergoing somewhat of an identity crisis as well. Having been labelled as the ‘bad seed’ of the group, Peter is left despondent. While he’s always known that he’s a little mischievous, he has never thought of himself to be a villain. However, his new label leaves him feeling lost. If others see him as the bad guy, maybe he’s wrong about himself. Then, after meeting Barnabas, Peter is led to explore his own ‘dark side’ to see if he’s really as bad as other’s say. 

Held up against one another, both stories offer slightly different takes on what it means to find out who you are. In The Runaway, Bea and Peter must both ask themselves tough questions about the quality of their character. In this way, the film becomes somewhat of a coming-of-age story as the two wrestle with whether or not the allure of a carefree life of success outweighs the concessions that they must make to get there.

Hopping along with youthful exuberance, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is a delightful film with humour and heart. Though this seems like an unlikely take on the material at first, Runaway is a delightful addition to the franchise that expands the world yet maintains its soul. Even if Peter may say that “[he] didn’t think they’d get this far”, I would welcome the chance to return to McGregor’s garden one more time should the opportunity arise.

Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is available on demand on Friday, July 2nd, 2021.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Beatrix Potter, Daisy Ridley, David Oyelowo, Domhnall Gleeson, Hayley Atwell, james corden, Lennie James, Margot Robbie, Peter Rabbit, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, Rose Byrne, Sam Neill, Sia, Sony, Will Gluck

Come Away: The Paths to Freedom

November 13, 2020 by Heather Johnson Leave a Comment

Come_Away_07.08.18._0115_AB Keira Chansa stars as Alice Littleton in COME AWAY, a Relativity Media release. Credit: Alex Bailey / © Maginot Line, LLC 2020

Two stories, both beloved by generations. One of a girl who slips through the looking glass and finds herself in a magical world of singing flowers, a grinning cat, and a red queen. The other of the boy who wouldn’t grow up, and instead journeyed to the second star on the right and straight on to morning – never to become a man but to spend his days in play. 

In Come Away, these stories are joined in the lives of the Littleton family. Siblings Peter and Alice (Jordan Nash and Keira Chansa respectively) along with their eldest brother David (Reece Yates) spend their idyllic days creating adventures and soaking up the affection of their doting parents Rose (Angelina Jolie) and Jack (David Oyelowo). Tucked away in the country, the Littletons seem to have all the peace and contentment any family could long for – until tragedy strikes.

As they reel from grief, Rose and Jack slip into despair – Rose turning to drink and Jack retuning to his long-ago gambling past…and those debts come calling. Peter and Alice strive to hold onto the joy of youth, but Peter is burdened by his quest to save his family from the reality knocking at their door, and Alice seeks out the comfort of her high class aunt (and Rose’s sister) Eleanor (Anna Chancellor). Their paths begin to drift –  one into a temporary Wonderland and the other into the timeless Neverland. 

Come_Away_20.08.18._3412_AB (ctr) Jordan A. Nash as stars as Peter in COME AWAY, a Relativity Media release. Credit: Alex Bailey / © Maginot Line, LLC 2020

From a conceptual standpoint, the joining of these two stories was intriguing. I’ve written before how I’ve always been a fan of Peter Pan lore, so it made sense for me to check this one out. Alice in Wonderland has never been a favorite of mine so I wasn’t sure what to really expect, but this is pretty much set up as a prequel of sorts. And I think it works. The dynamics that lead Peter and Alice onto their respective paths create another level of dimension into their “why’s.” For Peter, it wasn’t just about not wanting to grow up – it was about recognizing the reality of pain and change and a way to hold onto an untainted joy. For Alice it was less about escape and more about being unsure what was real and what wasn’t, and about finding where she would feel at home. 

The casting is phenomenal, with Angelina Jolie in her element playing the once ethereal and doting mother turned despondent and dismissal of her children. David Oyelowo is engaging as a craftsman who encourages the play of his children, but still struggles with both his lower class position and debt-riddled past. Anna Chancellor (of the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice) is perfectly balanced between disappointed sister and doting aunt. And the children carry an impressive range of emotions and believability. Rounding out this stellar cast is Gugu Mbatha-Raw as the adult Alice narrating, and Michael Caine as an acquaintance from Jack’s past. Together they tell a dynamic story of what happens when the veil of sanctuary is ripped away.

