Ever feel like the world is going to hell in a handbasket?
According to the story of the new film "Tomorrowland," it is.
But the good news is there's something we can do about it.
In "Tomorrowland," George Clooney and Britt Robertson, with a surprisingly good performance from youngster Raffey Cassidy, lead viewers on an imaginative, inspiring story of dreaming and doing to make the world a better place, a concept that was dear to Walt Disney's heart.
The story supposes that some of the world's greatest and most creative minds built a place in another dimension called "Tomorrowland," where they could invent, inspire and solve the world's problems in a place free from "politics, distractions and greed." But in this futuristic wonderland, something went very, very wrong, leading their home dimension, earth as we know it, on a path toward seemingly inevitable annihilation.
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Enter young Casey Newton, a teenaged girl with an inventive and brilliant knack for figuring things out and, more importantly, a steadfast optimism that despite predictions of doom and gloom – from nuclear disaster, war, plague and the obligatory climate change – we can still "fix it." Casey is recruited by the rebel forces of hope and partnered with a cynical old man who has lost his hope (Clooney) as the future's last hope of stopping the coming apocalypse.
The movie is visually stunning, often funny, clever and exciting and celebrates the child-like wonder and imagination of the Tomorrowlands Disney built in its theme parks around the world.
And at its heart is the concept of hope, which is quickly becoming the single, most prevalent theme in moviemaking today, the word repeated by Hollywood more often than Obama repeated it when he was running for office.
In fact, the central theme of the movie is spelled out early in "Tomorrowland," when Casey reminds her father of an old proverb he taught her, namely that there are two wolves at constant war with one another – one which represents "darkness and despair" and the other, "light and hope." The one that "wins" this internal battle is the one you feed.
This battle becomes the film's primary theme and primary takeaway lesson. By the end – and I'll do my best to avoid spoilers here – audiences are inspired to join Casey in her battle for hope. We're challenged to make the world a better place for tomorrow, even if – and especially if – that means making sacrifices today. We're led to believe that within each of us is a budding scientist, artist, musician, activist … someone who is gifted and passionate to push back against the despair, to push back against the darkness, and make a difference!
This movie is a motivational speech, a glimmer of hope, a sparkle of light, a delight, a sci-fi fantasy with a real world application. It's good stuff.
From a worldview perspective, I will, however, throw out this caveat: the idea that working together we can dream and do a better future is a fundamental tenet of humanism. Audiences steeped in humanism and global warming rhetoric may find this film simply reinforces and stirs up their misguided motivations. That may well even be what the makers of this film intended.
But I serve a God who specializes in taking what may have been meant for evil and turning it for good.
For Christians, we understand this critical distinction: We are not the light of the world, but we know Who is.
And understanding that, we can draw upon the inspiration of "Tomorrowland" to call upon the gifts of God and spread the true Light of the World, to draw upon what God has placed in our hearts to push back against the darkness. It is absolutely biblical to believe God gave you this gift of music or art or scientific thinking to bring beauty and redemption to a darkened world.
If your gift is evangelism, then rise up out of the wheat field and declare His name. If your gift is weaving, then weave to His glory. If your gift is painting, then remind the world there is yet beauty, there is yet hope, there is yet victory in Jesus' name.
My suggestion is this, especially for those Christians – like the cynic in me – who are wary of this film's potentially humanistic tone: Watch the film, then read Romans 12:4-21. It may well be the most rewarding and inspiring film you see this year.
"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. … Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good" (Romans 12:4-8, 21 ESV).
Content advisory:
- "Tomorrowland" is rated PG for "parental guidance," and it means it. This is not a film for small children. Images of riots and vandalism, nuclear destruction, war and the end of the world could be disturbing. On top of that, there are several moments of extreme violence, including fistfights, gunfights, explosions and more. A girl is hit full speed by an oncoming truck. A humanoid robot is beaten repeatedly over the head with a baseball bat. A decapitated, robotic skull "comes to life" and asks about a little girl. I'm a bit surprised, to be honest, this film wasn't rated PG-13 for violence alone.
- That said, the film has almost no sexuality or nudity, save for a schoolboy's innocent but lingering crush on a girl.
- The film has roughly a dozen minor obscenities and profanities, most of which are along the lines of "hell" and "damn."
- The film has no religious or occult references, save for the "two wolves" parable, which is often attributed to a Native American culture.