The Encounter

Many a times we blessed with Christian movies that take you down a path of character change, showing you the strength of holding on to faith and never letting go.

With movies like Facing the Giant and Fireproof, these movies touched the lives of many by setting for them examples in which they could follow but The Encounter is different. The movie just deals on remembrance, here is a movie that the main Character is Jesus himself (played by Bruce Marchiano) and all his is trying to do is to make people remember that he has always been with them and to make them understand that all that they have been facing in life was leading to this moment, where he will call them to live the darkness and come into the light.

The movie does star Jaci Velasquez, who is a notable Pop and Gospel singer, I actually expected mediocrity from her but I have to say that her acting was quite good enough for me to respect and say that was not bad. Also in the movie is the wrestler Sting (Steve Borden), who has publicly declared that he is a Born Again Christian. Sting who has already had many acting experience his acting was in a way head over shoulders above everyone.

But the Character that gets your smile is the man who played Jesus (Bruce Marchiano) he did a good job his smile was just beautiful.

The movie plot is about 5 people all heading down a road way when a storm caused them all to divert and stay in a diner, where they met a man who claimed he was Jesus. His claim stood as he was able to tell each one intimate secret about them. The 5 people were: 1. Kayla, who is a runaway teenager that Hank refused to pick even after he heard a still small voice telling him to. 2. Hank, who is a God fearing Christian but he allows his wife to take control of his life and his marriage 3. Catherine, who is Hank's wife, she is a controlling lady that wants to leave Hank and chase after something she will never have 4. Melissa, who was heading to go see her boyfriend, hoping to receive a proposal, she too is a born again Christian like Hank and she obeyed the voice and picked up Kayla. 5. Nick, he is a self made millionaire who doesn't want to have anything to do with God.

Like most Christian movies the antagonist is the devil. The movie did have some flaw in the cinematography area, but you do have to cut them some slack, as most Christian movie makers have to source for finances independently, but that is not saying that what is worth doing is not worth doing well. The cinematography is a low 4/10.

What can I say, a good Christian movie to me is one which I am able to learn something from, here I learned that all sin has their root in pride and that God has placed in front of us the path of love and worship and the degree which we can experience this love is the degree in which we are willing to bend to his will.

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The constant use of 'God' and 'Jesus' became a little bit overbearing. Ultimately, though, the film delivers a powerful message - not only from a religious perspective.

I enjoyed the setting in the diner on a dark and stormy night. I enjoyed the various characters. The acting in general was very good. Bruce Marchiano, especially, was believable as Jesus. He certainly sold the character to me. We also see Steve Borden (wrestling star Sting) in a very different role, which he does wonderfully.

Whether your religious (Christian in particular) or not, this is a feel-good, inspirational film (despite being one-dimensional).

I have read a few reviews that wonder how Jesus could serve up all the food anyone wanted but only serve water to drink. I think it's because he promised the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4)that he would give her "Living Water" and she would never be thirsty again. The Lord was comparing the filling with the Holy Spirit being like a spring of living water inside. She misunderstood the meaning of His statement and changed the subject to get the focus off of her life and on to something else. He gently flopped it back into her lap.

The movie in my opinion was scripturally sound and offered the Lord an opportunity to answer some of the real tough questions that many unbelievers and believers have. Most of the guests did give him a hard time when the spotlight was shined on them and their problems were brought into the conversation.

This is absolutely a "must watch" movie. One last thing. I also read several comments about the acting being "B" acting etc. Who cares? The acting was fine if the watcher would concentrate more on the substance and less on the fact that these people are not the "Big Shots" who run Hollywood.

When I initially saw the beginning of the movie I was not impressed until I stopped and paid attention to the storyline. The setting was one in which a girl is walking on a remote road and looking to catch a ride as cars are passing and a storm with lightning and heavy rain is quickly approaching. The key players are those that pass her on the remote road, as well as the one girl who is prompted by a voice to pick her up. The story unfolds with the players about five or six ending up at a road crossing where a police officer stops them because of a possible washout of the road. They are turned back and all end up at a diner that was not supposed to be at the location. In any event, they all enter and encounter a person named Jesus. Lives and legacies are unveiled in a unique way making application of the Biblical scriptures as well as modern concepts like what it would be to encounter the savior. The story as well as the approach is very thought provoking and leads a person to consider their life and the events of their life in an effort to make a decision for Christ. I have enjoyed a lot of movies, Christian and non-Christian. By far this is one of the best written, staged and acted movies I have seen. It is well worth the time to see it and a great tool for sharing how life takes us down a variety of avenues. I would add that the movie really should be viewed with an open mind to see what the message and points are. It is not a heavy action flick…just a thought provoking hear-felt movie that is well worth the time.

The premise is intriguing, but from the beginning,this was clearly Hallmark card territory.

We're introduced to some stock characters: the Couple That Have Grown Apart, the Sad But Tough Runway, the Materialistic Businessman, the Woman Who Settles for Less.

Spooky music tells us that something is afoot as the rain pummels them in their cars (except for the runaway, who is hitch-hiking). A washed-out bridge leaves them stranded together in a diner run by none other than Jesus.

Jesus freaks them out by serving only water to drink, but food is another matter. Cue Arlo Guthrie: You can get anything you want at Jesus's restaurant. Jesus knows what you want, both on the plate and out of life. He preaches Joel Olstein Lite. The characters exchange dialog out of a "How To Witness to Unbelievers" comic book.

That's where I lost interest and stopped watching.

Hallmark Channel fans, and readers of "Chicken Soup for the Soul," will probably enjoy this. Those looking for meatier fare won't find it in this diner.