Come Away_0209_R Gugu Mbatha-Raw stars as adult Alice Littleton in COME AWAY, a Relativity Media release. Credit: Alex Bailey / © Maginot Line, LLC 2020

Overall, I found Come Away engaging and thought provoking. I imagine I’ll uncover even more of the treasures (both real and fanciful) that Peter and Alice sought in the midst of trial and transition with a second or third watch – something that is definitely on my list.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Alice in Wonderland, Angelina Jolie, Come Away, David Oyelowo, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Peter Pan

The Cloverfield Paradox: When Action Impacts All

February 6, 2018 by Heather Johnson Leave a Comment

I don’t do horror movies.

I don’t do loud clangs, shrieks, or shadows that jump across the screen. I especially don’t do creepy sci-fi films. Movies that mess with time, reality, or my basic understanding of physics (which is very, very basic) rarely make it to my queue. In all seriousness, George of the Jungle is one of my all-time favorite movies if that says anything about my standards.

So it probably isn’t a shock I’ve not seen the previous Cloverfield films or a single episode of Lost. And yet here I am, contributing today regarding The Cloverfield Paradox, the Netflix release of J.J. Abrams’s newest Cloverfield installment.

Yeah, I don’t know how I got here either. But since I did, let’s roll with it. I’ll keep it spoiler free too…if anything because I’m not exactly sure what I witnessed.

Despite my nonchalant “sure I’ll give it a go” attitude, I was hooked 6 minutes in. With the world on the verge of self-destruction, tensions high across nations due to dwindling energy resources, Ava Hamilton (Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a-mazing) accepts a position on an international mission to do something I can only describe as “mine” energy from space. And it’s a truly international crew, so props to Abrams for bringing together the cast of David Oyelowo (Kiel), Daniel Brühl (Schmidt), Ziyi Zhang (Tam), John Ortiz (Monk), Chris O’Dowd (Mundy), Aksel Hennie (Volkov), Elizabeth Debicki (Jensen), and Roger Davies as Michael. The cast makes this movie.

Of course, things go horribly wrong once they finally harness the needed energy after two years of unsuccessful attempts. Cue lots of banging, fires, and the beginning of creepy things. I admit there might have been a scene or two where I had to close my eyes – the sounds were enough and one scene in particular involved worms. Just… ew. No.

Once the initial “avert my eyes,” scenes cycled, I was sucked right back in. How does Jensen know Hamilton? What is Mundy’s arm up to? Where did the Earth go? Like I mentioned in the beginning, I tend to steer clear of movies that propose alternate realties and concepts such as there is a second Earth, with a second crew, trying to solve for the same problem but within a very different reality. But I was so wrapped up in Hamilton and the crew, I found myself actually engaged.

Now I have seen enough non-jittery science fiction to confidently say that there are plenty of “standard sci-fi movie moments,” like fires, crashes, doors getting stuck, people dying, and “are we losing our minds or is this really happening” conversations. And if you’re an Abrams fan, you’ll also notice his trademark homages to earlier science fiction films, (such as the original Alien movies), his continued exploration of inter-dimensional interactions, and the overall “is this real or not” feeling. So if that combination works for you, I don’t think you’ll be wasting your time if you check it out and move on.

But personally, I kind of sat in an awed state at the conclusion. Not so much because the movie itself was anything spectacular (again, I think the most compelling aspect of it all was the cast), but because I began to consider how my individual actions can affect others.

I’m not versed enough in science to propose any thoughts on the possibility of alternate realities or if my every-day decisions change the fate of another me somewhere across the cosmos. I’m not going that deep here. But I do believe that humanity is designed to crave interaction and relationship, which gives me pause and forces me to think beyond my personal interests and instead about how what I do, what I say, how I act, etc., can impact someone else.

More than likely my actions will never alter the fate of the entire human race. Yet every day I am presented with opportunities to influence the course of any one person’s journey. Not because I have control or am powerful or that persuasive, but because I am a representative of Jesus Christ. How I respond in times of crisis, how I rejoice in times of excitement…even how I greet each person who travels across my path…at any moment what I say or do can be used for help or for harm.

In the book of Matthew, chapter 22, verses 36-40, Jesus is answering the question of “what is the greatest commandment?” To paraphrase, Jesus responds with “love God with everything you have and everything you are, and love others as you love yourself.” For me this means each action I take and each word I speak needs to ladder back up as either loving God or loving others. Even if I don’t “love” the person on the other end of my action, or even know them, I still love God. And my behavior toward that other person is reflective of that love of God.

