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Hold the Pass (2020)
This is one verse in the Bible
When you think of a Bible movie, would you have imagined something like this. This film takes the approach of accurately depicting a Bible story by asking, what does killing 600 soldiers with a farm tool look like. This approach is carried out with an intensity that makes you think, is the Bible really this violent, and the answer is yes. While the film is twenty minutes of harsh gritty action, there is till an interesting character development going on with the character Shamgar. This development begins as a simple desire to protect his family and then grows to an unstoppable rage to destroy evil.
This film is also the first directorial debut of Cliff Graham, who primarily has written books for the last few years. This transition is always interesting to see happen on film. On screen you can see Cliff's gritty style that he is known for in his books. If you've read Cliff's work you might feel a little disappointed that there isn't more gore and blood, and that's saying a lot considering how violent this film is.
The action in this film is something else to talk about. It's hard enough to make a film that is twenty minutes of pure action, less so action that is intriguing to watch. The crew of Hold the Pass prove their talent in the execution of these action sequences. Yet there are times that some digital effects are too obvious, and there are some pacing problems that make the narrative of the story hard to understand.
In conclusion this film is amazing, and has some breathtaking scenery. It's talent, while some inexperienced, is convincing and has promise. Overall this film is a proof of concept of what Old Testament Bible films could be, and it proves it well.