By Cindy Howard (Variety)
The eRecord is giving away five DVDs of “Pilgrim’s Progress”. To enter, send an answer to the following question to therecord@therecord.com.au: From which language does the word “Lux” come from and who does the character represent?
Directed and written by Robert Fernandez, this animated adaptation of John Bunyan’s timeless allegory Pilgrim’s Progress doesn’t so much surprise as it does reaffirm faith during gloomy times.
The author’s rich tale of an everyman’s extraordinary journey to find faith is a resonant reminder for believers to never stray from “the straight and narrow”, which is evident from the very first moments of the movie.
Though this relatively low-budget retelling is hampered by its limited production values as it was partly funded by Kickstarter campaign, the execution is strong enough to serve as a previs run-through for a grander scale, live-action feature – the likes of which have never been offered to audiences, despite a flourishing faith-based market.
For many years, the city of Destruction has been left to rot, while its citizens resort to perpetual hard labour to survive.
They’re micro-managed by disciplinary supervisors, descendants of an evil ruler (Lux) who discouraged free-thinking, dreamers, and personal beliefs.
But one of their dutiful workers – a man by the name of Faithful Pathfinder – is discovered to be missing, leaving behind visionary sketches of a mythical, gilded place called “Celestial City.” The finding irrevocably upends their world.
Another ordinary man, Christian Pilgrim (played by Ben Price), unearths Faithful Pathfinder’s contraband journal teaching about kindness, injustice, and impending doom caused by war.
After his eyes are metaphorically opened, these lessons weigh on him, and his existential panic physically manifests as a shell-like backpack that grows larger each day.
His only option to rid himself of this load is to leave his doubting family and set out on a journey of discovery predicated on faith alone.
Only his trek won’t be easy as he’ll have to face many obstacles, both physical and psychological, and meet a slew of helpful and hindering characters along his path toward freedom and salvation.
The film finds greater strength in its visuals during the climactic action sequences, where there’s vibrancy as the righteous battle their intimidating foes.
The ups-and-downs of the protagonist’s perilous journey probably won’t deliver much shock or surprise except maybe to youngsters.
Yet it still manages to stoke audience engagement with its emotional core, particularly whenever Christian is forced to figure his way out of a sticky situation, or when Evangelist, voiced by John Rhys-Davies, rescues him from peril.
The underlying commentary on having tenacity, strength and courage during trials and tribulations is preserved. Bunyan knew how to weave the tapestry, and Fernandez knows how to showcase it.
One questionable element that doesn’t transfer quite as easily happens when Christian and Hopeful are captured by giants in the Realm of Despair.
While this adaptation may not win over any new converts, it does serve as a blessed reminder of faith’s rewards in a seemingly endless, punishing, and dark time.
The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG for mild thematic elements, action, violence, and scary images.