I’m not saying I have to sit and analyze every detail of my actions and how they might one day a long time from now have a negative impact on some stranger’s life. That’d be practically impossible.  But I am saying that as a Christian, it’s important that I choose my words and actions carefully.

Filed Under: Reviews Tagged With: Aksel Hennie, Alien, Chris O'Dowd, Cloverfield, Daniel Bruhl, David Oyelowo, Elizabeth Debicki, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, John Ortiz, Roger Davies, SciFi, The Cloverfield Paradox, Ziyi Zhang

Queen of Katwe – Inspiring, but . . .

January 31, 2017 by Darrel Manson Leave a Comment

“In chess, the small one can become the big one.”

Disney knows how to do inspirational stories. The latest is Queen of Katwe about a Ugandan chess prodigy who finds a way out of the slums of Kampala through the dedication of a man who reached out to impoverished children by teaching them the game.

Nine year old Phiona (Madina Nalwanga) spends her days selling vegetable in the streets of Kampala to help her mother (Lupita Nyong’o) provide for the family. School isn’t an option. Her future seems bleak indeed. One day she follows her brother to a church that hosts a youth sports outreach ministry. Part of that outreach is led by Robert Katende (David Oyelowo), an unemployed engineer, who himself achieved an education in spite of his coming from the slums. Robert strives to teach not just chess to the children, but also tries to give them a hope and vision of a better life. As Phiona advances in the world of chess, she also must deal with various struggles in her family life—often leading to times of despair.

queenofkatwe57b4d52ff2a07

Chess often serves as a metaphor of conquering life’s challenges. The film is rich in aphorisms such as “Sometimes the place you are used to is not the place you belong,” “You use your mind, make a plan, and you will find safe squares,” and “Do not be too quick to tip your king,” all of which speak more to Phiona’s personal struggles more than her chess playing.

It is worth noting that the church and faith has a role in the story. Robert is working with the church as he awaits a possible job that his education has prepared him for. Although it is a church ministry, we don’t see any religious teaching going on along with the chess. Yet, the implication is that there is more here than just the game. At the same time, after losing their home, Phiona’s family squats in the ruins of a burned out church. That less than perfect shelter is another interesting metaphor for the way God may seem to the young struggling girl. She wonders at one point if God really cares about her and her family. She certainly sees no clear evidence based on the events that befall them. So the church is both a physical shelter (although not a very good one) and the place that offers hope for finding more than her life has provided her. That ambivalence, I think, is a common experience of church—something that nourishes us, but we often fail to see its importance in day to day life.

queenofkatwe57b3934994b37

While Phiona’s story is indeed inspiring as we watch her become more confident in her game and in life, it may also seem a bit trite. Certainly she finds her path out of the poverty that has defined her life to this point, but it is such an individual journey that it becomes something of a Horatio Alger story. While she has help along the way, in the end we celebrate what Phiona has achieved by her dedication and work. She has found a way out of the slums, but what of all the others in the slums. A few other children also play chess and begin an education, but the social structures that allow such poverty continue untouched. That is often the flaw in stories such as this. One person’s success is worth celebration, but not by ignoring the roots of the problem that they have overcome.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Studios

Filed Under: DVD, Editorial, Film, Reviews Tagged With: based on a true story, chess, church, David Oyelowo, Disney, Lupita Nyong'o, Madina Nalwanga, Mira Nair, Uganda

tiff16 1on1: The Cast of QUEEN OF KATWE

September 23, 2016 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

queenofkatwe57b3934994b37

“You belong here.” – Robert Katende (David Oyelowo)

Queen of Katwe tells the story of Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga), a young teenager who lives in the poorest areas of Katwe, Uganda. She connects with missionary Robert Katende (Oscar nominee David Oyelowo), who introduces her to the game of chess. As Phiona quickly demonstrates an incredible grasp of the game, she also faces adversity from her mother, Harriet (Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o), who feels the game is a distraction from her work as well as the oppressiveness of a cultural caste system.  However, as Phiona improves her skills and becomes an international phenom, she also becomes a beacon of hope for her entire country.

