THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

Name: THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
Item: THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
Author: Aaron Minguez

“Follow the Light”

Family Content: -1 Caution advised for older children, including teenagers, and sensitive adults.

Entertainment Quality:

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Language
Violence
Sex
Nudity

Summary
Audio

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What You Need To Know:

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS is an animated version of the beloved best-selling classic story by John Bunyan. Christian Pilgrim finds a book that is a map to the Celestial City where Jesus reigns. So, he sets out from the depressing city where he lives, that’s governed by a demonic Supervisor. Outside the borders, Christian meets Evangelist, who tells him to head toward the light of the gate. However, along the way, Christian is beset by demonic powers and principalities such as the Swamp of Despondency filled Fear, Doubt and Discouragement, giants, and characters like Worldly Wisdom and Giant Despair.

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS is a great book, but previous attempts to turn it into a movie have been deficient. This rendition works because it does a wonderful job of creating jeopardy, characters, conflict, and the premise, which drives the story forward. The viewer wants to see the end from the moment the movie starts. THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS is the best, most entertaining, most imaginative movie translation of the classic book. The only caution is that the demons are frightening and attack in surprising ways. MOVIEGUIDE® highly recommends PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.

Content:

(CCC, BBB, M):

Dominant Worldview and Other Worldview Content/Elements:

Extremely Christian worldview in a story about a Christian heading to the Celestial City where Jesus is the King and demonic powers and principalities try to stop him

Foul Language:

No foul language

Violence:

Scary demons attack Christian Pilgrim and others along the way to the Celestial City, Satan blasts his demon Supervisor several times and frying him, a [swamp] lake of Despondency almost drown Christian, ugly giants take Pilgrim captive, the town of Vanity Fair arrests Pilgrim and his partner, Faithful, and take Faithful to be killed in a fire but Christian escapes, Christian faces an evil and giant leviathan as his last hurdle before the Celestial City, the Mountain of Legality tries to stone Pilgrim, and Pilgrim has a hand-to-hand combat with a demon while dressed in the Armor of God

Sex:

No sex

Nudity:

No nudity

Alcohol Use:

No alcohol use

Smoking and/or Drug Use and Abuse:

No smoking or drugs; and,

Miscellaneous Immorality:

Obstinance, libel, discouragement, fears, double mindedness, legality, despair, humiliation, disgrace, vanity, temptations, flattery.

More Detail:

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS is an animated version of the beloved classic story by John Bunyan about a Christian heading to the Celestial City where Jesus is the King and about how he overcomes the demonic powers and principalities trying to stop him. THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS is the best, most entertaining, most imaginative movie translation of the classic book that’s sold more copies than almost any other book except the Bible. It is a work of art and of entertainment.
Christian Pilgrim and his wife live in a depressing NoitCurtsed city or City of Destruction governed by a demonic Supervisor who works for Lux. The city is a place of work, drudgery, slavery, and almost everything that creates bondage for human beings.
One day, they discover that one citizen named Faithful Pathfinder] has escaped beyond the city’s borders. Christian and a few others are ordered to clean out Pathfinder’s apartment and destroy everything in it. Christian, however, becomes interested in the art and drawings of Pathfinder, which portray the divine Celestial City. He also finds a book that is the map to the Celestial City. He soon learns that no one finds the book, the book finds them. Christian becomes captivated about reading the Book and tries to convince his wife and children to flee the city with him. They refuse, so he leaves without them.
Outside the borders, Christian meets Evangelist, who tells him to keep the light of the gate in his eyes and to follow the light. Obstinate and his cohort are sent to bring Christian back. Christian convinces one of them, Pliable, to go with him until they fall into the Swamp of Despondency filled with Fear, Doubt and Discouragement. Christian makes it to the other side and cries out for Help. Help tells him Help is always there if he calls. The other citizens turn back in disgust from the Swamp.
Meanwhile, the Supervisor is called to meet with Apollyon and flies up to him, changing from a military-looking mortal to an ugly demon. Apollyon blasts and singes the Supervisor before sending him back to dissuade Christian from continuing by filling him with Doubt, Fear and Pride.
Therefore, Christian must face obstacle after obstacle, such as Worldly Wisdom, Legality, Giant Despair, and many other visualizations of the trials and tribulations every Christian faces. In the process, he wrestles with demons and crafty fools such as the people of Vanity Fair.
For those who haven’t read the book, the question is will Christian make it to the Celestial City? Or will you or will I?
THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS is a great book, but previous attempts to turn it into a movie have been deficient at best. This rendition works because it does a wonderful job of creating jeopardy, characters, conflict, and the premise, which drives the story forward. The viewer wants to see the end from the moment the movie starts.
That said, because the movie is faithful to the book, it sags slightly in the middle and could have been trimmed, but then again, it is a blessing that it wasn’t trimmed. The success of these filmmakers in making an entertaining animated movie is reminiscent of Peter Jackson’s success with LORD OF THE RINGS, and the previous deficient attempts filming Tolkein’s masterpiece, especially by Ralph Bakshi.
The only caution is that the demons are frightening and attack in surprising ways. MOVIEGUIDE® highly recommends THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS.