His Only Son

Short Take: The phrase comes from the film industry, initially, and it means a short bit of recording or “something that only takes a short time,” especially if a more extended version may be done later.

Short Take review: A short review of a film with potential discussion points

Summary: At the beginning of the Biblical narrative, Abraham (Nicolas Mouawad) was established as the founder of the faith. Along with his wife Sarah (Sara Seyed), this couple’s decisions are credited with the beginnings of three of the world’s prominent religions. One of the most studied and controversial parts of their story comes when Abraham is tested by the Lord God to take his only son, Isaac (Edaan Moskowitz), to the mountain Moriah and sacrifice him. As a faithful man of God, the patriarch follows this command and starts the three-day journey with his son and servants. Throughout their travels, they all think back to the various stories that led them to this season of their lives. Tales of battles, infidelity, childlessness, and leaving their homeland with the promise of being the father of many nations are woven into the account as they find their way on the dusty trail. All the while, Abraham must wrestle with this seemingly abhorrent request and what the Lord is trying to do within his soul and with this sacrifice.

Find out where to see the film: hisonlysonmovie.com.au

Review: The team who gave The Chosen television series to the world brought this production to theatres. As viewers watch the movie, they will see the influences of Angel Studios, despite the narrative being centuries older than the accounts of Jesus’ biographies. As writer/director David Helling does all he can to honour Biblical history, he does his best to add dramatic tensions that may have occurred as these men travelled to Moriah. His screenplay is reminiscent of past films, which stay true to the original story and should satisfy those of the Christian faith with its careful portrayal of one of the Bible’s most discussed tales of the Old Testament. The challenge of taking on this ancient text is helping modern audiences connect with the storyline unless they are familiar with it from their studies, especially by adding the crucifixion scene onto the conclusion, which would be understandable to students of the Bible while seeming like an odd add on for anyone new to the storyline. His Only Son is ideal for those looking to see a historical expedition into Abraham’s life that will leave as many questions for the viewer as answers.

Reel Dialogue: Sacrifice

At the heart of this film is the message of faithfulness and sacrifice. The purpose of these elements may be evident throughout the movie; many may ask why Abraham would need to go to such extremes to prove his faith. Simply, this story is meant to point to the Gospel narrative and depict God’s sacrifice of his own son.

How does this impact the audience? Within the realities of life, jobs, and personal relationships, it is worth considering what sacrifices we all are willing to make for the sake of our careers, family, or faith. Viewers may not have to make decisions that impact the lives of millions of people. Still, every day does present different choices that may affect your family, friends, and co-workers. How do you determine the line of how much you are willing to forgo for the sake of moving ahead at work or getting a project online?

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” - Romans 12:1

This is a more extensive query than can be extrapolated in a film review, but an excellent place to begin this journey is to consider a biblical perspective on sacrifice. The God of the Bible gives us the example of Jesus to show us how to live a daily existence, regardless of the challenges, temptations, and difficulties. Also, these words help us to deal with extreme and mundane situations.