Directed by veteran Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Salaam Bombay!), Katwe thrives with vibrancy and energy.  Having lived there for many years, Nair clearly has a passion for Uganda and she uses that to her advantage.  With their history of ‘feel-good films’, there may have been a temptation by Disney to ask Nair to temper some of the realities of life in Uganda to make it more ‘palatable’ to a wider audience.  However, to their credit, Disney wisely allows Nair to really explore the country and bring it to life onscreen.  While not shying away from the trials of life in Katwe (i.e. floods, extreme poverty), Nair also reveals that the area and its people are full of life and energy.  Bright colours flood the screen during the scenes in Uganda, deliberately contrasted with the more pale hues of Phiona’s tournaments abroad.  The music is infused with joy in the midst of heartbreaking circumstances.  Clearly invigorated with this project, Nair deftly balances Uganda’s vibrancy with its stories of suffering in a way that both challenges and encourages.

queenofkatwe57deb0cff2652

While both Nyong’o and (especially) Oyelowo demonstrate their skill in bringing complexity to their characters, the real star here is Madina Nalwanga.  Having come from Uganda herself, Nalwanga slides effortlessly into the role of the chess prodigy and reveals a reality within Phiona that may have been a challenge for others.  For a first-time actress, Nalwanga portrays Phiona with both ferocity and humility and owns every scene.

Throughout the film, Phiona is reminded that ‘she belongs [amongst the elite]’, despite what those around her believe.  Coming from the oppression of a caste system, Phiona wants to believe that she has value simply as herself yet she constantly runs into opposition.  With each foreign chess tournament victory, we witness Phiona struggle with the tension of life beyond Katwe and the reality her family lives within.  Her struggle is not merely to win games or become a chess master but to bring hope to her family and country.  The emotional bedrock for this storyline comes through her relationship with Oyelowo’s portrayal of missionary Robert Katende who patiently and lovingly supports his young team throughout their journey.  While the faith elements of Katende’s influence are not emphasized in this particular film, they are evident in his grace-filled heart and commitment to the children’s emotional spiritual wholeness.  Despite what they have been told, Katende wants the children to understand that there is hope beyond their circumstances.  The game of chess is merely his way of passing on that hope.

queenofkatwe57b4d52ff2a07

Interestingly, one of the finer touches of the film comes in the closing credit sequence when the actors take the screen next to their real counterparts.  To see Nyong’o stand next to the real Harriet (among others) was a subtle but poignant touch at the end of the piece to remind the viewer of the authenticity of the story.  (In fact, many of the subjects had constant access to the sets and built solid relationships with the cast and crew.)  Disney wants you to know that these people are not some characters they have created–they are very real and this is their story.

In the end, while Queen of Katwe does follow many of the story beats of other ‘unknown person makes it big’ films, the cast is so strong and the film has so much energy that it still feels fresh.  While chess may be the game that drives the narrative, the film is about much more than a game.  It is about hope and sacrifice, and offers a deeper understanding of an area of the world that we do not hear much about.

With Katwe, Disney can definitely claim ‘checkmate’.

 

For more information about Queen of Katwe, check out the latest episodes of the ScreenFish podcast below for roundtable interviews with stars Lupita Nyong’o, David Oyelowo and director, Mira Nair or 1on1 interviews with Phiona Mutesi and Robert Katende themselves!

Roundtable with Lupita Nyong’o and director Mira Nair

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1on1-wLupita-Nyongo-Mira-Nair.mp3

Roundtable with David Oyelowo and 1on1 with Robert Katende

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1on1-wDavid-Oyelowo-Robert-Katende.mp3

1on1 with Phiona Mutesi

http://screenfish.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/1on1-wPhiona-Mutesi.mp3

Filed Under: Film, Podcast, Reviews, TIFF Tagged With: Africa, checkmate, chess, David Oyelowo, Disney, drama, interview, Lupita Nyong'o, Mira Nair, Phiona Mutesi, Podcast, Queen of Katwe, Robert Katende, Uganda

Most Intriguing Films of Fall 2016

September 5, 2016 by Jacob Sahms 4 Comments

magnificentseven
Here’s my annual preview of my most anticipated films for the fall. The beauty of a list like this is that that everyone will agree – especially my cohorts here at ScreenFish! So check out my list, and consider what I’ve missed – and let us know.

deepwaterhorizon
In the disaster film category, there are two major options for your consideration: Sully (out Sep. 9) and Deepwater Horizon (out Sep. 30). The first stars the incomparable Tom Hanks as Chelsea Sullenberger, the airline pilot who safely landed his commercial plane in the Hudson River in 2009, and the second stars Mark Wahlberg as Mike Williams, a worker on the oil rig that caught fire in 2010. Of the two, Sully looks more intriguing based on the grand inquisition Sullenberger experienced after safely landing the plane.

