Well before Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained hit theaters it generated a lot of controversy. Even though actors, agents and studio execs are supposed to keep high level scripts under wraps, Tarantino’s screenplay had all of Hollywood buzzing about the degree of violence and the frequent use of the “N” word. How did it all turn out? Is it just a shockfest? A corny homage to spaghetti westerns? Actually, it is easily Tarantino’s finest film since Pulp Fiction and perhaps the best movie of the year.
The story is set in the south two years before the Civil War. Dr. King Schultz (played brilliantly with an ironic innocent glee by Christoph Waltz) is a German dentist turned bounty hunter who needs a recently sold slave, Django (portrayed by Jamie Foxx in an Oscar worthy performance), to identify three outlaws–the Brittle Brothers. After freeing Django, locating the Brittles on a Tennessee farm and battling a band of masked white supremacists, Schultz asks the recently freed slave to be his partner. Django agrees, with the proviso that they free his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), from Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a plantation owner who delights in “mandingo fighting” where slaves battle to the death. Schultz concocts a plan to infiltrate the plantation to find and free Broomhilda by posing as a wealthy degenerate who wants to purchase a champion fighter. All goes well until Candie’s trusted house slave, Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson), begins to suspect that Schultz and Django are up to something. I couldn’t reveal anymore without dropping serious spoilers but let’s just say it gets bloody.
The movie is nothing short of a masterpiece: The acting rivals Lincoln for the best ensemble performance of the year and although it is close to three hours in length, the pace is crisp. My only criticisms are that Tarantino’s cameo is distracting as are some of the songs chosen for the soundtrack (Jim Croce?) but these are minor flaws in an otherwise near perfect film.
But what is a Christian to make of the graphic violence, brief nudity and strong language? Given the setting and message of the film, I believe they are warranted. Now, before you yank my evangelical card, please hear me out.
First of all, the free use of the “N” word, the brief nudity (related to the torture and humiliation of slaves) and some of the violence highlights the brutality of the pre-Civil War South in the same way the graphic depictions of the holocaust by Spielberg in Schinder’s List underscored the barbarity of the Nazis. The inspired authors of Scripture also use graphic depictions of depravity to make their point–read about the rape, murder and mutilation of the concubine in Judges 19.
Second, the violence is part of the theme of justice that pervades the story.
I am preparing to teach a class at a local church on apologetics and the Christian worldview. One of the arguments for the existence of God is the inherent human desire for justice even for complete strangers. In the end, Django Unchained is about justice. In fact, the overall trajectory of the film is injustice, death, resurrection and justice. Sound familiar?
When justice comes it is brutal but have you read the Book of Revelation? When ultimate justice comes to our world it will not be pretty!
With those with eyes to see and ears to hear, Django Unchained is actually a powerful movie about depravity, resurrection and justice that echoes Scripture.
I give it an A+ and highly recommend it for those who have the stomach for it.
Tune back every week for fresh movie reviews and recommended theological or philosophical discussion topics. Movies are rated as follows: A+ (a classic and must see even if it involves throwing down the $10 to see it in a theater). A or A- (recommended though with some minor flaws. You may want to wait for Netflix). B+ or B (a good film worth saving to your Netflix queue). B- or C+ (decent movie worth seeing on Netflix or cable if the trailer intrigues you or you are a fan of the particular genre). C or C- (so-so and worth seeing only if you are a die-hard fan of the genre). D+ or D (Avoid unless you absolutely have to see it i.e., a relative is in it or you are a pastor and Kirk Cameron is in it). D- or F (avoid even if Kirk Cameron is in it).
Tune back next week for more. Until then, grace and peace.
I believe Christians should see it. How do I defend against an agnostic or atheist who says that Christianity was used to justify the evil and brutality of slavery for centuries? How do I defend against the argument that Christianity was an integral part to institution of slavery and subsequent segregation in the Southern United States?
Any advice would be welcome.
To quote Ravi Zacharias, “never judge a philosophy by its abuses.” For a longer answer, check back in a few weeks for my series on Defending the Faith. Blessings,
I just watched the movie. There are three references to the Christian God used in a most disrespectful manner, two in the soundrack which are easier to miss, but once in a slave-wipper, clearly deriving pleasure from the slave and reading the KJV as he is doing so. A Christian should not support this. However, I should have left, but failed to do so. This movie is only worth seeing insofar as it inflames the passions– and it is beyond successful at that. Your flesh will be enticed, and it will satisfy you at the basest of levels. I completely disagree with the author of this blog.
Matthew, I appreciate your comments but please remember that Jesus taught sin is a heart problem not a problem outside of ourselves in a thing or film. The only “passions” it incited in me was disgust at the evil of slavery and the end when justice is done and praise God that His common grace allows justice to be done every once in a while. Blessings,
I stumbles upon this when I googled “Christianity and Django Unchained”.
And I have to be honest–I haven’t seen the film. And I probably won’t see it. I do believe, however, that I have a decent grasp on what actually goes on in the film because of extensive conversations with those who have seen it. And I feel like I have to respond to what you have to say about the film.
You say that there are themes of “injustice, death, resurrection and justice” within this film. From what I understand, this so-called “justice” that you speak of is revenge, plain and simple. And I agree with Matthew. This film probably does inflame the passions. Your hatred of American Slavery and praise that “justice” was done at the end are certainly passions. But does Christ call us to to the type of passion that results in a glorification of human revenge?
Now, I say revenge, rather than justice, because of the role of the main character. Justice is the Lord’s, and the main character is very, very flawed. His “justice” is torture.
Clearly, anger is found within justice (i.e., Christ clearing the temple with a whip of knotted chord). But the glorification of man’s revenge on other human beings is never a glorification of justice.
I believe that Django only serves to glorify the depravity of man that desires revenge. The passions that it incites are not God-given.
Sure, God’s justice will not be pretty. But it is just that–God’s. God does not take pleasure in the pain of his creatures. So why do we?
You are right–sin is within man. But I need to remind you that all sin is evil. And to take pleasure in the pain of a human being, no matter who that human being is or what they have done, is evil.
Django only serves to glorify and encourage the idea that revenge is justice. It only serves to promote the evil that is taking pleasure in the torture of a human being.
So, do I believe that enjoying or seeing value in Django is evil? No. But does that film promote things that a Christian should in no circumstances support? Yes. And this is why I will not be seeing the film.
Just saw this movie. The design was amazing! The sets were spectacular. The writing was pretty good. I didn’t think that James Foxxes’ accent was correct though. It was two much of a modern Ebonics slang. My recommendation for this movie was to see it up until 1 hr 20 minutes… That’s about the time when I called it quits. I personally don’t care about language until they use God d-mmnit so many times, it lost its meaning. Not to mention the only portrayal of a Christian was the bible thumper who was speaking scriptures while beating a slave senseless. That is until Django shot him through the pages and his blood leaked all over his pages.
Don’t get me wrong. Everything else was done very well. However, his film provides the same kind of “shock” that you would find from a Community College Director would put in his plays to “shock” the audience.