Deke's Review of the movie House
Posted by WBFJ | Posted in ted dekker house movie r-rated crossroad radio theatres | Posted on 6:32 AM
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"The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it." -John 1:5This is the verse that starts off the movie, House, based on the book by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti. Being a huge Dekker and Peretti fan I was very excited to hit the theaters and to see this movie even though I was a little weary because of the R-rating.
First thing let me say that this movie did NOT deserve an R-rating. While there were intense moments and some frightening scenes it was NOTHING compared to what makes it's ways into theaters under the R banner (you see more on CSI or Fringe).
No language (maybe one use of hell)
No sexuality or nudity (there are veiled references to one of the characters past abuse)
No gore (all violence is off screen and implied)
All that said, the big question that most people ask is..."what makes this movie Christian?"
In short - the authors who wrote it are believers and the BOOK has a very strong and powerful spiritual application...but it ends there. If you are wanting to see this movie because you want a Fireproof / Facing the Giants feeling when you leave the theater than you will be disappointed. This movie does present some important truths in a allegorical way, but unless you know what those truths are you may miss it.
Here are some of the Biblical truths that the book addresses that I wish the movie would have been able to in more detail (remember Ted did NOT produce this movie he gave the rights to Lionsgate and had limited creative power):
1) Our hearts are wicked. "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? - Jeremiah 17:9"
2) The wages of sin is death. "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans6:23"
3) We need someone to pay the penalty for our sin. "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8"
These truths were there in the movie, but unless you were already aware of them or had read the book you may miss them and simply see it as a fight between light and darkness without knowing WHO the Light is - Jesus Christ.
BOTTOM LINE: The movie was entertaining and fairly accurate to the book. While I do not watch much (if any) in this genre anymore it was nice to see a movie that had some fright to it without the unneeded language, sex and gore. Of course, I almost wish I had reread the book AFTER I saw the movie because I spent too much time picking it apart & comparing it to the book (yeah I'm a Dekker purist). Even my wonderful wife (who cares not for scary movies but loves Ted) enjoyed the movie and thought it did not need the R-rating.
So rather than see a movie like Saw V which is nothing but torture porn or Zack and Miri which is porn - House gives you another option. And after you see the movie you MUST read the book because like most other movies based on books - the book is always better. Most of all make sure you read John 1 and get to know the real Light of the world who came into the darkness and destroyed it so that we may live forever in His presence.
"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 men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. - John 1:1-5"
