Six: The Mark Unleashed

This movie is the secret love-child of a Jack T. Chick tract and one of those "heartwarming" Christian propaganda anecdotes that have been circulating on the internet since the nineties. You know, the ones in which a mean, cynical atheist makes fun of a poor, oppressed Christian using a pompous, verbose argument which sounds impressive because it contains big words, but doesn't actually make any sense, and gets his come-uppance when his "argument" is "refuted" by some emotive sound-bytes from the Christian.

There is in fact a scene exactly like this somewhere in the first half of the movie, which is all that I could endure before flipping to the end of the DVD to see if anything exciting happened. Nothing did.

As science-fiction, the movie is ludicrous and unbelievable. It sets up a completely implausible and illogical view of the future. Setting aside the gimmick of the "implant" (which has a powerful, magical effect on your *brain* in spite of being implanted in your *hand*), why is someone in a maximum security prison run by a society which apparently practices rigid censorship allowed to have a bible, supposedly a heretical work? Why are the prisoners allowed to decorate their cells with beautifully and neatly executed graffiti of biblical quotations? Where do they get their art supplies? How did the evil implanted stormtroopers manage to massacre huge numbers of people in armed attacks if they appear to value personal self-preservation above everything else, including *defending the very survival of their society*?

The evil society is simply not believable, because it is a caricature of everything that modern fundamentalist Christians disapprove of blended with symbolism from the Book of Revelations. Are we supposed to be disturbed by the drones because they are sexually promiscuous? With *gasp* partners of both sexes? Oh, noes! The horror! I bet they've also massacred half the planet!

If you are the sort of person who reads those chain letters and thinks "Oh wow, that is such a well-reasoned argument! Let me forward this to everyone in my address book!" then you will probably adore this movie. If you are the kind of person who thinks "Who sent me this crap *again*?", then I suggest you stay away.

Can't believe there's people who gives a 10 to this movie. The USA are starting to scare me really, people like this, who claim to love this stupid, stereotypical pamphlet are the ones mass voting G.Bush and his preventive wars against the infidels, the axis of evil and those other fairy tales. So so sad.Talking about the artistic part this is probably the worst film ever made.

We find very bad acting, a car who seems to appear through the entire movie (with different owners). Enough plot holes to swallow the whole galaxy and crappy ideas who could fit the worst sects out there. I almost identified myself with the bad guys that being pure crap aren't swimming in the wide sea of idiocy at least.

And yes, i'm Christian, but this is not what i was taught since i was a child. Neither Christians are theatrical lunatics nor illuminated people disconnected from reality.

Sorry for my English

or faith. a film with, at the first sigh, a very precise target. and this fact impose to ignore the artistic value or the presence of Eric Roberts and Stephen Baldwin. the warning about the anti-Christ mark, control of masses, the fight for freedom, the way of Damascus and the links between very different men. nothing original. but, in same measure, it is more than a religious film. its political message could be, for a part of public, more important. because it is the illustration of the old war between state and citizens. sure, not used in the right manner but useful for serve the idea. the conspiracy theories, the fear about the last days, the need of hope, the memories about lines from the book of Apocalypse. each is part of the idea who defines this film.

an useful film. for Christians and, in same measure, for the searcher of answers in crisis period. useful for discover a great problem in Christian circles debates and its solution. so, for large part of its viewers, the film is far to be a Sci. Fi. but a predictable script. as Greek Orthodox, I am not the fan of manner to present the problem - in Protestant way - but it could be one of forms for remind the prediction from New Testament. so, it is only a Protestant movie with its virtues and, for a part of public, its errors. a good movie for message. but it only presents but not has the ambition to convince. a film who reminds many black utopia but, in same measure , the word from Apocalypse. a film who reflects many social fears of last decades.

The guard who locks in the head of Tom Newman into the guillotine - looks just like the character Scotty from Star Trek (James Doohan). Is it he? Thanks. I happened to see this movie on TBN late one night when I was up by myself. I'd heard about it first on Jack Van Impe Presents, and was pleasantly surprised to catch it that night. I was so impressed that I got online as soon as I could to buy it. We have three teens and a younger one too that I thought would benefit from seeing it. It seems like a privilege to own such a well-made movie with such an excellent message. I am especially thrilled with the sincere characters of Christian believers; they are like what a true believer will have to be like during those grievous days of the Tribulation. And, who needs any other Baldwin family performers when we have Stephen!?!