Following a personal tragedy, a disheartened husband and father (Sam Worthington) travels to an isolated cabin in Oregon to confront the Creator. Radha Mitchell portrays his wife, while Graham Greene appears later in the film. Based on a novel from ten years prior, "The Shack" (2017) is a drama/fantasy reminiscent of the well-regarded “Field of Dreams,” but centered around grappling with God—which, as the Hebrew indicates, is what ‘Israel’ signifies. While watching, I realized this wasn't some low-budget independent production; it cost $20 million to make, which is substantial for a film like this (the excellent “War Room,” in contrast, only had a $3 million budget). Like "War Room," it unexpectedly became a box office success. I felt the movie handled some of life's most challenging questions effectively, such as how a benevolent God could permit evil and suffering. The script offers plenty of thought-provoking material, although the film would have benefited from tighter editing because at times it felt slow-paced. Nevertheless, the scenery is beautiful (listed below), and the main actors do their best (though I think the scenes involving Kate toward the end could’ve been handled differently—it's a minor point since they are brief). One critic noted that it “changed the biblical narrative,” but it isn’t based on any specific biblical account and takes place in modern times, allowing for some creative license when depicting the Almighty and the Trinity. Some viewers might take issue with the character of Sarayu, but isn't the Holy Spirit represented by a dove in the Bible? Does that suggest a masculine or feminine characteristic? The Lord also said “Spirit gives BIRTH to spirit” in John 3:6—is giving birth (physically or spiritually) inherently a masculine trait or a feminine one? Theologically, the movie minimizes God’s wrath without completely ignoring it. However, it unfortunately conflates releasing burdens onto God with forgiveness—a common notion within Christian communities. This refers to the idea that believers are obligated to forgive everyone for everything unconditionally, which is not supported by scripture and is a widespread misconception. Those who promote this view are essentially advocating for releasing your burdens to the Lord, something that should be done without reservation regardless of the hardship or offense (as stated in Psalm 55:22). Concerning forgiveness, the literal meaning implies dismissing the charge or offense. Believers are only obligated to forgive those who show remorse. For example, in the Lord’s hypothetical scenario in Matthew 18:15-17, he clearly indicated that an unrepentant offender should be excluded from the community and treated like a tax collector—meaning they were not forgiven. Luke 17:3-4 also supports this view. If they eventually apologize, then yes, forgive them completely. When it comes to serious crimes, forgiving without consequence is foolish because dismissing the charge allows the perpetrator to escape accountability and encourages lawlessness. It’s important to remember that the Bible emphasizes God’s love for justice and his hatred of crime (Isaiah 61:8). Instead, believers should submit to governing authorities and their laws, as they are “agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” – or the criminal (Romans 13:1-6). Once the offender is incarcerated and paying for their terrible actions, then forgiveness can be extended if they genuinely turn away from their sin. Therefore, by all means, release your cares onto the Lord in every situation because “he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7); this is a healthy practice. However, forgiving serious offenses should be reserved for those who repent. Remember that God only forgives those who confess their sins (1 John 1:9), and we are instructed to "forgive AS the Lord forgave you" (Colossians 3:13). When did God forgive you? Only when you humbly admitted your faults. The film runs 2 hours, 12 minutes, and was filmed in British Columbia (Mission, Cultus Lake and Stawamus Chief Park), as well as Oregon (Multnomah Falls and Wallowa Lake State Park). GRADE: B/B-

Source on TMDB