4 Films You Didn’t Know Had Christian Themes

Christianity has permeated Western culture. Themes from the faith appear in books, poetry, music and film. There are radio stations dedicated entirely to Christian music and publishing houses that focus entirely on Christian books. There are also numerous faith-based films produced every year. Christianity, however, is not relegated only to the works of smaller faith-based companies. Mainstream movies and books are often riddled with Christian themes. Some works are obvious about their Christian influences. “The Chronicles of Narnia,” for example, does not even try to disguise how much the book series pulls from the Christian faith. Other stories, such as “Lord of the Rings,” are more subtle about their Christian themes.

Purely Christian films do not always do as well in the box office as more mainstream movies, but that does not mean that some blockbusters do not have Christian themes woven into the movie. Perhaps it is simply more subtly and carefully done. As such, there are a number of movies that Christians may not think of as being Christian influenced despite the Christian threads woven throughout the film.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

Warner Bros.

“Harry Potter” took quite a lot of flak from some Christian groups who felt that the overwhelmingly popular books series promoted witchcraft and the occult. The books faced down such accusations first, but the movies got their fair share of it, too. As such, it might surprise people to learn that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” has some blatant Christian themes.

There are Christian messages woven through the entire series, but it is the franchise’s final film that really puts its Christian ideas on display. In the final portion of the film, Harry Potter faces down the Dark Lord Voldemort but refuses to lift his wand to defend himself and instead dies for his friends. Harry is dead for a short time before returning to life. Due to Harry’s sacrifice, Voldemort’s dark powers cannot harm Harry’s friends. Harry’s willing death has saved them from the forces of darkness. Sound familiar?

The Planet of the Apes Series

Wikimedia Commons

Science fiction movies set on a post-apocalyptic Earth do not exactly seem like a fertile breeding ground for Christian subject matter, but the classic “Planet of the Apes” series has clear Christian themes. “Escape from the Planet of the Apes” and “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” from the original series closely resemble the story of Moses. Zira and Cornelius, two intelligent apes from the future, travel back in time, and the humans of the past want to kill their infant, Caesar. Zira and Cornelius are killed, but they manage to switch Caesar with another infant before his death allowing him to survive in secrecy. Caesar later frees the apes that have been enslaved by humans.

The rebooted series has similar Christian ties. The third movie, “War for the Planet of the Apes,” again mirrors the story of Moses. The leader of the apes, once again named Caesar, has to lead his ape-people across the desert to a new home when they are threatened by human military forces. The apes reach safety successfully, but, like Moses, Caesar dies before he can truly enter his people’s new home. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is less clearly Biblically inspired, but it does contain warnings about what happens when men try to play God.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Warner Bros. Pictures

This movie is based on the famous book of the same name. In both the book and movie versions of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” the mysterious chocolatier Willy Wonka hides five golden tickets in his candy bars. The children that find the tickets will be allowed to enter Wonka’s nearly mythical chocolate factory. Four of the children fall prey to various vices and end up running afoul of the bizarre factory workings until they are rescued by Wonka’s strange, orange employees, the Oompa-Loompas. The poor boy Charlie, however, remains a good, honest and humble person.

In both the film and movie versions, it is Charlie’s good heart that keeps him safe in the factory. As a result, Wonka reveals that he intends to make Charlie his heir. This is clearly keeping in line with Christian ideas that those who are humble and good will be rewarded. The sins of the other children in the story also mirror common Christian sins such as gluttony and envy.

The film version adds an extra Christian twist by having Wonka’s backstory echo the Bible story of the prodigal son. In the movie, Wonka is estranged from his father, but his father has been following Wonka’s wildly successful career. Wonka’s company takes a downturn, and Charlie helps Wonka find his father. Wonka and his father reconcile at the end of the movie, much like the prodigal son comes home in the Bible.

Princess Mononoke

Mike B in Colorado/Flickr.com

This 1997 animated film made Japanese filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki famous in the West. Known in Japan by its original title, “Mononoke-hime,” this epic is not a film where anyone would expect to find Christian themes especially as the English translation version refers to a number of characters as “gods” and “demons.” Despite the dubbing, the movie does have Christian threads woven through it.

The film’s more obvious message is about what it means for humans to be good stewards of the earth. There is constant conflict between the animals that live in the forest and the people of Irontown. There is also, never the less, a surprisingly messianic parallel in the form of the Great Forest Spirit. This giant spirit often seems to loom threateningly over the forest and for a large part of the movie appears to be untouchable and distant. Later in the movie, however, it is revealed that the Forest Spirit can be harmed, and humans from Irontown cut off his head. The forest is gravely harmed as his warped body searches for his head. When it is returned, the Forest Spirit lays down his life to save both the inhabitants of the forest and the humans of Irontown. This is not unlike how God became flesh and died to save all mankind, even those who hurt Him.

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Christian themes are not limited to films that come from faith-based production companies. There are Christian threads woven through many films from blockbusters like “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” to foreign films like “Princess Mononoke.” The messages found in Christianity can speak to Christians and non-Christians alike. As children watch their favorite movies, they often want to imitate their favorite characters. As such, the Christian themes in such wildly popular movies as “Harry Potter” end up encouraging children to live better lives without ever requiring a parent to sit down and explain morality. The children do it on their own as they look up to their favorite character and, as they do so, they find themselves looking up to Christ as well.