Amazing Grace = Amazingly Great!

Back in March, I walked into the theater to see Amazing Grace and I was not really sure what to expect, I had not even watched the trailer! All I knew was it was about William Wilberforce a guy who was instrumental in ending slavery in the British Empire, I only knew this because Sarah who was really pumped about the film told me. :p Not having any or low expectations can sometime make a movie better than it really is on a first viewing but in the case of Amazing Grace this is not the case.

The Story is based on British Member of Parliament, William Wilberforce who during the late 18th century and early 19th century, began his political career as an popular MP. Being the ambitious person he is, he takes on the issue of the slave trade which in turn leads him to become highly unpopular in the House of Lords. :p In time, after much work, he is eventually responsible for a bill being passed through Parliament, which abolishes the slave trade in the British Empire.


Ioan Gruffudd is totally believable in portraying the complexity and heroism of Wilberforce. His fervent body language, as he makes point after impassioned point, makes feel you are right there, living Wilberforce's life.


When his bill is finally passed, and his years of struggle and sacrifice are met with victory I wanted to clap right along with the people applauding him on screen! Just the shear magnitude of emotion that is seen on the screen by not only Ioan Gruffard, but also the entire cast was tremendous. He really did an extraordinary job, which should be in consideration for a Leading Actor Oscar though I doubt it will even get a thought. The reason I think that and I reason I think Amazing Grace was not as publicly praised is, William Wilberforce was a Christian.....

While it does not dwell on Wilberforce's Christianity for extended periods of time it is there and the film fortunately does not try to skirt around it. If not for the fact that Wilberforce was a Christian, I believe the secular media really would have pushed the film, I mean Wilberforce was a radical in his day, he was for human rights, against slavery, against cruelty towards animals and this is all in the early 1800 late 1700! Two of these things are still subjects people are fighting about today and Wilberforce was one of the people who got the ball moving on them to some extent in England. I know we live in a fallen world, but sometimes it just really gets me when excellent material, be it books, music, or film gets the cold shoulder because it is "Christian" or has Christian themes or characters!

Sorry, I actually just edited out about a paragraph because I was ranting on Christian media in our society. :p That was not the purpose of this post, the purpose is to say if you have not heard about or seen Amazing Grace, go check it out because it was FINALLY released on dvd last Tuesday. (Yes, I know this post is a week late):)