Reviewed by Andrew Wooding

The Manchurian Candidate
Director: Jonathan Demme (2004)
Distributor: United International Pictures (UK) Ltd.  Certificate: 15

Spoiler notice: If you read on will become aware of how the film ends.

First question: did I like it? Yes, very much indeed. It was one of those rare films where I didn’t look at the clock once and totally got into it. A similar feeling to being engrossed in a really good novel, which is not surprising as this is an adaptation of a thriller by Richard Condon. The book was first adapted into a film back in 1962, starring Frank Sinatra as the hero. In the 2004 version, Frank Sinatra has been replaced by Denzel Washington, an inspired choice as I have yet to see him give a bad performance.

Being a complex political, psychological and scientific thriller, with quite a number of characters and many twists and turns, I won’t even attempt to summarise the plot. Suffice to say that the two leads – Denzel Washington as Major Ben Marco, and Liev Schrieber as so-called war hero Raymond Shaw – fought together in the Gulf War back in 1991 (in the original film it was the Korean War). It appears that both were the unknowing victims of high-tech mind control techniques so that they would have false memories of the war, and would also unconsciously perform acts such as murder when they hear the right trigger word.

The film is directed by Jonathan Demme, who was also responsible for “Philadelphia” and “The Silence of the Lambs”. This isn’t as tense as “Silence of the Lambs” – which is a hard film to beat - but it definitely comes close. With one exception, the acting is excellent, in particular the remarkably restrained and understated performance from Denzel Washington, whose emotions always seem to be bubbling just under the surface. I suspect he played it this way as a typical victim of mind control and brainwashing who had somehow been cut off from his emotions. Also, there is a surprising appearance by gospel singer BeBe Winans as FBI Agent Williams.

And the one exception? Oh dear. The normally top-notch Oscar-winner Meryl Streep. What was she thinking? Imagine Meryl Streep trying to do Sharon Osbourne and Cruella de Ville rolled into one. While everyone else in this film plays it subtle, Meryl Streep has been allowed to run loose, and whenever she appears on the screen it is simply embarrassing. Never mind. I suppose all films can’t be perfect. She should have played her character as cold and calculating with an inner core of steel, but instead she lets it all out and performs her lines like a pantomime villain.

But even Meryl Streep cannot spoil this tense, engrossing thriller. Thoroughly recommended!

THROUGH THE LENS OF CHRISTIAN FAITH 

Some key themes: Are we responsible for our own actions?, Do we really have free will?

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12 v 2).

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things” (Philippians 4 v 8).

There is a scene towards the end of “The Manchurian Candidate” where Raymond Shaw strangles his ex-girlfriend and drowns her father. Earlier on, he strangles one of his troop in the 1991 Gulf War. Similarly, Ben Marco shoots a fellow soldier in cold blood. So, they’re both guilty of murder, right? After all, Ben Marco did pull the trigger on the gun, and Raymond Shaw did use his hands to strangle people.

Not so simple. You see, neither of them knew they were doing these things. They had both received extensive brainwashing during the Gulf War, and had electronic implants in their bodies. Their brains had been programmed so that when they heard certain words, their wills and conscious mind were bypassed and they were, in effect, turned into killing robots.

This is an extreme example, but it does beg the question of how much people are responsible for their own actions. I doubt if many of us have been brainwashed or the unwitting victims of mind control experiments, but I am sure that we all carry various levels of baggage in our minds – maybe prejudices that we have grown up with, deep-rooted hurts and anger, and maybe even violent thoughts towards certain people or types of people.

Have a think back. When was the last time you got angry – really angry? What caused it? What was the trigger? Was it a word? An action? Did you act without thinking? Could you have stopped being angry or did it just happen, like an unthinking reflex?

Have you ever read about a crime in the news, where the accused has blamed what he or she did on how they were brought up, or on something that might have happened to them in the past? In other words, “I couldn’t help what I did. It was just how I was brought up.” Guilty? Not guilty? Sometimes people even say things like, “The devil made me do it.” Does that excuse it?

Responsibility and free will are long and complicated subjects which have been dealt with in countless psychological books, and which leading scholars are still debating. But does the Bible say anything that’s helpful?

Yes. If we carry any of this baggage in our minds (I know I do – lots of it!), the Bible says that it’s possible for our minds to be renewed. It might take time, but God can heal our minds. He doesn’t take away the memories, but he can take away the power those memories have over us. Romans 12 v 2 promises that we can be transformed through our minds being renewed.

Secondly, we are encouraged to fill our minds with good things – not unhelpful things. Have a look at that list in Philippians 4 v 8 – we need to think about things that are honourable, just, pure, lovely, and more. Easier said than done … but still good advice.

God is not like the Manchurian Global corporation in “The Manchurian Candidate”. He is not about brainwashing, but he is into washing our minds if that’s what we want. He is not about bypassing our wills – he does not want us to become mindless robots to do his will, like Ben Marco and Raymond Shaw – but he does want us to know his will, “his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12 v 2).

Have your say on the discussion forum....

· Which is better – the original “The Manchurian Candidate” or the remake, and why? Do you prefer any of director Jonathan Demme’s previous films – “Philadelphia”, “The Silence of the Lambs”, “Married to the Mob” or “Swimming to Cambodia”?

· Have you ever done any bad things without thinking – like maybe snapping at someone without thinking – and then regretted it? If it happened again, would you react differently, and if so, how?

· Is it possible for someone to commit a sin, like murder, and to be found blameless? How extreme would the circumstances have to be for that person to be innocent? (A really bad family situation; a war zone; extreme poverty?) What would God say to the person who had committed the murder?

To discuss this further why not leave a message of the discussion forum.