storks

The first of two animated films that I have my eye on, Storks (Sep. 23) is a funny, family-oriented lark that captures more amusement than the trailer and asks us to consider how families work. [Editor’s note: I’m cheating a bit, because I’ve already seen that one.

sing

The other animated flick is Sing (Dec. 21) features a vocal ensemble aimed at small town’s American Idol-like competition. But it’s an animal town a la Zootopia, with the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Tori Kelly, Taron Egerton and Nick Kroll providing the voices. It’s all about finding your gift and following your call…

queenofkatwe

Speaking of finding your gift, The Queen of Katwe (Sep. 23) stars one of my favorite actors, David Oyelowo, as a missionary with the Sports Outreach Institute, alongside Lupita Nyong’o. Give me a sports story (yes, it’s about chess) and a strong cast any day.

birthofanation

There’s controversy surrounding Nate Parker, but his film, The Birth of a Nation (Oct. 7) is bound to make waves. I know that The Girl on the Train stars Emily Blunt and is the “buzz” movie of October, but I’ll take a film about Nat Turner named after a KKK promotional piece. That takes guts.

monster

On October 21, we’ll have our mandatory Liam Neeson sighting in A Monster Calls. Well, we’ll hear his voice as the monster, the visual realization of twelve-year-old Conor’s emotional state. There’s something spiritual about the imagination personified, and the film is shooting up my list of ‘must see’ films this fall. The rest of October, hello, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back and Inferno, are entertaining, but not blowing my mind.

hacksaw ridge

For all of his problems, Mel Gibson makes good films. Hacksaw Ridge (November 4) is the real life story of a conscientious objector, Desmond Doss, who refused to take up a weapon but won the Medal of Honor for his efforts during World War II. The second Spiderman, Andy Garfield, stars as Doss, but Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, and Hugo Weaving guest star. This one smells like an award winner – and is the one I’m most excited about this fall. Yes, I said it.

doctorstrange

But I might have to pull a double feature that day because Scott Derrickson’s Doctor Strange arrives the same day. Benedict Cumberbatch plays another curmudgeon, only this time it’s one of Marvel’s heroes who is a surgeon-turned-magician with a big ego and damaged hands. Tilda Swinton guest stars, which of course, has caused a whole set of controversy because the Ancient One is supposed to be an old Asian dude.

fantasticbeasts

Can Harry Potter, er, J.K. Rowling’s, world make it in America? Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne will try and discover the answer in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Nov. 11). It’ll be eye-popping, and probably well scripted.

thefounder

On December 16… The Founder comes out. You were expecting something else? Michael Keaton stars as the guy who gets credit for McDonald’s. There’s something going on there though – and it’s not just about how they make the fries so addictive.

rogueone

I’m actually more excited about this one, Rogue One, than I was about The Force Awakens. In some ways, that one made me a believer. Now, with an eclectic, diversely ethnic cast, behind a female lead, I think the Star Wars universe is going where no man has gone before. See what I did there? While The Space Between Us and Passengers may explore AI questions and bigger pictures, my money will most likely get spent in George Lucas’ universe.

spacebetweenus

Have I convinced you? I doubt it. So tell me what I got wrong!

Filed Under: Editorial, Featured, Film Tagged With: Benedict Cumberbatch, Birth of a Nation, David Oyelowo, Doctor Strange, Hacksaw Ridge, Katwe, Liam Neeson, Mark Wahlberg, Nate Parker, Rogue One

Captive: Is It Ever Too Late To Change?

September 18, 2015 by J. Alan Sharrer Leave a Comment

CaptiveAs humans, we get to deal with numerous situations each day we’re alive.  Some are pretty benign, such as what to eat for breakfast. Others are more challenging, like determining the fastest way to a destination without the help of GPS devices. Some are even life-altering, such as going to the hospital for abdominal pain and finding out your appendix needs to be removed immediately.

But what do you do when someone kidnaps you and holds you hostage in your own house?

That’s the question Ashley Smith had to answer on March 12, 2005, when Brian Nichols, who had already killed four individuals and broken out of police custody in Georgia, found her and held her prisoner for seven hours in her residence. She was able to answer it in a manner that worked, saving her life and helping Nichols get recaptured.  It’s a fascinating story, one that has been brought to the silver screen in the film Captive.

