Salmon Fishing in the Yemen -- faith illustrated

Director: Lasse Hallström, 2011. (PG-13)

There are not too many films about sport fishing. A River Runs Through It springs to mind. But how about a romantic comedy about fishing in a desert? Never done. But that is exactly what this film is. Ridiculous, impossible, "fundamentally unfeasible" (as one character says in the film), but unlikely as it seems, Salmon Fishing is fresh and cute.

The film revolves around the desire of Sheik Muhammed (Amr Waked) to bring his passion for salmon fishing to his native land of Yemen. In so doing, he hopes to bring the peace of fishing to the region. He hires a consulting firm to aid him and Harriet (Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria) is assigned to bring his vision to fruition. Can it be done? To answer this she turns to the Ministry of Fisheries and fish expert Dr. Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor, Beginners). He wants nothing to do with it, declaring it "fundamentally unfeasible".

Which is where it would land, another dead fish on the shores of preposterous ideas, if it weren't for the need for some positive PR from the middle East. When the PM's press secretary Patricia Maxwell (Kristin Scott Thomas, The English Patient) gets wind of this scheme she puts pressure on the Ministry to make it happen, and Jones finds himself blackmailed into working with Harriet on the project.

At first, Jones acts like he believes it impossible, asking for outlandish things to transport the millions of freshwater fish from England to Yemen. But after he meets the Sheikh and as time progresses, the project gets in his blood. And he begins to believe in the impossible.

One scene stands out. Jones is going to meet Harriet, who has barricaded herself in her apartment after news of her boyfriend's death. Grief-stricken, she has pulled back from the project. But as Jones walks the sidewalk, he is literally swimming upstream against the mass of humanity that is all walking in the other direction. This metaphorically depicts the project and relates it to the freshwater fish who swim upstream to spawn.

Like some of his earlier work (Chocolat, The Cider House Rules, An Unfinished Life) , Swedish director Hallström brings a slow and relaxed pacing to the film. Indeed, it is like fishing itself. And he blends the comedy with the romance very well. Through most of the film, we don't know if Jones and Harriet will end up together. Harriet is in a relationship with a soldier sent to Afghanistan, while Jones is married, even if the marriage is stagnant. Yet there is easy chemistry between the two leads that makes us root for them as much as for the salmon. And Scott Thomas is delicious in a wonderfully self-centered role, delivering much of the humor.

Two themes emerge plainly. The first is faith. The Sheik himself brings this up in discussion with Jones. He declares that fishing requires faith, just as religion does. For a man of science, this is anathema. But the film explores this assertion. It takes faith to stand in a river and cast a fly. There is no guarantee that there are fish in the water, nor that they will see the fly, or take to the snare. But men do it regardless, believing that they will catch a fish.

Faith is like this. It is trust in the unseen. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (Heb. 11:1) It is belief in the apparently unbelievable. But God is the god of the impossible. Through eyes of faith, we look to God and accept that “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Lk. 18:27)

A biblical example from early in Jesus' ministry comes to mind. After fishing all night, Simon Peter and his colleagues had pulled in no fish. Their work was for nothing. But Jesus said to him, “ 'Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.' Simon answered, 'Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.' When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break." (Lk. 5:4-6) Whether it is creating fishing possibilities in the desert or catching fish when none were to be found, faith is fundamental.

Which brings us to the second and obvious theme to engage with, namely fishing. Fishing is a key metaphor in the Bible. When Jesus calls his first disciples he chooses plain old fishermen: “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt. 4:19) Fishing for men, bringing them into the new kingdom that Jesus introduces, requires the same patience and faith as fishing for salmon. It takes more than simple human effort. We cannot convert a person on our own. It requires the work of the Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:6). And the Spirit works as he chooses (Jn. 3:8). Our work is to believe in the invisible God and labor in faith.

Whether you like fishing or not, if you enjoy fresh films trust me, you'll enjoy this one. Go out and hook this DVD and have the faith to believe in the impossible.

Copyright ©2012, Martin Baggs

Anonymous -- the power and truth of words

Director: Roland Emmerich, 2011. (PG-13)  

The premise of Roland Emmerich’s Anonymous is that another, an anonymous writer, authored all of William Shakespeare’s works. Rather in this rewriting of history, Shakespeare (Rafe Spall, Hot Fuzz) is a drunkoon buffoon who cannot even write his own name.

The movie starts in present day New York. An actor (Derek Jacobi, himself a prominent thespian who has clothed himself in many Shakespearian roles) walks onto stage and states that what most hold as fact is going to be called into question: Shakespeare did not pen his works. The play then transforms into a period piece full of intrigue and betrayal. And with that, Emmerich moves the film back into the 1600s.

