Category Archives: Thrillers

I’ve been a big fan of Sherlock Holmes for a long time. I’ve read most of Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic mysteries and seen some of the old movies. Thus I was quite excited to hear that a new movie adaptation (starring Robert Downey Jr. of “Iron Man” fame) was in the works. Despite the rather bizarre trailers that originally suggested an unpleasantly “alternative” take on Holmes, it’s received acclaim from critics for its wit and vitality. So far, I’ve heard nothing but praise for it from my moviegoing friends. So, all things considered, is it worth your time?

It’s good. But it’s not great.

The plot follows Holmes (Downey) and Watson (Jude Law) as they combat the mad occultist Lord Blackwood (played effectively by Mark Strong). As the movie opens, Holmes and Watson disrupt a ghoulish ritual and apprehend Blackwood, who is hanged shortly thereafter. But it soon becomes clear that Blackwood walks the earth again…has he risen from the dead with the help of dark powers? As they pursue Blackwood and try to unravel his nefarious scheme, Holmes and Watson are joined by Irene Adler (Rachel McAdams) – Holmes’ love interest and the only woman to have ever outfoxed him. The trio is drawn deeper and deeper into a web of danger and conspiracies that threatens all England.

It’s a promising story that starts off well, but never really transcends the limitations of its genre. The movie is filled with the same brand of high-octane action found in movies such as “Van Helsing” and “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” – well-choreographed and cinematically splendid, but lacking a true emotional core.

And that is perhaps the biggest flaw in “Sherlock Holmes.” There’s plenty of dry wit and fast-paced adventure, but not a whole lot of character development. Whether you loved it or hated it, “Avatar” successfully elicited an emotional response from its viewers – in large part due to the time spent fleshing out its protagonists. In contrast, “Holmes” grabs the viewer from the beginning and never lets go, relying on action scenes and brilliant one-liners rather than on strong characters.

Most notably, the ironic-romantic relationship between Irene and Holmes could have been handled far better – Irene doesn’t get enough screen time, and when she does put in an appearance, her lines come off flat rather than flirtatious. To compensate for these deficiencies, director Guy Ritchie throws in more and more fights and chases, which paradoxically detract from the merits of the film as a whole.

On a more positive note, Downey is perfectly cast as Holmes – while he doesn’t smoke a meerschaum pipe or wear a deerstalker hat, his deductive abilities are on full display. Through occasional slo-mo sequences narrated by Holmes, viewers get a unique look into the brilliant detective’s calculating mind – especially fascinating considering that most of Conan Doyle’s original stories were told from Watson’s point of view.

Along those same lines, the near-constant repartee between Holmes and Watson is what gives the film its undeniable charm, making “Sherlock Holmes” worth watching just for the humor. There are some really great “quotable” lines, which I won’t spoil here…suffice it to say that they’re eminently memorable.

I am pleased to report that objectionable content is practically nonexistent. One scene (shown in the trailer) contains mild crude humor, and there’s a fair bit of punching and kicking, but practically no bad language or innuendo. (Much of the suggestive-looking footage shown in the trailer was not included in the actual film). The movie is rated PG-13, but it probably could’ve gotten away with a PG rating.

To try and read a complex worldview into this movie would be pointless. It’s a shameless, unapologetic action film devoid of true philosophical underpinnings. There’s nothing in here that would either keep Christian viewers away or attract them.

So, to see or not to see?

Don’t go to “Sherlock Holmes” expecting to see a deep, provocative meditation on human nature, sin, or man’s place in the world. This movie is about laughs and thrills – and it’s good for an afternoon’s entertainment. It’s not good enough to watch over and over again, but it’s probably worth seeing once (especially considering that a sequel involving Professor Moriarty is in the works).

I preferred “Avatar.” But maybe that’s just me.

VERDICT: 7/10
A blend of good action, acting, and wit marred by a lack of emotional depth.

Normalized Score: 3.4

Dan Brown, author of the notorious “Angels and Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code,” hasn’t published a new book in six years. After reading the aforementioned books during this past Apologetics season, I thought it might be time to try out his latest thriller, “The Lost Symbol.” Maybe he’d returned to his roots…after all, his early books “Deception Point” and “Digital Fortress” were pretty run-of-the-mill action novels without any philosophical underpinnings. And after all, what better way to spend a birthday than engaged in worldview analysis? 😉

But as it turns out, Brown’s anti-Christian agenda is back…just in time to ensnare a new generation of readers.

Robert Langdon, the protagonist of both “Angels and Demons” and “The Da Vinci Code,” turns up at the Capitol for a meeting with his former colleague Peter Solomon. It just so happens that Solomon has been kidnapped…and his severed hand – marked with strange symbols – has been left behind as a warning. Langdon quickly ascertains that Solomon was on the trail of recovering the Washington Pyramid, an ancient Freemason artifact that holds the key to unlocking unspeakable power.