Of course, there’s more to the actual story than I shared above. Smith (played by Kate Mara [Fantastic Four]) is not the perfect individual—far from it. An opening flashback where she talks with her daughter Paige leads to the discovery that she’s a broken individual.  Her husband was killed in the past and she’s fallen into the trap that drugs (specifically, ice) only help to perpetuate. She’s trying to break the cycle, but isn’t doing a great job of it. Her daughter stays with her aunt, she drives a car that is chronically one step from breaking down for good, and she’s close to losing her job as a waitress. One of her fellow members in a self-help group gives her a copy of the best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, but she promptly tosses it in the trash when she thinks the lady isn’t looking. She is, however, and gets it back to Smith when she arrives at her job.

Meanwhile, Nichols (Academy Award Nominee David Oyelowo, Selma) is being moved while at the Fulton County Courthouse. One moment of lapsed attention by his detaining officer leads to a rather grisly scene: she’s knocked cold and two others are shot point blank before he makes his escape. He’s desperately trying to remain ‘free’ while the whole state, led by detective John Chestnut (Michael Kenneth Williams), is out to find him.

Captive

That evening, Nichols finds Smith outside her new apartment and proceeds to take her captive inside. She’s fearful for her life and has every right to be.  He’s armed to the teeth, has a police radio, and is desperate—she’s alone with only a CD player providing her companionship.  He takes precautions to make sure she doesn’t escape while she wonders what to do. There is palpable tension in these scenes as Smith puts herself in harm’s way by offering him some of her drugs, only to have him attempt to force her to take them at gunpoint. She pulls out The Purpose Driven Life and starts reading it to him in snippets.  Nichols admits at one point, “I’ve got a demon in me,” and talks about the newborn son he longs to see for the first time. He eventually asks Smith to read him more from the book, which acts as the impetus for her release and the peaceful resolution of the situation.

The film is one that may please both those of faith (Romans 5:20 is shown on the screen just as the movie begins) and those who enjoy real-life stories with a twist of brutal reality throw in by director Jerry Jameson.  Personally, I’m in favor of this grittier-edge type of faith story that isn’t too ham-handed with its presentation.  There isn’t an altar call to be found, but you can easily tell that Warren’s themes in his book (It’s not about you; God’s purpose is completely in play in your life) is brought front and center near the end.

It’s in this one moment that Captive ceases to be completely captivating.  The violence works, but there’s a noticeable absence of swearing (actually, none at all) that one would expect when a violent criminal is in a desperate fight to maintain their freedom.  It diminishes the performances of Oyelowo and Mara to some extent, although both are pretty convincing in their roles (Oyelowo moreso; I wouldn’t want to meet his version of Nichols in a dark alley). I also think that if there was more development of the backstory and the police scenes were treated like they were in the film Speed, then this film could be something special.  In the final analysis, Captive is an entertaining film that falls short by playing to too many facets of their intended audience.

Captive

This is not to say that lessons cannot be learned from the movie. We’re able to see how one thing in a person’s life can be used to break them—in this case, Nichols’ desire to see his son. The police—and eventually Smith—use it to bring him closer to peacefully ending the standoff. This is also true in Smith’s life with her drug addiction; the difference is that she manages to break free and overcome. This is a power that doesn’t come through self-will, since “no temptation [overtakes a person] except that which is common to mankind” (1 Cor. 10:13 NIV). God has to handle the situation—and he excels in giving people a way out so that they can eventually stand.  In the case of Smith, the drug sequence was the last straw and pushed into a completely clean lifestyle.

Smith has a line at the end when she tells the holed-up Nichols via megaphone, “It’s not too late . . .  There is purpose in your life . . . Do the right thing.”  Each person has meaning in life (yes, even the folks hanging out in prisons today); what they choose to do with it is a different story.

The greatest tragedy of life is not to figure out what that meaning is before dying. It starts with getting to know God and his plan to bring all people back to himself through Christ. With the difficult situations we deal with daily, it makes sense to give the one who created the earth and all who live in it a try.

It beats being captive to the rest of the world.

Filed Under: Film, Reviews Tagged With: Ashley Smith, Atlanta, Brian Nichols, Captive, David Oyelowo, Jerry Jameson, Kate Mara, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

Captive’s David Oyelowo: Question Your Prejudice

September 14, 2015 by Jacob Sahms 1 Comment

David-Oyelowo“You were robbed.”

That’s the first thing I said to David Oyelowo upon getting him on the phone to discuss his upcoming film, Captive, out on September 18.

