Carolyn McCulley just saved me the cost of a matinee and popcorn for two with this review of One Night With the King. (Official website, IMDB listing.) Her review is hilarious and worth the read, whether or not you intended to watch the movie. Here’s a sample:
Now if I get the movie from Netflix, I’ll crack up laughing every time I see Xerxes and his “breakfast with the King” headgear. Christian Answers disagrees with McCulley’s assessment, but I think her point that the movie “perpetuates the Hollywood myth that chemistry trumps character” is important. A watered down bible story is actually worse than no story at all.
My parents (who rarely go to movies because of their stringent standards) had a different review of the movie. My mother thought it was “fanciful” at times, but pretty accurate biblically. My father said, “How do you know it wasn’t accurate?”
The movie makers, of course, “fill in” stuff that we cannot know, dialogue and details that aren’t in the biblical text. If they don’t do so in a way that actually violates the biblical account, how can we know they are not accurate? How do we know what Ahasuerus looked like? How do we know that Esther didn’t love him? How can we tell from the account we have if there was a romance?
I likely won’t see the movie, but it’s not for the accusation that it’s not accurate. Maybe we shouldn’t jump to conclusions too quickly.
How do I know it wasn’t accurate? I’m inclined to take Carolyn McCulley’s word for it. I’m okay with adding conversation and other things that are consistent with the biblical text, and that is not one of the things she criticized.
What I’m not okay with is the twisting of the story that McCulley described; the manner in which Esther approached the king and court is the specific example she listed. If that was the only incidence of the story deviating from the biblical account, it would still be enough, because it changes the entire tone. She prepared carefully, with prayer, fasting, and the support of others praying and fasting. This was no impulse decision – it was a reasoned, deliberate action. To display it in the manner described takes away from her courage and faith in the Lord and directly conflicts with the truth in the bible.
haven’t seen the movie…I saw one of the promo’s and I wasn’t impressed…I would have to agree with that last line..”A watered down bible story is actually worse than no story at all.”
I did like the veggie tale version =)
I never saw such an awesome movie in the theater! I was never expecting such a fun, romantic movie! I thought that the king was acurately portrayed and did an excellent job in his role. Why can’t a Bible story be a love story all at the same time? It would do the Bible injustice to portray it any other way! I really like how they brought in the story of Saul and the Amalekites at the beginning. You must see this movie!
I loved this movie. I brings together the Esther story very nicely and with artistic view points. It showed the trust and relationship that Esther had with the Lord which is one of the greatest lessons in the movie. I also showed what prayer and fasting can do. It also shows the greatest commandment (love) and why it is so important. The way Esther went before the king was changed a little, but it still showed her obediance to the Lord. It made me want to read Esther to see exactly how it was. If this story encourages others to read the Holy Bible then I think it is a wonderful story.