Movie Review: Sabina - Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A

A truly top notch Christian film that can stand up there with some of the best secular films of this year. 

This is a movie that goes beyond simple platitudes and one that could never be considered to simply be pandering to its Christian audience. Instead it is honest, open and frank and will cause any Christian watching it to examine their own walk with the Lord. It never sugarcoats its message but looks at what a real Christian worldview should be an why it is so difficult for any of us living in this world. This is done through its characters (based off real life people) being real three dimensional characters who hurt and struggle just like any one else. Though what they have done, hiding Jews from the Nazis and trying to convert the Nazis to real Christianity and repent of the horrible deeds they committed despite being of Jewish decent themselves, are things nearly of us could never imagine doing, they are not shown to be superhuman and it is obvious that without Christ they would never be able to do it. This becomes obvious in the early scenes before they are converted. Sabina herself holds a hostility toward Christians, because people who claimed to be Christians bullied her for being Jewish. With this in mind it is obvious that she could never be one to show kindness to anyone persecuting her race without Jesus Christ having changed her from the inside. Yet this movie never plays down what the Nazi's did, and the horrors they inflicted. This is a truly honest movie that would never sugarcoat one of the greatest tragedies in the history of man kind. Yet at the same time it reminds us that as long as one is on this Earth it is never too late for them to turn to God and change themselves completely. This is a powerful message but one many of us (like Jonah) do not want to hear. To approach such a subject so intelligent and thoughtfully is something that sadly too few Christian films would even attempt. 

This movie is also as great as it is because of the wonderful performances by Raluca Botez and Emil Mandanac as the leads and a tight direction and great script from John Grooters (one of the best Christian filmmakers of our time).