Taglines: Chosen. Betrayed. Redeemed.
Still living under the same roof, the Moscow couple of Boris and Zhenya is in the terrible final stages of a bitter divorce. Under those circumstances, as both have already found new partners, the insults pour down like rain in this toxic familial battle zone, always pivoting around the irresolvable and urgent matter of Alyosha’s custody, their 12-year-old only son.
Unheard, unloved, and above all, unwanted, the introverted and unhappy boy feels that he is an intolerable burden, however, what his parents don’t know is that he can hear every single word. As a result, when Boris and Zhenya finally realize that Alyosha has been missing for nearly two days, it is already too late. But is this a simple case of a runaway teenager?
Samson is a 2018 Biblical drama film directed by Bruce Macdonald and inspired by the story of Samson in the Book of Judges. The film stars Taylor James as Samson, along with Jackson Rathbone, Billy Zane, Caitlin Leahy, Rutger Hauer, and Lindsay Wagner. The film was released in the United States on February 16, 2018. It was negatively reviewed by film critics and was a box office bomb.
About the Story
The film begins with the narrator, Caleb, revealing that the Hebrews have been oppressed by the cruel Philistines for not following God’s covenant. Caleb’s older brother Samson is under a Nazirite covenant with God to deliver the Israelites from oppression. Despite this, Samson likes riddles and fighting pits instead of taking this seriously.
However, this message of hope reaches the ears of the Philistine king, Balek. He commands his son Rallah to investigate. Rallah bribes a Philistine lord to hold a fight in hopes of drawing Samson out. Samson arrives and bests the strongman, while noticing the lord’s daughter, Taren. Samson tracks her down and persuades her to spend time with him. However, Prince Rallah enslaves the lord and Taren.
Samson and Taren fall in love and desire marriage. Rallah’s concubine Delilah convinces Rallah to allow the marriage to better control Samson. At the wedding feast, Rallah tricks Samson into drinking wine, which is against his Nazirite vows. In response, Samson offers a riddle to Rallah and his guests, wagering 30 Philistine tunics. Unable to solve it, Rallah threatens Taren to find out the answer. Taren gets Samson to reveal it, but Delilah overhears, telling Rallah the answer. When Rallah declares the answer, Samson assumes Taren told him and storms off.
Samson arrives at a Philistine garrison, killing them all in self-defense. In order to take their tunics, he is forced to touch their dead bodies, breaking his second Nazirite vow. Upon returning, he finds that Rallah has married Taren in his place. Enraged, Samson finds foxes and attaches firebrands to them. He uses them to destroy the Philistine grain fields. Rallah then throws Taren and her father into the burning fields, killing them. Defeated, Samson flees to a cave.
The Philistines arrive at Samson’s village and capture his father Manoah, demanding that Samson be surrendered to them. Despite Samson’s surrender, Rallah promises to burn the village anyway and has Manoah executed. As he gives the order to kill Samson, Samson prays to God for strength. Samson slays 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey, while Rallah barely survives.
Samson is anointed Judge. However, the Philistines withhold food from the Hebrews. Samson goes to the Philistine capital to offer terms of peace with Balek. When Balek rejects the offer, Rallah decides to use Delilah to discover Samson’s weakness, coveting the power Samson’s God has. Before Samson can leave the city, he is tricked into visiting a brothel, where he meets Delilah. Delilah warns his life is in danger: the city has discovered his presence. Delilah helps Samson escape, and the two agree to meet in Delilah’s home. Later, the two begin to fall in love.
Samson (2018)
Directed by: Bruce Macdonald, Gabriel Sabloff
Starring: Jackson Rathbone, Billy Zane, Taylor James, Rutger Hauer, Caitlin Leahy, Lindsay Wagner, Frances Sholto-Douglas, Greg Kriek, Ares Afonso, Lily Spangenberg, James Ryan, Chad Phillips
Screenplay by: Jason Baumgardner, Galen Gilbert
Production Design by: Mitchell Crisp, Warren Gray
Cinematography by: Trevor Michael Brown, Brian Shanley
Film Editing by: Tim Goodwin, Vance Null, Gabriel Sabloff
Costume Design by: Dihantus Engelbrecht
Art Direction by: Warren Gray
Music by: Will Musser
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence and battle sequences.
Distributed by: Pure Flix Entertainment
Release Date: February 16, 2018
Visits: 93