The deep, English laugh that follows tells me that Oyelowo knows exactly what I’m talking about, that is, the Oscar snub of his masterful performance as The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Ava DuVernay’s Selma.

“I appreciate you saying that,” Oyelowo replied. “This many months removed, I can look at it philosophically about it. I have had enough people say that very thing to me, and know that enough people have seen our film, that I know we had an impact.”

In his latest film, which he is also executive producing, Oyelowo plays serial killer and rapist Brian Nichols. Nichols, on March 11, 2005, broke out of police custody in the Atlanta, Ga., courthouse, killing several people in the process. Upon realizing that the police had formed a massive manhunt to find him, he took Ashley Smith (played by Kate Mara in the film) hostage for seven hours in her apartment.

I asked Oyelowo if he had spoken to Nichols in the process of making the film, but the closest he had come was speaking to Nichols’ mother. “Brian Nichols is serving consecutive life sentences,” Oyelowo said. “One of the privileges not afforded to him as a result is that he can’t interact with other people, outside of his mother and father. He hasn’t seen his son in that time period as well.”

This is the third time I’ve watched Oyelowo play an American, and I elicit laughter again, when I ask him why he can nail three different American dialects and Americans are notoriously terrible at foreign accents?

selmaAfter the laughter faded, Oyelowo said, “I think I had the benefit of growing up with American films. Being from a smaller country, there are less films to see, and I doubt that too many English movies were making their way here. I had so many more American movies to choose from so I was exposed to more.”

Knowing that I had an agreeable interview subject, I decided I’d dive into deeper waters. After we finished our call, I was headed into a screening of Ice Cube’s biopic about N.W.A., Straight Outta Compton. I was curious how Oyelowo, an Englishman raising a family in Los Angeles, viewed the current status of race relations in the United States.

“I confronted those issues in the role of playing Dr. King,” Oyelowo mused. “I think we’ve made strides. But when you see the beginning of Selma and the Birmingham bombing of the church takes place, and fifty-two years later, we’re watching a story about nine people who are killed while worshiping in church, you have to ask, ‘how much have we progressed?’

“Until we can move beyond the cycle of prejudice, it will be a problem.”

So what can change the world, I wonder? What can we do to actually make a difference?

“I want to hope that these attitudes are dying out,” Oyelowo shared, fiercely. “It’s disturbing that a twenty-one-year-old had that much hate in his heart. But I hope that he’s in the minority. I think if we’re to part of the solution, then we’re part of the problem, and that’s why I try to approach each individual as I do – you want to make people question their prejudice.”

Oyelowo’s outspoken Christian faith has him aimed at movies like Selma and Captive, and this story of transformation is another role for the ages. Oyelowo shows us that Nichols is a broken human, but not a human beyond transformation. It’s the power of the story, and the gift of the actor, that help us believe we’re actually part of the story and show us a little of God’s grace.

captivereadOyelowo did that for us in the story of Martin Luther King, Jr. .. and he does it again for the story of Nichols and Smith. “I’m not really interested in preaching to the choir,” he said. “I know who God is and what Jesus means to my salvation. To the world as a whole, Captive shows people who are not looking for God, like Brian Nichols or Ashley Smith, that God still extends them grace.”

Now, we just have to ask ourselves whether we’re willing to take our turn when our name is called, whether we too can boldly proclaim our faith and challenge the expectations of others.

Filed Under: Featured, Interviews Tagged With: Captive, David Nichols, David Oyelowo, Interstellar, Kate Mara, Purpose Driven Life, Selma

Primary Sidebar

THE SF NEWS

Get a special look, just for you.

sf podcast

Hot Off the Press

  • New Trailer for THIRTEEN LIVES gets Underground
  • GIVEAWAY! Advance Screening of PAWS OF FURY!
  • Rise: Another Disney Slam Dunk
  • The Long Rider: The Long Journey Inward
  • The Black Phone: Answering the Call to Fight Back
Find tickets and showtimes on Fandango.

where faith and film are intertwined

film and television carry stories which remind us of the stories God has woven since the beginning of time. come with us on a journey to see where faith and film are intertwined.

Footer

ScreenFish Articles

New Trailer for THIRTEEN LIVES gets Underground

GIVEAWAY! Advance Screening of PAWS OF FURY!

  • About ScreenFish
  • Privacy Policy

© 2022 · ScreenFish.net · Built by Aaron Lee

Posting....
 

Loading Comments...