Movie Review: Pope John Paul II

Date: 2005

Director: John Kent Harrison

John Paul II, an inspiring film starring Jon Voight and Cary Elwes, chronicles the life of the late Holy Father and his amazing journey from his struggles as a young adult and priest in Communist Poland to his astoundingly influential papacy.  While many Catholic movies that portray the lives of the saints tend to be of rather poor quality, John Paul II features tremendous acting talent, an excellent script, and a timeless story that will inspire generations to come.

Viewers who are unfamiliar with the life of John Paul II will be surprised to learn that the many struggles John Paul II endured in life served to advance his knowledge of God.  For example, his work in a quarry helped him come to an understanding about the ultimate purposes of work, that work is primarily a means by which a person finds his or her salvation.   When confronted with the malice of Communism, which he described as an “abyss of evil”, he decided that his best response could only be an “abyss of love”.  Thus, it was through the evils of Communism that John Paul II felt called to become a priest.  Once a priest, John Paul II spent much time with young people, and came to develop his theology of the body, or his understanding that sexuality is a reflection of the divine Trinity.  The teachings of John Paul II become much clearer upon learning the key events that comprise his life.

John Paul II is an excellent movie that depicts the journey of a man who, in attempting to follow God’s will and humanity’s universal call to love, becomes one of the most influential popes in history.  Jon Voight inarguably deserves his Emmy nomination for his powerful portrayal of one of the most inspiring individuals of our generation.