Never Die Alone

The overarching theme of this movie was a man’s misguided seeking of “redemption” for the very wicked way he had lived his life. The biblical message of redemption was not even close to being represented in the movie, so neither did he succeed.

The movie used a hodgepodge of religious imagery and sayings; from the Star of David that David Arquette’s character wore, to the Hindu teachings on karma and reincarnation. Also, the Bible’s teaching that “whatever a man sows he will also reap” was quoted. The movie appeared to infer that all religions have a valid view on redemption, and one must find the way that seems best to them. If they are sincere enough, then everything will eventually work out okay, and eternity is as much a gamble as anything else.

There were three central characters in the movie. One was a drug dealer called “King David,” (played by the rapper DMX) who was a man seeking redemption according to his own interpretation of the term. The other was a thug named “Mike” (played by Michael Ealy) who turned out to be King David’s illegitimate son. The other was a journalist called Paul, played by David Arquette. For the most part, the acting performances, the cinematography, and the special effects in the movie were really very good.

However, in his search for redemption King David was not even close to the biblical meaning. If anything his worldly sorrow for how he had lived his live came closer to the type of remorse that was displayed by Judas when he hung himself after betraying Christ. This “King David” had lived a very vile and violent life. He wreaked havoc in the lives of three women who foolishly allowed him to get them hooked on heroin-laced cocaine.

The movie does a wonderful job of showing the deadly effects of drugs, and that in the drug/gang culture nobody ever really wins. This was an obvious theme of the movie, and it came across loud and clear. I can’t see how anyone would ever want to use drugs after seeing this movie!

King David used the power of drugs to make these women totally dependent on him, and then he used them as his sexual toys. He eventually despised each of them after destroying their lives, and then he would move on to another woman, showing the foolishness of getting involved with someone of his character.

As a young boy, Mike saw “King David” beating his mother who had been begging him for child support and drugs. She threatened to call the police on him, and the threat sent King David over the edge. He went to her apartment and began beating her mercilessly. Young Mike tried to intervene and got a soda bottle broken across his face leaving a deep scar which was shown several times in the movie as a metaphor to the scarred spirit he had from his mother’s death, not having a father, and getting involved with bad people. Just like it says in the Bible: “bad company corrupts good morals.”

Mike did not really know “King David” was his father until the end of the movie. He saw his mother overdose on some heroin laced with battery acid that King David had given her, and he saw his sister get violently murdered in a parking garage later in life. Mike is portrayed as a sad victim with a bit of a conscience who’s probably would have turned out much better if he had had a good father and a good upbringing.

Paul was a white journalist who was fascinated by the black gangster culture. He moved into a small apartment in a part of town the gangs were to get a feel for what life was like in such a different environment. His desire was to write a story after immersing himself in the culture. He was portrayed as a naïve and simple man who really had no clue how different things can be in the gangster culture. Yet, he did seem to have a heart of compassion for King David after he was stabbed and bleeding to death. In a scene reminiscent of the Good Samaritan, he rushed a dying man he didn’t know to the hospital to try to help him and promised he would stay with him through the ordeal.

Through this encounter he inherits the gangster’s car and all of the contents in it. The contents, specifically some cassette tapes that King David had been recording about his life become a big part of the movie. As Paul listens to the tapes, flashbacks occur to what King David is describing, and Paul gets a real glimpse into the man’s tragic life.

The movie has a powerful theme and made me feel sad for the many people in our world who find themselves caught up in such terrible lifestyles.

It was riveting in its own way, but it wasn’t an entertaining or a “feel-good” movie. It was not boring and moved at a pretty good pace, it never lost my attention because I was following the story line and didn’t want to miss the messages by getting caught up in the violence and profanity.

Yet, because there were so many negative things in the movie itself, I would never recommend it for any Christian and could only wonder why a Christian would feel the need to see such a film. Do Christians really need to expose themselves to such profanity, un-godly/violent sex, horrific violence, and the movie’s messed up message of redemption in order to know how dark, confused, sin-filled, and desperately in need of the Gospel the world is? I really hope not.

For example, I couldn’t keep track of the number of times the F*-word in all its various forms was used; it was a constant barrage. The Bible instructs Christians to think on things that are good and praiseworthy, and to be careful to protect their hearts. While I doubt that anyone with any sense at all would walk away from the movie and want to be a drug user, a drug dealer, or even a gangster, it is also clear that the Bible instructs Christians to protect their minds and hearts from exposure to such language and imagery.

There were graphic sex scenes that left little to the imagination, and to the director’s credit, the sex scenes generally weren’t portrayed in a good light; they weren’t even titillating. They did not represent the beauty of the sexual relationship that can only be enjoyed between a husband and wife. I’m glad I didn’t go to this movie to be “entertained” because I would have been very convicted for having spent the Lord’s money in such a way.

To it’s credit, this movie will get some important messages across to the audiences that see it for what it really is. It will show the waste of life lived in the drug/gang culture, and how twisted people can become. It would be hard to miss the Biblical truth that Satan does not come except to steal, kill and destroy, and that behind all of the tragedy and mayhem of the drug culture is Satan himself who lives to destroy people.

It will show how drugs can turn men and women into slaves who are wasting away while turning into horrible shells of their former selves. It will show how ugly and tragic violence is when people turn guns on each other, and that sometimes violence hits too close to home if we flirt with it, perhaps taking the lives of people we love. It will show that there are far better ways to live, and that children need good mothers and fathers in stable families to take care of them, or they too may drift into the same kinds of wasted lives. And it does show that people will reap on Earth what they have sown. At the end of the movie it is made clear that Mike is given the opportunity and the freedom to choose a better life than he was living, or that his father and mother lived.

To it’s discredit, this movie does not even hint at the true message of redemption through repentance of our sins and salvation in Jesus Christ. No matter how a person may try to reform themselves, or make good for their past sins toward others, only Jesus can make us new creations through the new birth. The Bible teaches that man does not keep being born on this Earth until they get it right and eventually goes into a nirvanic-state (as Hinduism teaches), but that it is appointed to men to die once and after their death comes God’s final judgment.

The only thing that can save us from God’s judgment is the fact that Jesus was judged for our sins on the cross, and we can have God’s saving and transforming grace as a free gift through faith in Christ. While we can’t possibly make up for all the mistakes we made prior to being saved, we can receive a new life from God to be lived in the present and future, and which will carry us safely through this life into eternity.

In summary, while I appreciate some of what the director of this movie was getting across, I do not recommend Christians see this movie. I especially recommend that Christian parents not allow their teenagers to see it, the R-rating was very appropriate.

Violence: Extreme / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Heavy