I Am

As some one who does not go to or belong to a church I was mostly watching this movie as a movie and not for some kind of message confirmation. That said the movie is OK. There are no special effects, CG, nudity, graphic violence, satanic rituals, gore or glorification of illegal drugs. So anyone wanting a regular studio movie is bound to be disappointed.

That said the acting, camera work, soundtrack and script are a step above a made for TV or two steps above a S2V production, surprisingly good really. I admit my expectations were exceedingly low so any show of promise was rewarding. Was the acting high quality? No. Was it good quality? Yes. Better than most movies coming out these days really. The same could go for most of the rest. The soundtrack while I think nearly all Christian Rock (not really familiar) was actually very good and the producers should be commended for that.

As some have noted the movie is packed full of clichés. Not quite American Pie III clichés but the movie is based on the Ten Commandments and they have been around for a while so this should not come as a surprise to anyone. The Morgan Freeman cliché character was over the top disappointing in that he was such a direct theft that were movie a hit I would wonder about infringements.

I did find it disappointing that many people would likely find the characters not genuine. I tend to agree to a point. Not because such people do not exist but because they are so rare. It is difficult to find people anywhere who decide to turn their lives around in a meaningful way and take large apparently sincere steps to go about it. Having so many in one film is badly overdone. The movie would likely have been much more believable had some of the characters had more likely outcomes in their story lines.

All in all middle of the road movie with a few good points.

An old Christian songwriter once crooned "why should the devil have all the good music?" An appropriate question for our time might be "why should the devil have all the good movies?" I'm thankful there are Christian filmmakers (many with only limited funding, backgrounds, experience in cinematography) who are taking the plunge into the film-making world. I'm confident in the future it will be the norm for films produced by Christians to be headlining right next to other films (in a similar vein of how, these days, there are numerous Christian bands getting equal billing as other bands). I'm also confident that films produced by Christians will one day match, in the least, the quality and creativity of those produced by their secular peers (something we often forget in our Christian circles is that secular filmmakers weren't always producing films with the same prowess as they are today –in fact, you might look up Steven Spielberg's first film "Firelight" for some fun viewing).

Enter John Ward, someone who has had a certain amount of industry background and also some experience in producing Christian media. For those who don't know, he is one of the creators of the "Liquid" DVD study series on Thomas Nelson publishing and Navigators Press. Ward hails from the Mariner's Church in Orange County, California, where he is a High School student worker and small group leader. He (along with Todd Ziele, and Mariner's church associate pastor Jeff Pries) recently caught a vision to move beyond the Liquid DVD series and attempt to produce a feature length, faith-based film. Thus, we have the birth of "I AM" the movie.

"I AM" is a kind of parable about the 10 commandments being played out in modern day life (set in Los Angeles, Ca.). The approach of the film is intended to be contemplative and somewhat moody, with the goal of prompting viewers to think and discuss the subject matter. I want to say that on my first viewing of the film I was a little taken aback by one of the initial plot subjects because I perceived it to be somewhat over the top (and maybe a bit… corny). Keep in mind that I was born in Los Angeles (county), lived most of my life in California, and often stereotypes abound that are far from accurate regarding mainstream life on the west coast. However, after some dialogue with others and doing some research on my own, I discovered that the subject matter of this particular plot line is very much a cutting-edge issue right now. Certainly this is yet to be "mainstream" in any locale, but the character in the film is clearly portrayed as one of the jet-set elite as opposed to an everyday Joe or Jane. With this in mind, I commend the filmmakers for tapping into a theme which can prompt conversations about not only its ethical implications but also the various world-view ideologies surrounding it. Aside from a couple of weaker acting moments toward the beginning of the film (and my own subjective preference for the font and words of the Decalogue to be presented differently), I found the film ultimately to be thought-provoking and very much worth my time. Though one of the commandment applications (on "graven images") seemed a little vague, most of the others were not only clear but also poignant and convicting. I found the intertwining of the themes of "stealing" and "coveting" to be especially powerful. Furthermore, the voluntary restitution and making amends exampled is a timely contrast to the scratch and claw backstabbing portrayed in another recent film release ("The Social Network" – based on the alleged true story of the founders of Facebook). Some professional film critics will likely try and debunk the film along the lines of borrowing techniques and formulas, but anyone watching a fair amount of secular movies will have to concede that this is pretty standard fair in most films – and in virtually every art form (I was just thinking recently; How many times is Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" theme going to be regurgitated by Hollywood?). Some Christian critics will likely be expecting an approach more along the lines of "Facing the Giants" and "Fireproof." Personally, I appreciate the film-makers breaking away from that and placing their own fingerprints on this project.

