Please take a moment now to pray for these influential people (PRAYER SUGGESTIONS).
Reviewed by: Hillari Hunter
CONTRIBUTOR
Moral Rating: | Very Offensive |
Moviemaking Quality: |
|
Primary Audience: | Adults |
Genre: | Supernatural Horor Suspense |
Length: | 3 hr. |
Year of Release: | 1999 |
USA Release: |
Featuring | Tom Hanks, James Cromwell, Michael Clarke Duncan, Bonnie Hunt |
Director |
Frank Darabont |
Producer |
David Valdes |
Distributor | Castle Rock Entertainment |
It is no accident that condemned prisoner John Coffey’s (Michael Clarke Duncan) initials are the same as our Savior. Coffey is a gentle giant who is able to heal by placing his hands on the afflicted. After prison guard Paul Edgecombe (Tom Hanks) is cured of an infection, he slowly comes to believe that Coffey is innocent. However, it is 1935, they are in the deep south of the United States, and Coffey, an African-American, has not, and will not get, a fair trial. Despite the obstacles, the men develop a friendship that transcends Death Row.
The supernatural elements of the story enhance their relationship, but does not overpower the plot. It actually enhances the themes of resilience, repentance and faith.
The lead actors are great. Hanks plays Edgecombe as a decent, humane man, who does not relish being an executioner of men, but has a duty to his job. Duncan does well in his part of a child-like man, bewildered by his dire circumstances. Doug Hutchinson (better known as the monster Toombs from a couple of famous “X-Files” episodes) is good as a sadistic guard. Bonnie Hunt, known for comedic roles, is solid as Edgecombe’s supportive wife. Many of the actors shine in smaller roles as well.
There are a couple of scenes of implied sex between Edgecombe and his wife. Several characters use foul language and racial slurs. The violence level is above average. Electric chair executions are shown; one in particular is very graphic. The movie is put together well, and the story is powerful story. This film is strictly for adults.
Stephen King, age , is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, and disturbing sci-fi. The demonic clown in his film “It” says he wants to feed off people’s fear—that pretty much sums up King’s business plan.
This has made him a wealthy man, having sold hundreds of millions of books, millions of movie tickets, videos, TV movies, and comic books adapted from his work. His stories are reportedly often based on his own fears and phobias.
His films include: “Doctor Sleep,” “It” and “It Chapter II,” “The Dark Tower,” “Carrie,” “The Shining,” “1408,” “The Mist,” “The Green Mile,” “Firestarter,” and others.
His faith: Secularism (but not an Atheist), ex-Methodist (left as a teenager). He hates organized religion and misrepresents the Bible and true followers of Christ. Stephen’s daughter Naomi with her same-sex partner is a Unitarian Universalist Church minister (Florida). His son Joe wrote the extremely offensive film, “Horns” (2014). However, Stephen’s brother David became a Bible-believing, evangelical Christian.
His worldview: Evolutionism, Leftism (staunch and outspoken), Environmentalism
“I think that we’re all mentally ill. Those of us outside the asylums only hide it a little better—and maybe not all that much better after all.”
“Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.”
“My dad has hated me for as long as I can remember.”
“When his life was ruined, his family killed, his farm destroyed, Job knelt down on the ground and yelled up to the heavens, ‘Why God? Why me?’ and the thundering voice of God answered, There’s just something about you that p*sses me off.”
“I understand where Bill Maher is coming from when he says, basically, the world is destroying itself over a bunch of fairy tales about talking snakes and men who are alive inside fishes. I’m very sympathetic to it, but at the same time, given the cosmos that we’re living in, it’s very persuasive, the idea that there is some kind of first cause that’s running things. It might not be the God of Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, it might not be the god of al-Qaida, and it might not be the God of Abraham, but something very well could be running things.
The order of the universe as we see it, the interlocking nature, and the way things work together, are persuasive of the idea that there may be some overarching first cause.”
“I recognize terror as the finest emotion, and so I will try to terrorize the reader. But if I find that I cannot terrify, I will try to horrify, and if I find that I cannot horrify, I’ll go for the gross-out. I’m not proud.”
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in Christian Spotlight reviews are those of the reviewers themselves, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Christian Answers.
ONE—yes as so many comments have already said, this film does vividly contrast good and evil, shows miracle healing power (within a twisted medium mind you) and talks interestingly about accountability to God on judgment day.
TWO—hordes of flies coming out of a man’s mouth after healing people; a Christlike figure punishing sinners with mental illness, death and penance; creepy evil characters; and scenes of two mutilated young girls… this is certainly Stephen King NOT Stephen Spielberg… DISTURBING MATERIAL WHILE GOD AND CHRIST ARE PORTRAYED AS VENGEFUL WITH BIZARRE TWISTS TO THEM… I’d be truly afraid of the god portrayed in this movie.
THREE—sickening lengthy execution scenes in particular one botched electric chair attempt in which the victim takes a long long time to die, literally burning in agony. I’m not trying to be preachy, but it seems whereas Christians will not yet tolerate nudity and graphic sex, we’re quite comfortable with gut-wrenching gratuitous violence. Some may say Stephen King is close to salvation. In my view, “The Green Mile” does a lot more to twist Christianity than to reveal it. And even if it was pro-Christian, a dark medium of graphic twisted violence to present it wouldn’t justify this movie anyway. If you really want to watch a full length feature about death row, try “Dead Man Walking” which actually IS redemptive. Or with less disturbing material; “Amistad”, “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Les Miserables” are examples of much better pieces of work. I thought “The Sixth Sense,” a bonified creepy thriller, was much more tolerable to watch than “The Green Mile.” In Canada, “The Green Mile” movie isn’t even R-rated. Bogus indeed. My Ratings: [1/2½]