Meanwhile, Solomon’s sister Katherine works as a specialist in Noetic Science – essentially, the study of psychic abilities and how they affect the material world. When a hideously tattooed Masonic cultist breaks into her laboratory – destroying her research and attempting to kill her – she is inadvertently thrust into Langdon’s search for answers.

As the book progresses, Langdon discovers that the Pyramid contains a code leading to the “Ancient Mysteries” – a reserve of knowledge somehow linked to the Noetic Science that Katherine has been studying. He follows the clues around Washington D.C. in true “National Treasure” style, unscrambling a series of puzzles that lead to the Ancient Mysteries.

So what’s the big revelation? The answer is stunning. According to Brown, the truth of the Ancient Mysteries is that “man is God.” The vault of secret wisdom is, in fact, none other than the…Bible.

What? After “The Da Vinci Code,” wasn’t it obvious that Brown didn’t think much of the Bible?

Here is where “The Lost Symbol” outstrips its predecessors. Brown cunningly avoids making controversial statements designed to polarize the religious community – in fact, the fictional Langdon even makes an offhand mention of how his book on the Sacred Feminine (a key “Da Vinci Code” concept) caused a stir among some book groups. Of course, Brown hastily continues, it wasn’t meant to spark such ill feeling.

As the final pages of “The Lost Symbol” make clear, Brown believes that there is indeed spiritual wisdom contained in the Bible…but that the Church has twisted the underlying meaning of the Scriptures. He cites familiar Christian passages to support his “theory” that man is a god-in-embryo: “The body is a temple of the Holy Spirit” is understood to mean “the body is merely a vessel of the god-force.” “The Kingdom of God is within you” is interpreted as “man himself is God.” Even Christian words such as “atonement” are given twisted meanings: according to Brown, “atonement” really means “at-one-ment” – essentially, man becoming a deity in his own right. The Hebrew word “Elohim” – a plural form of God’s name that Christians understand to be referencing the Trinity – is construed to mean that all the individuals in the world are parts of the same God consciousness.

But that’s not all. He goes on to argue that this concept is found in American symbols as well. “E Pluribus Unum” – Latin for “one out of many” – is read to mean that there is one unifying God-force-spirit that proceeds from the collective minds of humanity.

It’s pure Cosmic Humanist propaganda. In fact, Dan Brown and William P. Young (author of “The Shack”) would probably get along rather well together. The scary part is that it’s…good.

If I did not understand the real meaning of the Biblical passages Brown cites – or have an understanding of our Founding Fathers’ beliefs – I’d be sold on Brown’s theory. He is persuasive, convincing, authoritative, and direct…unashamedly proclaiming his message that all religions essentially worship the same God, the “God within.” He doesn’t deny the reality of a spiritual world – not at all – but instead assumes that God is somehow an emanation of humankind’s united consciousness.

From a literary standpoint, the book is excellent. It’s a smart, sophisticated thriller that clips along at a breakneck pace. The symbol search is ingeniously conceived…it’s fascinating to follow Langdon and Katherine as they try to solve the mystery before time runs out. But Brown’s lastest book is far, far more than just an adventure story…”The Lost Symbol” is a savvy work that will likely undermine the faith of Christians for months and years to come. (Columbia Pictures has already acquired the film rights.)

So should Christians read it?

For starters, don’t buy it. I certainly wouldn’t want to encourage anyone to invest $30 in Brown’s humanistic agenda. If you’re like me, and curious about what it has to say, read it at the bookstore or borrow it from the library. (You might have to wait a while to get one from the library…last time I checked there were 387 holds on it.)

I cannot recommend this book to anyone who is not fully convinced of the validity of Scripture, and that faith in Jesus is the only means of salvation. Mature Christians may find it informative, thought-provoking, and even engrossing at parts. It’s a good story. Too bad it’s not true.

VERDICT: 7.5/10
A good book. A devastating worldview.

Side note: Brown’s own story is convicting for Christians. In a recent PARADE magazine interview, the controversial author shed some light on the reason he writes such skeptical, anti-Christian books. As a young teenager, he learned about evolution and the Big Bang and found them to be diametrically opposed to the faith he was taught at church. When he asked his pastor for a Christian response to these atheistic claims, he received the terse response, “Nice boys don’t ask those kinds of questions.” What an inappropriate and confusing thing to say to a young man wavering in his faith!

I pray that Brown can one day embrace the true God, and begin to start reversing the damage he has done through his books. I would encourage all Christians reading this to pray for his soul…because I wouldn’t want to be in his place when he answers to God for what he’s done.