THE ENCOUNTER: PARADISE LOST
Facing the Truth
What You Need To Know
THE ENCOUNTER: PARADISE LOST is a very good sequel to a movie called THE ENCOUNTER: JESUS.
After a short set up about the 2004 tsunami that devastated Thailand, the movie flash forward to seven years later as a drug enforcement agent, Rick, chases a major drug dealer named Bruno, who works for a drug kingpin named Deville. Rick captures Bruno, but the corrupt local Thai police arrest Rick for not having a warrant to capture Bruno.
The drug dealers are meeting at a resort hotel owned by Chris and Helen. The hotel has been evacuated because another tsunami may be coming. Chris refuses to evacuate, because he lost his adult son, who was studying to be a minister, in the first tsunami and is on the verge of suicide, wither by the tsunami or, if necessary, by blowing his own brains out. Helen wants to get a divorce and return to New York.
Suddenly, Bruno and his henchman, Charles, show up in anticipation of a big drug deal. Rick, who has been let out of jail and is following them, gets taken prisoner by Bruno. As this group waits for the storm in a scene reminiscent of KEY LARGO, Jesus shows up and tries to get each one to accept His love and gift of eternal life.
What happens next is fascinating. The refutation of Buddhism, gangsterism, drug use, greed, and even government corruption is excellent. The movie is well produced with great locations. The first part of the movie is a little choppy, but once they get to the resort hotel, the KEY LARGO sequence is excellent. David White does a superior job of acting and so does Bruce Marciano. Only a few actors are a little weak.
PARADISE LOST would be Plus 4 but for the bloody shootouts, attempted suicide, and drug use, so it’s definitely a caution for susceptible teenagers who might be tempted by the low life. The Gospel, however, rings out loud and clear. For that, the filmmakers are highly commended.
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong evangelistic Christian, biblical worldview about Jesus appearing to a group of people to bring some of them to Him, including discussions of fallacious worldviews, such as Buddhism, beautifully refuted; no foul language; action chase scenes, shootings, blood, beatings, one man takes the bullet for another person and dies, discussions of death, and discussions of the devastation of the tsunami that destroyed a large part of Thailand and left 230,000 dead; mild discussions of sex, girl sold into sex slavery, and bar scenes, but nothing revealing or salacious; no nudity; strong alcohol use; discussions of drugs and drug overdoses, woman dies of drug overdose, and a bag of heroin is shown; and, attempted suicide not carried out, marital distress, drug kingpin marked for murder, and government corruption, all rebuked.
