SAVIOR

SAVIOR is a serious story about a man who has been spiritually deadened by tragedy and violence, then begins seeking moral redemption. Its strongest ideas are its condemnation of atrocities against innocent civilians and its portrait of a person trying to turn from anger toward responsibility. The movie’s moral concerns are real, and its performances are solid.

But the film makes that case through unnecessarily graphic violence. The bloody slaughter of young children and the cutting off of a woman’s finger are especially troubling. Strong foul language and other mature content further limit the audience, while the movie spends too much time on brutality and not enough on Joshua’s inner turmoil.

Adults who choose to watch should do so at home, where they can control the experience. For families and younger viewers, this is not the right choice.

After losing his family in a terrorist bombing, Joshua Rose becomes embittered and joins the French Foreign Legion. He eventually fights on the Serbian side of the war in Bosnia, participating in atrocities against soldiers and civilians.

When Joshua witnesses the brutal treatment of a pregnant woman, his conscience awakens. He helps her and her newborn child and begins a dangerous journey to bring them to safety.

Three stars means SAVIOR is powerful and worthwhile in some respects, but its strengths are compromised by serious flaws. Dennis Quaid and Natasa Ninkovic give solid performances, and the film effectively highlights the evil produced by war and the possibility of moral transformation after tragedy.

The main weakness is the film’s excessive focus on graphic violence. Several scenes could have been reduced or eliminated while still communicating the injustice of war and the Bosnian conflict. The result is a disturbing movie that limits its audience and gives too little attention to Joshua’s inner turmoil.

SAVIOR presents moral redemption as possible for a person who has experienced tragedy, surrendered to anger, and then chooses to protect others. It condemns the killing of innocent civilians and recognizes the evil that war can unleash.

At the same time, the movie contains strong pagan and anti-moral elements. Its mildly moral worldview softens some of that content, but the film does not consistently ground redemption in a biblical understanding of repentance before God. The review notes that an older moral code, combined with a stronger biblical worldview, would have improved both the moral and entertainment quality.

The film’s central longing is for a person to move beyond the evil he has done and seek a better way. Scripture calls people not merely to regret evil, but to overcome it with good: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

SAVIOR has a powerful moral center and solid performances, but its graphic violence and strong content overwhelm its redemptive message. Watch it only at home, as a discerning adult, if you choose it at all. For other options, see.

WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY