Reviewed By Ajibare Abioye
Hey folks! You’re welcome to the review of Why?, an adaptation of the Biblical account of how God chose David ahead of his brothers as the new king of Israel. For anyone familiar with the story, Why? would draw a smile from you each time you deciphered modifications made to names of the real life characters as well as new word coinages, which of course, made the story easier to follow.
The sound design in EVOM movies in recent times has constituted a quest for originality and propriety. It is an area I’m keenly interested in and I’m an admirer of those who make attempts at doing their own instrumentals. At this rate, the music department of EVOM will in time become consultants in this field that many haven’t really been exploring just yet. Similarly, the opening credits embraced a bit of innovation by being spread across the first couple of scenes. The camera pans in some exchange of dialogue were quite impressive as well.
The titular question generally points us to the reasons God chooses or doesn’t choose people for His assignments. Many people want to be used by God but the fact is that they are not usable. So, sometimes, rather than only asking God to use us, we also need Him to make us usable. As Andrew Wommack put it, God wants to use you more than you want Him to use you. Therefore, it’s about us being in the right state to be used.
The parable of the Great Feast in Matthew 22 is one that amazes me: after the previously invited guests refused to show up for the feast, the king brought in everyone on the streets; yet, when he saw a man who wasn’t wearing wedding clothes, he told his servants to throw the fellow into outer darkness. I used to think that was unfair; after all, it was the king that told his servants to bring in anyone they saw. I later discovered though, that Jesus used that parable to show that many are called but few are chosen. This means that while Jesus has made salvation available for everyone and many have heeded to the call, it’s up to each individual to determine whether he would be chosen for use. Being unusable happens when you disqualify yourself through indiscipline, as found in 1Corinthians 9:27.
Also, God’s choice of us is not about what we’ve accomplished in the flesh; it’s about His call and if we’ve become people after His heart. Elba, Abana and Shalmin Jess had hearts corrupted by envy, anger and unforgiveness, while Dave’s was all about humility. A man after God’s heart is that person that is like a child whom He can work on, whom He can take through different stages of growth, each level making the individual more responsible, which consequently evokes promotion. This is contrary to someone like Salu, played intelligently by Fisayo Olorunsola, who represented the Biblical first king of Israel, a man who kind of rose to prominence overnight. Thus, he was unable to obey any of the two main instructions God gave him. He eventually lost the kingdom and God instead chose David, who very likely wasn’t even born at the time of Saul’s rejection. This is why it is important for children of God to be patient as God does His work in their lives because He’s the one that knows what He’s preparing us for. The heart was the determinant because God wanted someone with His kind of heart.
In terms of characterization, I learnt so much from Professor Smart Elkan, whose humility before God reflects vividly in his obedience to the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer. Obedience is key if we’re to enjoy the peace that Jesus gives in this world in these last days. Dave’s decision to remain at his duty post until the appointed time came also showed me the need for us to follow God and not move ahead of Him. I only wish that Why? had developed the character of Dave better, who, though understandably didn’t have much dialogue at that time in the real-life story, should have been given more to do in the film.
On a final note, Why? alludes to its biblical story brilliantly and empowers us with the knowledge and wisdom we need to truly be co-labourers together with God to bring in the plentiful harvest.
Alright, we’ve come to the end of this review. If you’ve seen Why?, please share with me the key lessons you got from it in the comments section below. The link to the movie is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWY9elPmSx4
Till the next article, stay blessed!