In all, Ward and company have produced a solid, entertaining, life-challenging film (with a strong sound-track), and we'll be anticipating more from them in the future as a welcome addition to the Christian movie scene. They're also to be commended for the free advance promo DVDs being made available to churches.

-Eric Hann

I AM is a movie that follows the Ten Commandments, one by one, in a non-linear storytelling like the movie "Crash" or something from Tarantino. Its cutting edge, cool, and plays before you like a puzzle keeping you from getting bored with the Commandments as they are subtly revealed through the plot.

If you're like me, you're tired of the sub-par standards in "Christian Film". In many ways, filmmakers have used the term as an excuse for a cheesy movie with a lame story, lack of artistry, and non-professional acting. I AM literally blows its predecessors away with a cool visual style (the opening scene is underwater!), a non-linear story, and a pure creativity.

I recommend it to anyone!

I saw this movie this weekend and I can honestly say that he is a very positive message. Do not think that this is merely a religious film, it's beyond that. If there is a way that I believe in God, this is how the film represents. This movie is not for anyone. You need to be open minded and focused. Despite the theme, I'm not a religious guy, but this movie made me see the things in a different way. Tomas Boykin had a very good work and I can't imagine other actor on his place. This movie will gave another idea of god, even if you are not religious. Sincerily, it's the one of the best movies that I saw in the last months.

Give a chance and you will regret.

Released in 2010 and written/directed by John Ward, "I AM" is an inspirational drama centering around a several interconnecting people in the Los Angeles area who violate the Ten Commandments one way or another.

While "I AM" starts out convoluted and confusing with too many characters -- too many of them unlikable -- and not enough focus on any one of them, around the midway point I GOT it. I GOT what the writer/director was doing and my initial irritation morphed into respect. I was struck by the uniqueness of the film, particularly a movie with Christian themes. The quality actors, albeit no-name, pull off the difficult material, especially Tomas Boykin's monumentally challenging role as the titular character. Sure, the idea was taken from 2003's "Bruce Almighty," but that was a comedy. It's much harder to pull off such a role in a serious drama. In addition, the cinematography, editing, poignant script and choice songs on the soundtrack worked together to produce a unique and moving film with gems to mine on future viewings.

On that note, "I AM" ain't' just another Christian drama. The non-linear story is told in a gritty, kinetic manner and offers fascinating insights into the nature of God, dismantling the damaging stereotypes thereof. The conversations with the LORD you observe the characters participate in are obviously not literal, but they're well done and absolutely relatable to real life. We all have such "conversations," whether we are willing to admit it or not. These dialogues are more typically inward, where you converse with your higher nature -- your spirit, conscious or (as Freud called it) the super-ego. We either defend our negative, destructive thoughts & actions or we change for the positive in response to the voice of God via our spirit or conscience. Here's an example from my own life: Several years ago I was stuck in a dead-end job that I had for a dozen years and I'd walk down the halls hearing a 'voice' within telling me over and over: "You're wasting time!" I just KNEW I was supposed to get out and take a leap of faith in order to fulfill my true calling. So that's what I did and I've been exponentially blessed because of it, which is not to say that everything's been peaches 'n' cream; far from it, in fact.

When the movie came to the part about keeping the Sabbath I was expecting the writer to espouse the same old eye-rolling religious clichés, but I was pleasantly surprised that he got it right. Excellent job on this front.

Three of the standout songs on the aforementioned soundtrack are "I Am" by Jesica Specht and "Facedown" and "Save Yourself" by Sandfrog. Check 'em out on Youtube.

If you watched this movie and didn't like it I encourage you to give it another try.

The film runs 89 minutes and was shot in the Los Angeles area.

GRADE: B