Showing posts with label Darren Wilson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Darren Wilson. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

'Holy Spirit' Director Darren Wilson on Why You Should Go See Exodus

'Holy Spirit' Director Darren Wilson on Why You Should Go See Exodus

Joel Edgerton in
Joel Edgerton in "Exodus: Gods and Kings" (Courtesy/YouTube)










I saw the movie Exodus: Gods and Kings this weekend, and if nothing else, it certainly made me think. In fact, I spent the entire time driving home in prayer, because the film, if nothing else, will challenge you.
First thing's first, in my opinion, you should definitely see this movie in the theater. Why? Because it's one of the most massive films I've seen in a good, long while. The scale of the thing is simply enormous, and one of the things I enjoyed about it was finally being able to see that time period and this important biblical event played out in all of its 140 million-dollar budget glory.
Of course, the thing most Christians want to know going into this is probably, how did they change the story, and how did they portray God and Moses? Well, they certainly changed the story a bit, and they definitely screwed up the portrayal of God and Moses.
I find it interesting how the directors of these big-­budget biblical films are, for the most part, atheists. Knowing creative people, I am certain they are not low on ideas for films to make, so why decide to make a film about a Bible story at all, if you don't believe the Bible is anything but a series of ancient writings and hocus pocus? If pressed, I think they might say that there was something inherent in the story, as a human story, that appealed to them.
This is made clear early on in Exodus, when Christian Bale's Moses tells his wife and son that, basically, the only thing you should really believe in is yourself. Having taught creativity for over a decade, I can say with certainty that all artists reveal their true beliefs in their work, no matter how much they may try to remain neutral. In a film like Exodus, which is essentially about God and men, it's only natural that director Ridley Scott's true beliefs about God will be made apparent.
As was the case with Noah, I don't have much of a problem with some of the creative licenses Scott took with the story itself. OK, the plagues happen in rapid succession, most have a seemingly natural explanation, and Moses only talks to Pharaoh twice in all that time. It's not how the Bible tells it, but I get that the story needs to keep moving, and in the end, it's still very apparent that this is all God's doing.
Hey Ridley, you want to play up the Moses/Ramses relationship? You want to make Ramses more of a short-sighted weakling than a hard­-hearted tyrant? You want to ignore the fact that Moses was less the rebel warrior and much more the cowardly lion? All fine. You're adapting a story, and things have to change. Again, as a screenwriter and a filmmaker, I get it. The problem with this film is ultimately the same problem Noah had: The people making this film don't know who God really is, and therefore God looks like the reason you say you don't believe.
When I first heard Scott was going to use an 11-year-­old boy as the representation of God in Exodus, I wasn't too concerned. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. After all, you certainly don't want to make God some invisible voice—film is a visual medium so we need something to look at. But once I saw it and saw the effect it had in conveying who God is, I realized that this decision was either a conscious shot at the God I love, or it was an unintentionally bad decision. Either way, this, I think, will be the problem most Christians will have with this movie.
Casting God as a child inherently turns God into a child. And when He rails away at Moses (who, by the way, comes across as the compassionate one in the film—just like Noah was) God is characterized as a petulant child who just wants His way. Now, when you read the biblical text, I can see how one might view God in this way based on the raw story. God is sick and tired of His chosen people being tortured as slaves, and He's going to show these Egyptians what a real God looks like while at the same time freeing His kids.
And because God decides to flex His muscles a bit, a lot of people suffer and die. If you simply take that at face value, of course you're going to think God is a borderline lunatic with a (cough) messiah complex. But you cannot understand any story in the Bible outside the context of the rest of the Bible, as well as taking into account the enormous cultural differences between 1300 B.C. and 2014 A.D. When you read the rest of the Bible, and indeed even the rest of the Exodus story, you find a God who has emotions, is hurt by His own children, but is also overwhelmingly patient and loving. He's not a schizophrenic, or "mercurial" (in other words, moody) as Christian Bale characterized him in an interview.
With Exodus, we're left, ultimately, with a flawed God who is far less compassionate than His chosen instrument, Moses. I guess it could have been worse. At least in the film God is real, however flawed, heartless and stubborn as He's portrayed. Thankfully, this isn't the true God of the Bible, the true God whom I love and is my friend, and who I trust with everything that I am.
Looking at the many reviews for Exodus, from Christians and non-Christians alike, I certainly have to agree with the majority. Exodus: Gods and Kings is an enormous, beautiful, ambitious, yet fundamentally flawed film.
Darren Wilson is the founder of Wanderlust Productions and the creator of various films, including Finger of God, Furious Love, and Father of Lights. Darren's new book,Finding God in the Bible, is available in stores everywhere. Visit his website at wpfilm.com 

Saturday, July 5, 2014

WATCH: Darren Wilson Releases Full 'Holy Ghost' Trailer

WATCH: Darren Wilson Releases Full 'Holy Ghost' Trailer That Will Give You Goosebumps

Holy Ghost
Holy Ghost (YouTube)
Wanderlust has released the full trailer today for their new, highly anticipated film,Holy Ghost. The new trailer gives the biggest look yet at the next installment from filmmaker Darren Wilson. 
Watch the trailer on YouTube: Holy Ghost official trailer
"One of my goals in making this movie," says Director Darren Wilson, "was to separate it artistically as much as possible from my previous films (Finger of GodFurious Love,Father of Lights) while still holding onto the spirit of those movies. Those films featured my narrative as more of a curious everyman, wondering about everything he sees. This movie, well, let's just say that I've finally made up my mind."
"I think this is the first time one of our trailers has truly captured the feel of the movie, so I'm excited for people to see it," continues Wilson. "This whole movie is just electric from start to finish, and hopefully the trailer conveys that we're dealing with a lot of big, deep stuff in this movie."
Financed through the popular crowd funding platform Kickstarter, Holy Ghost became the No. 1 most-funded Christian movie in Kickstarter history. As part of that campaign, Wilson and is team have brought their nearly 2,500 backers with them for the entire movie-making process, resulting in over 100 separate updates from film shoots around the world.
To sign up for the digital premiere, see here

Monday, June 9, 2014

WATCH: Darren Wilson's New 'Holy Ghost' Trailer Will Give You Goosebumps

Holy Ghost
Darren Wilson's new documentary Holy Ghost, the successor to his first trilogy. (Wanderlust Productions)
Darren Wilson has unveiled the first trailer for his newest documentary Holy Ghost, a direct followup to the acclaimed trilogy of Finger of GodFurious Love and Father of Lights.
Whatever you believe about the Holy Spirit, you're more than likely to feel a little uncomfortable, as Wilson's films are noted for pushing viewers out of the theological box.
What will set the film apart for Wilson's prior successes? Watch and decide for yourself. (Warning: this video might give even the most strident cessationist some goosebumps.)