The Omega Code is a low-budget apocalyptic suspense/thriller produced by Matthew Crouch, and financed by Crouch's father, Paul Crouch, CEO and star of Trinity Broadcasting Network. The basic premise of the film is taken from the Bible code craze, wherein the keys to understanding the last days are believed to be found in hidden codes contained in the Hebrew texts of the Old Testament. These codes reveal events and key players in the unfolding apocalypse in this pseudo-Biblical, quasi-suspenseful thriller.
Let me start with the positive elements of my movie-going experience. The seating was comfortable, the theater was quiet (there were four of us there), and the chocolate dipping dots weren't bad either. Now, on to the negative elements. The acting ranged from adequate (Michael York as the anti-Christ) to dreadful. At points the film looked more like a low-budget soap opera, at other points the acting seemed like a commercial of some kind.
There were some adequate special effects, but the cinematography, narrative structure, and pacing were sophomoric and amateurish. Even if I hadn't read The Late Great Planet Earth the story would have been pretty predictable. In short, this is a story poorly told. Is it a story worth telling? Not really. It could be. It should be. But, alas, it is not.
Mark Noll, in his book The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind references Frank Paretti's works as exhibits in his case for the scandalous state of the evangelical mind. The Omega Code would probably support his case even more. There is a brief reference to a conversion experience here, but it is so muted and minimal in the larger story that the power of saving grace becomes a subplot in the larger theme of pretribulation paranoia. When I compare this to the depiction of conversion experiences and movements of grace in "secular" films like The Mission, Romero, Places in the Heart, The Apostle, or Tender Mercies this film is not even close. If we can't do a decent job of showing what's so amazing about grace we should hang our heads in shame (or at least embarrassment).
Like so much of the stuff produced in this genre, this film is more scatological than eschatological. By mixing in the Bible code theme, the film could do more harm than good by perpetuating the impression that evangelicals are superstitious and gullible. The late Bob Briner called us to be roaring lambs. Unfortunately, this looks like something produced by rabid lemmings. There is a place for Christian artists to create images and stories that depict God's amazing grace and the power of His love. There is a desperate need for Christian voices who will call us to renewal and Christian commitment. Surely we can do better than this.
Let me start with the positive elements of my movie-going experience. The seating was comfortable, the theater was quiet (there were four of us there), and the chocolate dipping dots weren't bad either. Now, on to the negative elements. The acting ranged from adequate (Michael York as the anti-Christ) to dreadful. At points the film looked more like a low-budget soap opera, at other points the acting seemed like a commercial of some kind.
There were some adequate special effects, but the cinematography, narrative structure, and pacing were sophomoric and amateurish. Even if I hadn't read The Late Great Planet Earth the story would have been pretty predictable. In short, this is a story poorly told. Is it a story worth telling? Not really. It could be. It should be. But, alas, it is not.
Mark Noll, in his book The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind references Frank Paretti's works as exhibits in his case for the scandalous state of the evangelical mind. The Omega Code would probably support his case even more. There is a brief reference to a conversion experience here, but it is so muted and minimal in the larger story that the power of saving grace becomes a subplot in the larger theme of pretribulation paranoia. When I compare this to the depiction of conversion experiences and movements of grace in "secular" films like The Mission, Romero, Places in the Heart, The Apostle, or Tender Mercies this film is not even close. If we can't do a decent job of showing what's so amazing about grace we should hang our heads in shame (or at least embarrassment).
Like so much of the stuff produced in this genre, this film is more scatological than eschatological. By mixing in the Bible code theme, the film could do more harm than good by perpetuating the impression that evangelicals are superstitious and gullible. The late Bob Briner called us to be roaring lambs. Unfortunately, this looks like something produced by rabid lemmings. There is a place for Christian artists to create images and stories that depict God's amazing grace and the power of His love. There is a desperate need for Christian voices who will call us to renewal and Christian commitment. Surely we can do better than this.