Post by Radrook Admin on Jul 6, 2024 22:44:08 GMT -5
The Stand
"The Stand" is author Stephen King's post-apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors including Stu Redman, an ordinary working-class factory man; Nadine Cross, a deeply conflicted woman; Frannie Goldsmith, a pregnant young woman; and Nick Andros, a young deaf and mute man. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.
My Opinion:
First, the acting was reasonably good. However the film's message was not. The film postulates a situation where mankind is decimated by a demon-generated plague. Yes, the so-called Dark Man who is responsible for it is not a human being, but a demon. He repeatedly proves this by revealing his real monstrous appearance in order to intimidate.
Curiously, the purpose of God allowing the plague itself is never revealed. So this question is distracting as the mind repeatedly seeks a viable explanation. Then, certain chosen survivors are expected to take a fearless stand with the help of an old African American woman named Mother Abigail, who regularly appears to them in their dreams, against this evil entity whom God had allowed to wreak havoc totally unopposed,
Unfortunately, apart from calmly sitting on her porch in her rocking chair talking to herself and to God and while planning to lead them West, she seems to be totally at loss on how things will ultimately pan, out and about what her exact role will be in this urgent matter.
For example, she offers absolutely no guidance on what the people who come to her are expected to do. In fact, just when they start arriving in droves, in response to her appearing in their dreams, she suddenly feels guilty about her role in the matter and disappears.
Then suddenly she shows up barely alive to warn them seconds before a bomb is about to go off in a their gathering. The bomb still kills many in the targeted building. Then she dies but is still shown offering cryptic advice through dreams, and calmly revealing that God approved of the bombing because it was not really God's plan that they settle down in that town.
So ostensibly, this movie's intention seems to be a noble one, to show how humans can successfully resist evil with the help of God by taking a stand. However, when we examine the details, we realize that the movie is repeatedly demonstrating just how utterly helpless humans are and how uncaringly God stands back permitting them to be abused by evil powers.
Also, as if to further weaken the viewers' faith, and reinforce this negative message, the film's ending leaves the audience wondering if God is truly good or not. How? well, by showing God's enemy easily escaping via turning into a crow and flying away just before an atomic Bomb, that God uses to attack him, goes off. Then it has the main actor questioning if God is indeed good or not.