The Movie vs. The Book

When Hollywood adapts a popular book for movie audiences, it is often met with criticism. “The book is better,” is commonly grumbled. Often, the book itself rockets to the top of the best seller list, as people grab it from the shelves to compare the written word to the silver screen. They want to see for themselves if the characters, story line, and ending stay true to the original. One of the best-selling books of all time is the Bible. But as Christians, can we spot the differences between the original text and the Hollywood version?

I remember once talking to my Sunday School class about the life of Moses. When explaining why he had to flee Egypt (Exodus 2:11–15), one of my students piped up, “Because he accidentally killed one of the Egyptians.” “Accidentally?” I replied, “No, I don’t think so.” But my student went on to explain how it happened in The Prince of Egypt. Or, in other words, how in the PG-rated Hollywood version, the scriptwriters and director felt it was better to have Moses kill someone accidentally than to have audiences know that he committed murder, as the Word clearly states.

While the imagination and artistry involved in theatrical productions of Biblical accounts are entertaining, we need to be careful to consult the original. And yes, even the beloved Easter season favorite, The Passion of the Christ needs to be viewed with a careful eye. There are a couple of scenes that are fused with more Hollywood creativity than Biblical accuracy. One that comes to mind is the frightening torment of Judas after the betrayal. Possible? Yes. Accurate? No. the depiction on screen is not accounted for in the Bible (Matthew 27:3–5).

As Christians, we should feel free to enjoy entertainment that is positive and uplifting. And it is encouraging to see writers, actors, directors and others sharing their talents in this way—when they have so many other options. Biblically-based presentations are a great way to introduce people to Christ and positively represent our faith…let’s just be sure we know the difference between the adaptation and the original.

I enjoyed the movie, but the Book is better!