What makes this film work is Washington’s powerful portrayal of Creasy as a man who has pretty much given up on himself. Early in the film, he asks Rayburn if he thinks God will ever forgive them for what they’ve done. Rayburn responds with a rather matter-of-fact “no,” and then moves on to the next
topic. Forgiveness doesn’t seem to matter much to Rayburn, but Creasy is another story. Staggering under the burden of his guilt, he drinks constantly, whether to kill the pain or to work up the courage to finally kill himself, we’re not sure. But it looks like pure agony, and we’re just rooting for him to find release.
--KEVIN MILLER
Alas! if my best Friend, who laid down his life for me, were to remember all the instances in which I have neglected him, and to plead them against me in judgment, where should I hide my guilty head in the day of recompense? I will pray, therefore, for blessings on my friends, even though they cease to be so, and upon my enemies, though they continue such.
--WILLIAM COWPER (1731–1800)
As we practice the work of forgiveness we discover more and more that forgiveness and healing are one.
-- AGNES SANFORD
Forgiveness is not an occasional act, it is a permanent attitude.
--MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. (1929–1968)
Forgiveness is the fragrance that the flower leaves on the heel of the one who crushed it.
--MARK TWAIN (1835–1910)
Spoiler Warning
Creasy as the Christ Figure – Creasy’s journey follows the path of the verse he quotes in Romans 12:21, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The Madre asks him if he ever sees the hand
of God in the work that he does. He initially claims that he doesn’t, but then he does come to understand his “calling” to protect people as the movie progresses. Much like Christ as deliverer, he destroys the kidnapping organization and liberates the people from fear and abuse. Later, he makes a more personal sacrifice for Pita. He literally exchanges his own life for hers. Some simple visual connections include: Creasy walks uphill to save Pita (Christ walked up the
hill of Calvary to the cross), he stumbles as he approaches the car (Christ supposedly stumbled under the weight of the cross, causing the Romans to force Simon of Cyrene to help – Matt. 27:33), Pita is set free (Christ forever set free sinners across the earth and throughout time – Rom. 8:1-2), Creasy looks up to a mountain just before he dies (Christ is transfigured, or changed, on a mountain before his death – Mark 9:23), Creasy dies in the car without being shot
by the bad guys (Christ said that no one took his life from him, but he gave it up of his own free will – John 10:18), and when talking to Pita, he refers to his destination as “home” (Christ sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven today – Matt. 26:64).
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