‭ olycarp,‬‭a‬‭film‬‭review.

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‭I‬‭really‬‭enjoyed‬‭the‬‭Polycarp‬‭film,‬‭the‬‭studio‬‭did‬‭a‬‭really‬‭good‬‭job‬‭with‬‭it.‬‭And‬‭for‬‭what‬‭it‬
‭was‬‭it‬‭was‬‭an‬‭excellent‬‭watch.‬‭I‬‭actually‬‭would‬‭probably‬‭rewatch‬‭it‬‭in‬‭my‬‭own‬‭time.‬‭The‬
‭acting‬‭was‬‭really‬‭good,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭writing‬‭was‬‭engaging.‬‭It‬‭definitely‬‭had‬‭its‬‭hiccups‬‭here‬
‭and‬‭there,‬‭like‬‭some‬‭of‬‭the‬‭CGI‬‭settings‬‭or‬‭some‬‭audio‬‭mixing,‬‭or‬‭like‬‭a‬‭couple‬‭of‬‭the‬
‭side‬‭characters‬‭the‬‭acting‬‭was‬‭a‬‭bit‬‭weird.‬
‭But‬‭I’m‬‭not‬‭trying‬‭to‬‭critique‬‭the‬‭film‬‭or‬‭its‬‭makers‬‭and‬‭contributors.‬‭I'm‬‭just‬
‭acknowledging‬‭it.‬‭But‬‭for‬‭the‬‭size‬‭of‬‭the‬‭studio‬‭and‬‭how‬‭Mike‬‭had‬‭mentioned‬‭it‬‭being‬‭an‬
‭amateur‬‭film,‬‭it‬‭was‬‭amazing.‬
‭Like‬‭I‬‭was‬‭genuinely‬‭attached‬‭to‬‭the‬‭characters‬‭and‬‭was‬‭getting‬‭involved‬‭in‬‭the‬‭story.‬
‭They‬‭did‬‭an‬‭amazing‬‭job‬‭of‬‭building‬‭the‬‭characters‬‭in‬‭the‬‭short‬‭time‬‭they‬‭had‬‭in‬‭a‬
‭realistic‬‭way‬‭that‬‭didn’t‬‭feel‬‭forced‬‭or‬‭dragged‬‭out.‬
‭The‬‭characters‬‭felt‬‭human.‬‭They‬‭reacted‬‭truthfully‬‭as‬‭to‬‭how‬‭they‬‭should‬‭given‬‭their‬
‭character‬‭and‬‭the‬‭situation.‬
‭I‬‭was‬‭a‬‭big‬‭fan‬‭of‬‭the‬‭actor‬‭who‬‭played‬‭Polycarp,‬‭he‬‭kind‬‭of‬‭reminded‬‭me‬‭of‬‭Mark‬
‭Hamill.‬‭But‬‭he‬‭was‬‭convincing‬‭in‬‭his‬‭love‬‭and‬‭devotion‬‭to‬‭God,‬‭credit‬‭to‬‭both‬‭the‬‭writing‬
‭and‬‭the‬‭acting.‬‭But‬‭he‬‭expressed‬‭wonderfully‬‭to‬‭others‬‭God’s‬‭love‬‭and‬‭wisdom.‬
‭Whenever‬‭there‬‭was‬‭trouble‬‭or‬‭doubt‬‭he‬‭would‬‭remind‬‭others‬‭of‬‭God‬‭and‬‭to‬‭trust‬‭in‬‭him,‬
‭but‬‭it‬‭never‬‭felt‬‭forced‬‭or‬‭overly‬‭preachy‬‭(more‬‭on‬‭that‬‭later).‬‭Like‬‭each‬‭time‬‭Anna‬‭felt‬
‭doubtful‬‭about‬‭God,‬‭Polycarp‬‭would‬‭share‬‭with‬‭her‬‭the‬‭Lord's‬‭wisdom.‬‭But‬‭he’d‬‭never‬
‭overwhelm‬‭her.‬‭He‬‭would‬‭always‬‭just‬‭give‬‭enough‬‭to‬‭answer‬‭her‬‭question,‬‭but‬‭then‬‭not‬
