The movie had big ambitions but didn't quite live up to them.
Happens a lot with movies.
The directors/screenwriters took the "easy way" out instead of creating a more ambiguous, more interesting, and frankly more thought provoking path. I would've liked to see Evie more disillusioned at the end of the film. . .I was kind of expecting that rather than the "fireworks" happy ending.
really curious about the book.
I think the film was supposed to be a reflection on America rather than GB. For one thing I can't see a religious conservative getting any kind of serious traction over there the way they could here (Tony Blair is hardly an American-style evangelical). I had a hard time buying all that business about "faith" in a British setting. Not to demean the Brits' spirituality, of course.
Anyway that commentating on the Bush administration that I read into this film was kind of annoying. It was just kind of obvious and lame.
I agree that King and Ghandi's policies wouldn't have "worked" perhaps in Nazi Germany and other totalitarian states. Part of why civil disobedience worked for them is because they could appeal to the values and principles represented by the countries doing the oppressing, values the countries (U.S. and Britain) weren't living up to. You can't undervalue the importance of the principles of human rights that are built into the foundation of our country.
As for Jesus, I do believe that civil disobedience is something he would have supported. However, He was also recognized that sometimes you have to take a whip, knock over some tables, and clean out the temple if you know what I mean. I believe his emphasis was on a personal standard of forgiveness. However, I can't see Jesus standing by and letting the weak be crushed (He might accept crushing for Himself. . .in fact, He did). He would have stood up for them. . .whatever that took. I think he intended for us to folllow the same principle. Take whatever comes to you without fighting back, but always, always fight for those who cannot defend themselves or who are being oppressed.
I'm not necessarily advocating armed political struggle, mind you. As blue-eyed noted earlier people wanted Jesus to take up such a struggle and he didn't. I don't think that has changed today.
I'm just saying there is room for more than just civil disobedience as a form of resistance in certain situations.
Hope all that made some kind of sense. I'm exhausted as I write this and it's after midnight. . .
