By REY FLORES
“A dozen different souls — all moving in different directions, all longing for something more. As their lives unexpectedly intersect, they each are about to discover there is power in the cross of Christ…even if they don’t believe it. Yet.”
That statement pretty much sums up this terrific new movie which is the latest in a fast-growing trend of Christian films that keep cropping up on movie screens and on DVD players across the nation. Given the current culture wars, it certainly is no accident or coincidence that some of these independent movie studios and filmmakers are putting these films out.
While terrorist attacks against Christians are swelling across the globe and even in some incidents here, in the United States we also see the sanctity of human life being sacrificed in the name of “reproductive freedom” and traditional marriage between one man and one woman constantly being redefined from state to state.
People want Christian alternatives to all of the garbage out there and movies like Do You Believe? are truly delivering not only the goods, but the Good News.
Now, if only more Catholic filmmakers would try to keep up with our Protestant brothers and sisters by utilizing the powerful medium of film and contemporary story-telling, I would be a little happier.
After having shared that last comment on social media last week, a few defensive Catholics came at me with comments about the superiority of films like Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ and the more recent Cristero-era historical film For Greater Glory.
There is no doubt about the powerful and lasting impact both of these awesome films had on us all, and on Catholics especially. But despite the timeless messages of both The Passion and For Greater Glory, they were essentially historical pieces from eras unfamiliar to us.
What films like Do You Believe? do is bring stories of everyday people living today, in situations where they are confronted with challenges that test their faith in God, or in some cases discover Him for the first time. As members of the audience, we are presented with story lines that we can more easily relate to, perhaps even using these stories as inspiration for correctly dealing with similar situations in our own lives.
The title of the movie itself challenges us all right off the bat. How many of us truly do believe in God? Even if a random theatergoer sees the poster in the lobby, whether he or she sees this film or not, that theatergoer has already been made to think and wonder whether he does indeed believe or not.
As much as I loved this movie, I kept asking myself the same question over and over: What if the very present and symbolic crosses used throughout the film were actually crucifixes? I recognize that this is one of the huge differences between how Catholics and Protestants use symbolism in our respective faith and traditions; I really think that we have to get beyond this.
MWe must never forget the Corpus Christi whenever we are talking or evangelizing about the power of the cross, or rather the crucifix. The sacrifice made by Jesus Christ on that cross is the most powerful statement of all, so as a Catholic, whenever I see a cross without Jesus on it, that’s all I see — a cross.
Even at one point during the church worship service, Pastor Matthew, played by actor Ted McGinley, takes red paint to the big cross at the front of his church to symbolize the blood shed by Jesus for our sake. None of that added paint is necessary in a traditional Catholic Church parish where the crucifixes, crown of thorns, and all sorts of bloody depictions of the stations of the cross are always there to remind us of His ultimate sacrifice.
The film features many familiar faces that we’ve come to know and love, like Cybill Shepherd, Mira Sorvino, Lee Majors, and Sean Astin, while introducing us to fantastic new talent like actor/singer Shwayze (a/k/a “Pretty Boy”) and actors Joseph Julian Soria and Madison Pettis.
I recommend this film for everyone, for families and their children ages 12 and up, and especially for your friends and relatives who have somehow lost sight of the Way of the Cross.
Do You Believe? opens in theaters nationwide on Friday, March 20. Visit www.doyoubelieve.com to watch the trailer.
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(Rey Flores reviews books and film for The Wanderer. Contact Rey at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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