I was initially disappointed seeing the movie, Unbroken. It only tells half the Louis Zamperini story told in the book of the same name. But, maybe that's not a bad thing ...
If I hadn't read the book and just saw the movie, I would think it was an ok war story of the indomitable human spirit in the face of desperate odds and extreme cruelty. One would think the flag-waving happy reunion of Louis and his family at the end shows him as the returning Unbroken American hero.
In fact, Louis came home Broken - ...filled with rage, anger, and hatred outworking in a quest for revenge against his chief torturer, "The Bird". These emotions all but destroyed Zamperini and his family for years.
If I hadn't read the book and just saw the movie, I would think it was an ok war story of the indomitable human spirit in the face of desperate odds and extreme cruelty. One would think the flag-waving happy reunion of Louis and his family at the end shows him as the returning Unbroken American hero.
In fact, Louis came home Broken - ...filled with rage, anger, and hatred outworking in a quest for revenge against his chief torturer, "The Bird". These emotions all but destroyed Zamperini and his family for years.
Louis' Brokenness wasn't healed until his wife talked him into going to a Billy Graham evangelical rally. There he turned his Brokenness over to Jesus, and Louis found the power to forgive his captors - even "The Bird." Louis had been made whole - Unbroken.
The book, Unbroken, is really the story of a man's journey into the pit of Brokenness and the way back to wholeness through Jesus. It's really an extreme version of everyman's problem and the only Way out.
I hope there's a sequel to tell the greatest part of the Louis Zamperini story. Still, more broken people will see this part of Louis' story than would ever come to a Billy Graham crusade or even your church. Maybe some who would never pick up a Bible will read the Unbroken book out of curiosity, identify the need of their heart with Louis' brokenness, and be pointed to the solution Louis found.
Read the book.
Go see the movie. Recommend it to your friends - especially those who do not know Jesus.
Recommend they read the book.
Be ready to discuss the Broken to Unbroken pictured by the book - about finding the power that can change a life so broken as Louis Zamperini and give it the ability to forgive even in the face of unimaginable wrongs.
The book, Unbroken, is really the story of a man's journey into the pit of Brokenness and the way back to wholeness through Jesus. It's really an extreme version of everyman's problem and the only Way out.
I hope there's a sequel to tell the greatest part of the Louis Zamperini story. Still, more broken people will see this part of Louis' story than would ever come to a Billy Graham crusade or even your church. Maybe some who would never pick up a Bible will read the Unbroken book out of curiosity, identify the need of their heart with Louis' brokenness, and be pointed to the solution Louis found.
Read the book.
Go see the movie. Recommend it to your friends - especially those who do not know Jesus.
Recommend they read the book.
Be ready to discuss the Broken to Unbroken pictured by the book - about finding the power that can change a life so broken as Louis Zamperini and give it the ability to forgive even in the face of unimaginable wrongs.
UPDATE 1/21/2021: The rest of Louis' story is told in the sequel Unbroken: Path to Redemption.
