Spring Break
"End of the Spear"
By: Katy Dycus
Issue date: 1/31/06 Section: Aggielife
It is hard to imagine that "End of the Spear" is based on a true story. The truths represented in this film graphically display an intensely horrific view of mankind in a primitive setting that is foreign to most modern moviegoers.
The film centers on the Waodani tribesmen in the Amazon Jungle in 1956. The scenery of the jungle is beautiful and pure, but the lifestyle there is ironically ugly and tainted. There is an ongoing "cycle of revenge spearing" with other tribes and within the Waodani tribe itself.
Killing is rampant and is no stranger to the tribesmen, and it is this devastating lifestyle that compels five missionaries to risk their lives to bring a lasting peace to these people.
Writer-director Jim Hanon provides a fictionalized account of the tragic story. An important aspect of this film, besides the gradual change in the Waodani people, is the relationships that are formed and preserved. Nate Saint, the missionary who initially has the vision of reaching these people with an aircraft he built himself, has a profound and solid relationship with his young son, Steve Saint. At one point, Steve asks his dad if he will use his guns if he is attacked by the Waodani. "They're not ready for heaven. We are," Nate tells his son.
Nate wants to tell the Waodani, who are at war with other tribes, that there are alternatives to violence. His mission is to share Jesus Christ with them, and his mission is one of sacrifice and faithfulness. Steve sacrifices his own life to hopefully save the lives of others.
Steve expresses concern for his father's welfare when he says goodbye for the last time, and an ominous look of fear on his face predicts the event that is to come. When Nate and the other missionaries land near the Waodoni tribe, they are soon speared brutally and savagely due to the misunderstanding and distrust the Waodoni have for Americans.
The most penetrating message to be carried away from this film is that of forgiveness and, with it, redemption. Mincayani, the man who was responsible for killing Steve's father that day, is probably the most obstinate and stubborn man of the bunch. Several years later, after the wives and children of the missionaries befriend the Waodoni women and introduce American civilization into the tribe, the violence diminishes, and a subtle change can be detected in Mincayani. This gradual transformation paves the way for the eventual second meeting of Steve and Mincayani. Steve forgives Mincayani for the slaying of his father and peace finally arrives.
The title of the movie is a perfect fit both literally and figuratively; the end of the spear is what kills these missionaries, but the violence permeating throughout the tribe eventually comes to an end.
The film centers on the Waodani tribesmen in the Amazon Jungle in 1956. The scenery of the jungle is beautiful and pure, but the lifestyle there is ironically ugly and tainted. There is an ongoing "cycle of revenge spearing" with other tribes and within the Waodani tribe itself.
Killing is rampant and is no stranger to the tribesmen, and it is this devastating lifestyle that compels five missionaries to risk their lives to bring a lasting peace to these people.
Writer-director Jim Hanon provides a fictionalized account of the tragic story. An important aspect of this film, besides the gradual change in the Waodani people, is the relationships that are formed and preserved. Nate Saint, the missionary who initially has the vision of reaching these people with an aircraft he built himself, has a profound and solid relationship with his young son, Steve Saint. At one point, Steve asks his dad if he will use his guns if he is attacked by the Waodani. "They're not ready for heaven. We are," Nate tells his son.
Nate wants to tell the Waodani, who are at war with other tribes, that there are alternatives to violence. His mission is to share Jesus Christ with them, and his mission is one of sacrifice and faithfulness. Steve sacrifices his own life to hopefully save the lives of others.
Steve expresses concern for his father's welfare when he says goodbye for the last time, and an ominous look of fear on his face predicts the event that is to come. When Nate and the other missionaries land near the Waodoni tribe, they are soon speared brutally and savagely due to the misunderstanding and distrust the Waodoni have for Americans.
The most penetrating message to be carried away from this film is that of forgiveness and, with it, redemption. Mincayani, the man who was responsible for killing Steve's father that day, is probably the most obstinate and stubborn man of the bunch. Several years later, after the wives and children of the missionaries befriend the Waodoni women and introduce American civilization into the tribe, the violence diminishes, and a subtle change can be detected in Mincayani. This gradual transformation paves the way for the eventual second meeting of Steve and Mincayani. Steve forgives Mincayani for the slaying of his father and peace finally arrives.
The title of the movie is a perfect fit both literally and figuratively; the end of the spear is what kills these missionaries, but the violence permeating throughout the tribe eventually comes to an end.
Be sure to include your name, major, and class year. Submissions without this information are subject to deletion.
By submitting a comment, you agree to thebatt.com's Terms of Use.
You may also send a Mail Call to The Battalion at mailcall@thebatt.com