The theory is that Edward De Vere (Rhys Ifans, Elizabeth: the Golden Age), Earl of Oxford actually wrote the plays but could not use his own name since the content was politically infused. So he contacts Ben Johnson (Sebastian Armesto), a writer, and makes him an offer he can’t refuse: freedom from the Tower and cash to comply. But Johnson’s hesitation results in Shakespeare’s opportunity and the rest is history . . . at least in this film.

Emmerich has a super cast of British actors. Vanessa Redgrave (Letters to Juliet) as Queen Elizabeth and David Thewliss (HarryPotter and the Order of the Phoenix) as William Cecil stand out. But herein lies the main problem with the film: too many characters. There are so many to keep track of that the intrigue is confusing. It does not help that Emmerich throws in flashback time after time without really explaining who the younger characters are and how they relate to the main plotline. And then there are too many intrigues, involving nobility, claims to the throne, royal affairs, and blue-blooded bastards. It feels like a pre-modern version of last year’s remake of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy. Like that film, the complexity simply asks too much of the viewer and interest starts to lag early into the second act.

Despite the tedium of the intrigue, a theme emerges: the power of words. Oxford realizes that his power is in not in his sword, but in his pen. By putting pen to paper, when the plays are performed in public the populace recognize the political references and opinion is swayed.

The power of words is a biblical truth, too. Jesus says, in his final sermon, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matt. 24:35). The words of Christ, red-lettered in many Bible versions, are viewed as of critical import to his followers world-wide. Moreover, the Bible tells us: “the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) The power of the Bible is carried in the power of its words, since “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16).

More than this, though, the power of the biblical words resides in the Word. The gospel of John opens with these words (Jn. 1:1-4): 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

The Word refers to Christ pre-incarnate. Before he was born as the God-man Jesus, he was the second person of the Trinity. In Greek philosophy the Logos (i.e. word) was a divine intermediary. John carried that concept over and used it to describe the truth of Jesus: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth” (Jn. 1:14). As fully God, Jesus embodies all the power of the Godhead, the power that set the worlds in motion, that created the universe ex nihilo. He embodies the power that brought Lazarus back from the dead (Jn. 11:43-44). That same power transforms believers from death to life, and gives us the power (through the indwelling Holy Spirit) to live holy lives.

But back to Shakespeare’s words. Were they his, and we have been taught in high school and beyond? Yes they were. The ridiculous claims by Emmerich have been put down by numerous experts. In one article in the St.Louis Post-Dispatch, various Shaekspeare experts chimed in. Robert Henke, professor of drama and comparative literature at Washington University, says: 

The Oxford theory requires about half of London to have been in on a conspiracy to protect the Earl from being tainted with the disreputable profession of the theater. Oxfordians must also address the unfortunate fact that the Earl of Oxford died in 1604, before eleven of Shakespeare's plays, including 'King Lear,' 'Macbeth,' 'Antony and Cleopatra,' and 'The Tempest' (the latter with very pointed references to events that took place in 1609) were written.

And in a review in the Harvard Political Review, John Pulics comments on one of the scenes in the move: “Shakespeare murders Christopher Marlowe because after he discovers the true author when, in reality, Marlowe died in a duel. The divergences from already established facts become more and more base, to the point that anyone versed in Shakespearian knowledge could not accept the film’s argument.”

Words are powerful. Jesus’ words are true. This movie’s words and premise plainly are not.

Copyright ©2012, Martin Baggs

Vujicic's new book "Unstoppable" coming in October

Until this week I had never heard of Nick Vujicic. This Australian, born without arms or legs, is a strong follower of Jesus. My kids had heard of him and seen some of his inspirational and motivational YouTube videos.

Then I got an email from Waterbrook Publishers, who I periodically review books for. They are releasing his new book, Unstoppable, in October. After looking at his video (http://bit.ly/NxKhEa) and reading the first chapter of this book (http://multnomahemails.com/wbmlt/pdf/SneakPeek_Unstoppable.pdf ) I can't wait to get a copy. His life of faith and joy is a testament to the power of God available in all circumstances. If you're struggling in your faith, perhaps you should get a copy, too.

The Grey -- fear and faith, and their opposites

Director: Joe Carnahan, 2011. (R)

"Once more into the fray. Into the last good fight I'll ever know. Live and die on this day. Live and die on this day." Life is full of battles resulting in suffering and pain. How do we deal with these? Who do we turn to? Are we afraid? Do we have faith in God? This poem forms a central motif underscoring the theme of faith / faithlessness and fear / no fear that writer-director Carnahan explores in this atheistic and existential film.

