Unstoppable

Kirk Cameron likes to say that he used to be an atheist because that's what he thought smart people were. However he became a born again Christian when the father of a girl he liked took him to church and he did it because he liked her. That girl's name was Chelsea Noble and he later wound up converting and marrying her.

Here's the problem, Kirk isn't exactly the smartest guy in the world and it's obvious his conversion was one part due to him wanting to get in his co-star's pants and another part that is he's easily led. After all, he went to church, felt guilty of the things he did and eventually converted. But what if the woman was Jewish? Or Hindu? Or Scientologist? Or, shock of all shocks, a Muslim? Would he have converted to one of those religions as well? I'd like to think so and if the multiverse theory is correct that means that in some other Universe Kirk Cameron is chumming around with Tom Cruise and trying to protect the world from the evil Xenu.

The movie itself is pretty silly. It boils down to, "This is God's will, his ways are known only to him, he has his reasons for doing what he does and we only find out about them after we die." So if you die without knowing God he doesn't want to know you and you burn for eternity in a lake of fire for believing in the wrong God or wrong version of him.

It's not deep. It's not interesting. And above all else, it's not compelling. I am an atheist but one thing I would love to see is a Christian movie that doesn't preach to the converted like this one and so many others do. I'd really want to see one that is designed to change hearts and minds and not just go on about stuff we all know and weren't convinced of the first hundred times we've seen it.

So if you're a born again Christian and you want to believe you made the right choice, this is the movie for you. But if you're anybody else, don't bother. It's not worth your time and you'll walk away feeling the same as you did before.

Dear Kirk, I just recently purchased your movie. I think you did a wonderful job. I would love to see another movie from you. I am so sorry for the children that are sick but they are so lucky to have you and your wife to help with them! I use to work in healthcare and they need people like us who love and care about them while they are here on earth to care for them! God rewards the good people! But I want to say thank you for this uplifting show As I greatly enjoyed it! Godbless you and your family!

Imagine creating a reflective docudrama (it seems to be something like that) for a person likely to consider going to a Protestant seminary or Bible college. Well, that's a noble thing on face value. But what kind of review on IMDb could one expect? That's probably the best way to frame "Unstoppable." Apart from a massive spiritual awakening, the film was destined for meager critique kudos.

But for those curious about a question as old as, "Why did this bad thing happen," and for those who are curious about what the Bible says about that--for someone prepared to wade through the inevitable complexities and theological nuances--this is a pretty darn good effort.

Let's be fair, most theology comes from talking heads. Most efforts to indulge in the most basic questions of life are either vague, artful pondering from dramas (as old as Job) or they're deadly dronings from puffy-haired evangelists or monotone professors yapping. This is neither.

God's redemptive history is not going to be easily packaged in a digital wrapping with the pace of Transformers or Jurassic World. It can't be. It never will be. But if I have to ponder, muse, reflect or meditate on personal loss, this does as well as anything at straddling that line between style and substance. Frankly, the topic has more substance than most people want to digest, but I have a feeling that Kirk Cameron and John Bona understood this going in.

The answer to the question of "why bad things happen to good people" is found in stepping back and defining, "good" and "bad." From a Christian perspective, much of that is found in the book of Genesis--a colorful, gritty and profound story of human beginnings. And if you can't stomach that, you won't like this. If you aren't the kind of person who can spend an hour in a church services, you won't get this. Let's face it, most Westerners don't go to church anymore. So, what could we expect from this effort.

At any rate, you cannot deny a man his personal story. You can't invalidate the reality of his pain, his confusion or the resolution he finds. I respect Kirk Cameron for this effort--a visually compelling, but difficult reflection on an essential human question. May we all learn to spend more than 10 minutes a year on such questions and may we have men and women willing to help us do so.

The adverts and trailers intrigued me, as I have often wondered why God allows bad things to happen to good people. I have heard so many opinions and views from so many people on the topic and thought I would give it a shot.

The first 30 minutes were simply advertisements for Liberty University, a song by a woman that wasn't very good, and a few other speakers that really had nothing to do with the movie itself.

The movie, was finally being screened, was just a brief video representation made based on Genesis. I can tell you right now the question was NOT answered in any way. I get the feeling this was just Kirk Cameron trying to make a few bucks for his family of 6 kids and for $$ to put gas into his huge SUV. Other than that, this was a waste of time and money, and from the reaction I heard from the sold-out theater as they left the screening, I was far from alone in my view.

This film is from the same person who made that movie about the saving Christmas, which was supposed to be about a war against Christmas --- that doesn't exist.

Now in this film, based on the review and summary I read, is using a death of a friend/family and leverages the tragic situation to proselytise Christianity.

I don't know if the rumours are true, that this Kirk Cameron was an ex- atheist... but whatever his reasons are for falling into the abyss of Christian ignorance I can safely bet that it is not because he found factual, empirical evidence that firmly supports the Christian belief. (Dust-man, rib woman, talking snake, desert wanderers, virgin births, 'resurrection', etc. --- and an existence of an all-knowing, creating- everything sky father who is seemingly very obsessed with how hairless apes living in a very, very minuscule piece of rock in a +13 billion light-year-wide universe... use their genitals).

I don't know. I don't think even a modestly educated Christian can enjoy this movie. I think only people similar to the director himself - who believes this earth is only 6,000 years old and other creationist nonsense - will enjoy this movie.