His Only Son 2023

Did God command writer-director David Helling to make His Only Son (2023)? And if so, couldn’t He have changed His mind at the last minute? Here’s a movie that not only claims in the closing credits that the Binding of Isaac episode from Genesis is an “actual historical event,” but treats it the same way most films “based on true events” treat real historical events — i.e., making stuff up. While the Bible is far from a historical document, the incidents it recounts and the characters that populate it are arguably better known than many important figures and landmarks (consider, for instance, Biblical Egypt vs. Ancient Egypt). People can tell if you make changes, like Ridley Scott interpreting literal acts of God in the insurance policy sense of the expression in Exodus: Gods and Kings. I’m always bemused by filmmakers who, like Helling, believe scripture to be the living word of God, yet dare to retcon the Bible. In this case, the footnote declaring that “certain of the characters, events and dialogue portrayed in this motion picture were created for the purpose of fictitious dramatization” is quite the understatement. For starters, some of that dialogue includes Isaac (Edaan Mosk