‭really‬‭give‬‭her‬‭too‬‭much‬‭of‬‭a‬‭chance‬‭to‬‭reply‬‭so‬‭she‬‭would‬‭have‬‭to‬‭think‬‭on‬‭his‬‭words.‬
‭Then‬‭as‬‭well‬‭as‬‭Jermanicus’‬‭character,‬‭he‬‭definitely‬‭had‬‭some‬‭interesting‬‭lines‬
‭and‬‭acting.‬‭Nothing‬‭bad,‬‭just‬‭a‬‭bit‬‭on‬‭the‬‭nose.‬‭But‬‭as‬‭the‬‭story‬‭went‬‭on‬‭I‬‭did‬‭find‬‭myself‬
‭really‬‭loving‬‭the‬‭character.‬‭His‬‭struggle‬‭for‬‭his‬‭friend’s‬‭family‬‭who‬‭weren’t‬‭believers‬‭felt‬
‭very‬‭real.‬‭It’s‬‭a‬‭common‬‭occurrence‬‭to‬‭have‬‭people‬‭around‬‭you‬‭whose‬‭families‬‭might‬
‭not‬‭be‬‭believers,‬‭and‬‭there‬‭isn’t‬‭much‬‭you‬‭can‬‭do‬‭since‬‭you’re‬‭on‬‭the‬‭outside.‬‭Then‬‭the‬
‭scene‬‭that‬‭kind‬‭of‬‭acted‬‭as‬‭the‬‭turning‬‭point‬‭where‬‭he‬‭and‬‭his‬‭friend‬‭are‬‭confronted‬‭by‬
‭his‬‭friend’s‬‭parents.‬‭Then‬‭they’re‬‭backed‬‭into‬‭a‬‭corner‬‭to‬‭renounce‬‭their‬‭faith‬‭and‬
‭declare‬‭Caesar‬‭as‬‭their‬‭God.‬‭His‬‭friend‬‭breaks‬‭under‬‭the‬‭pressure,‬‭but‬‭then‬‭Jermanicus‬
‭leaves.‬‭It‬‭really‬‭hurt‬‭to‬‭see‬‭the‬‭betrayal,‬‭but‬‭then‬‭again‬‭I‬‭do‬‭sympathize‬‭with‬‭the‬‭friend,‬‭it‬
‭can‬‭be‬‭hard‬‭when‬‭everyone‬‭is‬‭against‬‭you.‬‭But‬‭then‬‭again,‬‭it‬‭is‬‭something‬‭worth‬
‭knowing‬‭that‬‭those‬‭close‬‭to‬‭us‬‭might‬‭be‬‭against‬‭us,‬‭and‬‭we’ll‬‭need‬‭to‬‭choose‬‭our‬‭faith‬‭or‬
‭God.‬
‭As‬‭the‬‭story‬‭goes‬‭on,‬‭it‬‭was‬‭definitely‬‭a‬‭quick‬‭jump‬‭to‬‭this,‬‭but‬‭it‬‭doesn’t‬‭feel‬
‭rushed,‬‭I‬‭think‬‭it‬‭mostly‬‭shows‬‭the‬‭tension‬‭of‬‭the‬‭situation.‬‭But‬‭through‬‭a‬‭confrontation‬‭in‬
‭the‬‭market‬‭that‬‭Anna‬‭provokes‬‭and‬‭Jermanicus‬‭helps‬‭her‬‭get‬‭out‬‭of,‬‭the‬‭royal‬‭guards‬
‭use‬‭this‬‭as‬‭a‬‭chance‬‭to‬‭try‬‭to‬‭get‬‭him‬‭to‬‭renounce‬‭his‬‭faith‬‭again‬‭to‬‭no‬‭avail,‬‭but‬‭then‬
‭they‬‭arrest‬‭him‬‭for‬‭treason‬‭(pretty‬‭sure‬‭that’s‬‭what‬‭the‬‭crime‬‭is‬‭called).‬‭Then‬‭in‬‭his‬‭trial,‬
‭he‬‭is‬‭able‬‭to‬‭beat‬‭his‬‭fear‬‭of‬‭denying‬‭the‬‭Lord‬‭as‬‭he‬‭holds‬‭fast‬‭to‬‭his‬‭faith.‬‭But‬‭as‬‭with‬
