Review of The 33 (2015) by Glenn D — 06 Oct 2015

I did view The 33 film last night with my wife at a special showing for pastors and ministry leaders. The movie is the story of the 33 Chilean miners trapped in a gold mine for more than two months. The movie does not feel like a documentary but flows as a complete story showing this tragedy from every perspective.

The acting from Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips, Juliette Binoche, and others was engaging and believable (you cared about the people), the story line was suspenseful (even though you knew the ending), and every tragic turn felt desperate and dangerous (true drama not Hallmark channel drama).

Strong Christian themes pervade the movie: hard-fought forgiveness, personal sacrifice, emotional healing, committed friendships, and family unity. Some mainline critics may object to the film simply because the miners and their families were committed Roman Catholics and maintained their faith in the midst of their desperate situation.

For those of us who are fed up with the constant Hollywood fare of immorality, destruction, and anti-heroes, I strongly commend The 33 to you.