Samson tale hits city theatre
A well-known story from the Old Testament comes to life this week on the big screen in the Pure Flix presentation of “Samson.”
Based on the celebrated Hebrew with great powers, “Samson” should satisfy both the faith-film crowd, along with those seeking action and excitement. The film has earned a 14A rating with a Violence warning (the Old Testament is filled with a lot of war and violence). It is 109 minutes in length and will show daily, starting Friday, at 12:55, 4:05 and 7:10 p.m.
From the Pure Flix official site we read: “‘Samson’ is based on the powerful, biblical epic of a champion chosen by God to deliver Israel. His supernatural strength and impulsive decisions quickly pit him against the oppressive Philistine empire. After being betrayed by a wicked prince and a beautiful temptress, Samson is captured and blinded by his enemies. Samson calls upon his God once more for supernatural strength and turns imprisonment and blindness into final victory.”
Of note, “Samson” was filmed on location in South Africa (no stranger to violence), and is a production of the company Pure Flix, producer of “God’s Not Dead” — the leading faith film of 2014.
“Most people know that Samson had long hair, Delilah cut it off, and that he lost his strength,” director Bruce Macdonald is quoted as saying, “But there’s so much more. Samson was an unwilling hero, and his journey to regain his faith — the whole story — is relevant in 2017.”
I had the opportunity to view this film last month, and I will admit that I have found many of the faith-based films to be quite entertaining and inspiring. Our community tends to embrace and support these, and thus we try, where possible, to highlight them when available.
Several older, recognizable actors star in this film including Rutger Hauer (father of Samson), Lindsay Wagner a.k.a. “The Bionic Woman” (mother of Samson), and Billy Zane who plays the Philistine King Balek. The actor playing the role of Samson was a newcomer for me, played by Taylor James. He was certainly up to the task of the rugged, and sometimes stubborn, Samson.
I hope you will enjoy this film, as I know that I appreciated the Bible story being brought to life before my eyes. Certainly, a far cry better than the dreadful “Noah” from a few years ago. See you at the movie theatre! Please feel free to contact me with your comments or feedback – even an idea for an article – len@moviemill.com. Hope to see you at the movies!