t‭his‬‭is‬‭history,‬‭not‬‭a‬‭storybook,‬‭as‬‭he‬‭is‬‭pronounced‬‭guilty‬‭and‬‭sentenced‬‭to‬‭death‬‭in‬‭the‬
‭arena.‬‭And‬‭yeah‬‭this‬‭is‬‭one‬‭of‬‭those‬‭bits‬‭where‬‭the‬‭quality‬‭is‬‭a‬‭bit‬‭lacking‬‭in‬‭the‬‭effects‬
‭for‬‭the‬‭background‬‭in‬‭the‬‭arena,‬‭but‬‭I‬‭do‬‭still‬‭think‬‭it‬‭was‬‭good‬‭enough,‬‭and‬‭leaving‬‭it‬
‭more‬‭to‬‭the‬‭imagination‬‭was‬‭a‬‭good‬‭idea.‬‭It‬‭was‬‭hard‬‭to‬‭see‬‭that‬‭he‬‭did‬‭die,‬‭but‬‭for‬‭his‬
‭character,‬‭it‬‭was‬‭nice‬‭to‬‭see‬‭that‬‭he‬‭was‬‭able‬‭to‬‭hold‬‭on‬‭to‬‭his‬‭faith‬‭until‬‭the‬‭end.‬‭As‬
‭they‬‭later‬‭say‬‭he‬‭ran‬‭to‬‭the‬‭lion's‬‭head-on,‬‭not‬‭showing‬‭fear‬‭like‬‭one‬‭might‬‭in‬‭that‬‭place.‬
‭Man‬‭did‬‭that‬‭still‬‭pull‬‭on‬‭my‬‭heartstrings.‬
‭Then‬‭I‬‭like‬‭how‬‭the‬‭story‬‭progresses‬‭to‬‭its‬‭ending,‬‭with‬‭Anna‬‭getting‬‭to‬‭be‬‭a‬
‭runner‬‭in‬‭the‬‭end‬‭to‬‭warn‬‭Polycarp‬‭that‬‭they‬‭are‬‭after‬‭him.‬‭And‬‭then‬‭Polycarp‬‭was‬‭able‬
‭to‬‭convince‬‭one‬‭of‬‭the‬‭guards‬‭who‬‭had‬‭old‬‭ties‬‭with‬‭them‬‭to‬‭let‬‭him‬‭pray‬‭one‬‭more‬‭time‬
‭as‬‭they‬‭fed‬‭the‬‭soldiers.‬‭This‬‭all‬‭leads‬‭to‬‭the‬‭death‬‭of‬‭Polycarp,‬‭as‬‭he‬‭is‬‭labeled‬‭the‬
‭great‬‭preacher‬‭of‬‭Asia,‬‭the‬‭leader‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Christians,‬‭and‬‭the‬‭Destroyer‬‭of‬‭their‬‭Gods‬
‭(that‬‭one‬‭is‬‭my‬‭favorite,‬‭it's‬‭so‬‭cool).‬‭Polycarp‬‭gets‬‭burned‬‭in‬‭the‬‭arena‬‭for‬‭all‬‭to‬‭see,‬‭he‬
‭keeps‬‭his‬‭composure,‬‭however.‬‭And‬‭then‬‭we‬‭are‬‭shown‬‭a‬‭montage‬‭of‬‭Anna’s‬‭life‬‭in‬‭the‬
‭ministry‬‭then‬‭back‬‭to‬‭the‬‭beginning‬‭scene‬‭of‬‭her‬‭with‬‭another‬‭younger‬‭girl‬‭in‬‭a‬‭prison‬
‭cell,‬‭telling‬‭her‬‭the‬‭story‬‭and‬‭giving‬‭her‬‭her‬‭necklace.‬‭Then‬‭she‬‭is‬‭led‬‭out‬‭to‬‭be‬‭martyred‬
‭like‬‭the‬‭others,‬‭hard‬‭ending,‬‭but‬‭it‬‭isn’t‬‭trying‬‭to‬‭sugarcoat‬‭it.‬‭That’s‬‭how‬‭life‬‭was‬‭for‬‭the‬
‭early‬‭Christians.‬‭The‬‭movie‬‭then‬‭shares‬‭a‬‭few‬‭more‬‭details‬‭on‬‭the‬‭story‬‭of‬‭how‬‭Polycarp‬