We meet the protagonist, John Ottway (Liam Neeson) through his opening voice-over: "A job at the end of the world. A salaried killer for a big petroleum company. I don't know why I did half the things I've done, but I know this is where I belong, surrounded by my own. Ex-cons, fugitives, drifters. . . Men unfit for mankind." He has his personal demons, ones that have led him to the brink of the abyss. It is when he meets the protagonist, the grey timber wolf, that he draws some strength and hope of personal redemption.

A wolf-killer to protect the gnarly and nasty oil-workers, Ottway boards a plane with men going home on leave. He has no home to return to, since his wife has left him. But when the plane crashes in the Alaskan tundra in the middle of nowhere, he finds only seven survivors. He emerges as leader.

We find his lack of faith early as he deals with a dying survivor still strapped into an airplane seat. Blood gushing from his belly, the man looks at Ottway with pleading eyes. But Ottway tells him the truth: "You're going to die." Then he tells him there is no heaven, just a warmth as death overtakes him and brings him into the state of non-existence. As touching as this scene is, it underscores the hero's problem: he has no one to turn to. He (and we) will come back to that later.

With this death over, only seven remain. Soon after, Ottway discovers the hard way a grey wolf, and there are more. They are in the wolves' den. They have two choice: remain at the crash site and make a stand, or try to escape to the forest and beyond. With no hope and no resources at the broken airplane, they decide to flee. And they set up the rest of the film: hunted and hunters. Like many of these films, we will see their pack whittled down slowly, one by one, by the wolf pack.

Carnahan gives the movie a bleak wintry look, all greys no color. Add to this the graininess of the film and we can almost feel the sub-zero temperatures of this barren wasteland. It paints a visual image of the hopelessness and faithlessness of the hero.

Of the other men, two stand out as diametric opposites: Diaz (Frank Grillo) is the arrogant womanizer and alpha-male wannabe, while Talget (Dermot Mulroney) is a family man with a faith in God. Their contrary natures provide the means for a debate on God.

Sitting around a fire these men fall into the sort of male sharing that accompanies camping. Like the wolves surrounding them, Diaz challenges Ottway to see who should be the leader, the alpha-male of this pack. Ottway has already confessed he is terrified. Diaz, in contrast, declaims a lack of fear. He is not afraid.

Should a leader be afraid? In flashback dream-like sequences, we see Ottway's wife constantly telling him, "Don't be afraid." But Ottway is afraid. He is not ashamed to say this. He faces reality and his fear, tempered though it is, allows him to avoid the perils of false bravado. A leader living in fantasy-land is of no use to his followers.


When is appropriate to be afraid versus not being afraid? Obviously there is a sense of fearing imminent danger, as the wolves posed to these men. But the Bible is full of God's command to "be not afraid". In particular, Jesus says, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). There is one to be afraid of, and he is the Almighty. This fear is a holy and wholesome awe of the one who creates and judges, and it is the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7) and wisdom (Prov. 9:10).

The predicament of the men causes Talget to bring up the existence of God and the meaning of life. In the midst of suffering and death, it seems a reasonable question, but the rest shoot him down with laughter calling his faith a "fairy tale."

Later, when Ottway is left all alone, he looks up into the sky and calls out to God for help. He wants it now. When no answer emerges, he shrugs and says quietly to himself, "Fine, I'll do it myself." This scene is the pivotal point in Carnahan's proposition that there is no God, and sets up the gripping finale of man vs wolf, two alpha males in nature without a maker.

Many men have to come to believe in God in "foxhole-faith moments", times of danger when they seek help from God. Others, wanting immediate faith gratification, find it wanting and become hardened in heart, set against a God who does not answer on-call. Can we demand our will be done on earth at God's beck and call? Can we really expect that a single, simple prayer, like that of Ottway, will result in a miraculous moment? We want to believe and expect this. But such expectations are likely to be dashed, as Ottway's were. We can affirm that God hears our prayers and answers them in his way. But his ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55:9) and we cannot understand the mind of the Lord (Rom. 11:34). He has higher purposes for us, even if they include suffering and death.

 The Grey is an intense and engaging action film. Despite some gaping plot-holes (like surviving falling into ice-cold river without a way to dry off clothes or regain body-heat), it pulls us in, but does not offer a Hollywood ending. This is no Disney film. But its message is clear and for those of us who follow Jesus, the grey dissolves into black and white. We believe in a God who is there, even if Carnahan and his hero don't.

Copyright ©2012, Martin Baggs