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Stories about loving fathers and their sons were particularly well-reviewed this week by Christian critics, who praised Gladiator, featuring a Roman general who'd rather stay at home with his boy, Frequency, in which a New York cop talks to his deceased father via a time-travel phenomenon, and the TV-movie Jesus, about God the Father and his only Son. Mothers and their daughters didn't fare as well, as the unwed, pregnant teen in Where the Heart Is and the repressive matron in The Virgin Suicides drew criticism.

Moviegoers are abuzz with talk about Gladiator, the first big-budget release of the year, which pulled in a healthy $34.8 million haul this weekend. Christian critics were no exception; everyone had a strong opinion one way or another. The majority were supportive of the epic, in which a fictional Roman general, Maximus (Russell Crowe), nearly becomes the leader of the Empire but instead finds himself as a slave forced to fight gladiator duels. "This stunning epic," says Crosswalk.com's Holly McClure, "has all the ingredients—incredible special effects, beautiful scenery, colossal battle scenes, [and] a moral message." Movieguide was equally supportive: "Although vengeance is Maximus' motivation, he exhibits several virtues, not the least of which is mercy when killing is unnecessary. Furthermore, the movie makes clear that the bloodsport of the Coliseum is distracting and destroying Rome." Michael Elliott of Crosswalk.com was likewise enthusiastic, saying that the film shows how "one good man can save an entire people from bondage and tyranny." But other critics rebutted these points. Childcare Action felt the movie wallows in its "lust for killing [and] glorification of carnage" instead of transcending it. Culture@Home's Sarah Barnett complains that "while the dazzling production embraces the tragic grandeur of the arena, it fudges on the politics. … By the time we reach the bloody conclusion we are awash with wanton breaches of accuracy"—Rome wasn't freed from bondage, for example. Other critics found the film intriguing as allegory. The Phantom Tollbooth's J. Robert Parks compares the declining Roman Empire to struggles in this country. "British-born director Scott offers no solutions except for the great man of integrity. This, too, feels like a rebuke of contemporary America, particularly its current president." Hollywood Jesus discovered parallels between Maximus' story and several Biblical characters, including Joseph, Moses, and Jesus in its "slave to hero, and death to life themes." Jeffrey Overstreet of GreenLake Reflections, on the other hand, would have preferred some fleshing out of Roman culture: "Isn't there some history to explore here? Some culture to enjoy? Some philosophy to argue? … [Audiences] don't know a single thing more about Rome than they did walking in."Several Christian reviewers were surprised to find that The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, the largely panned prequel to the 1994 live-action hit, was worth sitting through. Michael Elliott of Crosswalk.com says he "actually walked away with a mild appreciation for it. … It was so unabashedly committed to its own silliness that I was begrudgingly won over." Holly McClure, also of Crosswalk.com, was likewise not "expecting much, but to be truthful, it's not that bad. The sets are cute, colorful and creative and the oversized story and gags keep it interesting for kids." The U.S. Catholic Conference calls it "entertainingly silly." Not everyone was charmed, though. Focus on the Family's Steven Isaac says the movie can't overcome the "half-hearted acting and second-rate scripts," and Preview's John Evans was chagrined by a scene that tinkers with some American icons; it "implies Barney and Fred are attracted to each other.

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May (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44