‭was‬‭not‬‭touched‬‭by‬‭the‬‭flames‬‭that‬‭they‬‭tried‬‭to‬‭burn‬‭him‬‭with,‬‭a‬‭miracle.‬
‭This‬‭story‬‭was‬‭awe-inspiring,‬‭and‬‭frankly‬‭one‬‭of‬‭the‬‭best‬‭Christian‬‭movies‬‭I’ve‬
‭seen.‬‭As‬‭I‬‭feel‬‭like‬‭a‬‭lot‬‭of‬‭Christian‬‭movies‬‭suffer‬‭from‬‭the‬‭fact‬‭of‬‭trying‬‭too‬‭hard‬‭to‬‭be‬‭a‬
‭preaching‬‭movie.‬‭Like‬‭its‬‭nothing‬‭subtle‬‭or‬‭even‬‭meta‬‭about‬‭it,‬‭they‬‭tend‬‭to‬‭feel‬‭like‬‭it’s‬
‭shoving‬‭it‬‭down‬‭your‬‭throat‬‭or‬‭slapping‬‭you‬‭in‬‭the‬‭face‬‭with‬‭it.‬‭And‬‭maybe‬‭because‬‭this‬
‭is‬‭also‬‭a‬‭historical‬‭movie‬‭it‬‭does‬‭a‬‭better‬‭job‬‭about‬‭it.‬‭But‬‭it‬‭just‬‭feels‬‭more‬‭natural,‬‭it‬
‭doesn’t‬‭just‬‭make‬‭every‬‭Christian‬‭the‬‭good‬‭guy‬‭and‬‭every‬‭non-Christian‬‭the‬‭bad‬‭guy.‬‭It‬
‭shows‬‭Anna‬‭before‬‭she’s‬‭a‬‭Christian,‬‭Jermanicus’‬‭friend’s‬‭struggle‬‭with‬‭being‬‭a‬
‭Christian‬‭with‬‭his‬‭family,‬‭a‬‭royal‬‭guard‬‭who‬‭clearly‬‭has‬‭some‬‭conflicting‬‭thoughts‬‭with‬
‭his‬‭empire,‬‭and‬‭then‬‭that‬‭one‬‭shopkeeper‬‭lady‬‭who‬‭comes‬‭off‬‭at‬‭first‬‭that‬‭she’s‬‭a‬‭friend‬
‭but‬‭ends‬‭up‬‭ratting‬‭out‬‭Anna‬‭and‬‭Polycarp‬‭the‬‭empire‬‭(I‬‭saw‬‭it‬‭coming‬‭but‬‭the‬‭man‬‭did‬
‭that‬‭hurt).‬‭It‬‭felt‬‭real,‬‭it‬‭felt‬‭like‬‭it‬‭was‬‭showing‬‭different‬‭parts‬‭of‬‭being‬‭a‬‭Christian‬‭in‬‭a‬
‭world‬‭where‬‭that‬‭might‬‭not‬‭be‬‭the‬‭easiest‬‭thing.‬
‭And‬‭for‬‭me,‬‭I‬‭think‬‭that‬‭was‬‭my‬‭biggest‬‭takeaway,‬‭I‬‭feel‬‭like‬‭we‬‭often‬‭glamorize‬
‭the‬‭Christian‬‭life,‬‭but‬‭it‬‭is‬‭obviously‬‭hard.‬‭Missions‬‭are‬‭a‬‭wonderful‬‭testament‬‭to‬‭that,‬‭but‬
‭as‬‭well‬‭just‬‭the‬‭fact‬‭that‬‭we‬‭can‬‭be‬‭Christians‬‭freely‬‭where‬‭we‬‭live‬‭is‬‭a‬‭pleasure,‬‭in‬
‭some‬‭parts‬‭of‬‭the‬‭world‬‭that‬‭isn’t‬‭the‬‭case.‬‭But‬‭as‬‭well,‬‭in‬‭the‬‭early‬‭Church,‬‭it‬‭would‬
‭cause‬‭you‬‭to‬‭be‬‭put‬‭to‬‭death.‬‭How‬‭lucky‬‭we‬‭are‬‭to‬‭have‬‭historical‬‭accounts‬‭of‬‭these‬
‭wondrous‬‭testimonies‬‭of‬‭the‬‭Lord's‬‭work‬‭and‬‭love.‬