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End of the Spear

EMAILPRINTJungle Films LLC

End of the Spear reviews
45
8.0 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 18 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 33 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Drama

Written by: Bill Ewing
Bart Gavigan
Jim Hanon

Directed by: Jim Hanon

Release Date:
Theatrical: January 20, 2006
DVD: June 13, 2006

Running Time: 111 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence

Starring Louie Leonardo, Chad Allen, Jack Guzman, Christina Souza, Chase Ellison, Sean McGowan, Cara Stoner, and Beth Bailey

Mincayani is born into the most violent society ever documented by anthropologists, the Waodani in the eastern rainforest of Ecuador. As he grows he learns what every Waodani understands, he must spear and live or be speared and die. Mincayani's world changes when he and his family kill five missionaries. This incident propels Mincayani's family group down an extraordinary path that culminates in them not only departing from violence, but also caring for the enemy tribe they had once violently raided. (Bearing Fruit Communications)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

70

The New York Times Stephen Holden

Inspiring enough to make you wish that the filmmakers had reined in their sentimental excesses.

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70

LA Weekly Scott Foundas

This is exceedingly earnest stuff, dolloped with Christian goodness and solid production values.

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70

Chicago Reader Joshua Katzman

While Hanon's film stints on character development, he convincingly portrays the events that foster redemption and forgiveness, as over time the Waodani shed their culture of violence.

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58

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

In spite of End Of The Spear's fundamental conservatism, the missionaries' disastrous initial encounter with the Waodani ultimately teaches the progressive message that when it comes to winning the hearts and minds of foreign cultures, Bibles and superior technology are no substitute for a thorough understanding of their language and culture.

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50

Village Voice Mark Holcomb

Spear has all the earmarks of a middling Indiewood product, from its competent second-tier cast (including "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" hunklet Chad Allen in a dual role as a slain missionary and his grown son) to its earnest plotting and leaden pacing.

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50

Variety John Anderson

Although overly earnest and often stilted, the film should find great favor principally among religious auds.

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50

Los Angeles Times Robert Abele

What creeps in is the dramatic simple-mindedness attendant with a purity-of-purpose mind-set.

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50

The Hollywood Reporter Michael Rechtshaffen

It might have been inspired by actual events, but End of the Spear is, literally and figuratively, simply too dull to make any impact.

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50

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

Shot in Panama, with a cast of local Indians and B-tier Latino and Anglo actors, End of the Spear has neither the marquee heft nor the artistic gravitas of "The New World."

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50

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

It's not remotely as luscious or half as bold as Malick's movie, but it is shorter and more educational.

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50

Washington Post Desson Thomson

The movie is tentative, dramatically speaking...The most powerful moments come at the end -- documentary excerpts of Steve Saint, the son of one of the missionaries, and his friendship with Mincayani, the man who killed his father.

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40

Austin Chronicle Steve Davis

The naiveté with which the missionaries approach their initial meeting with the Waodani, whose propensity to violence was well-documented, appears at once incredibly stupid and divinely loving.

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38

New York Post Lou Lumenick

A sincere but underwhelming dramatization of one of the biggest news stories of 1956.

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38

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

In documentary footage played over the closing credits, the real warrior is introduced to American fast food and returns to his people too fat and sluggish to spear himself a snack, let alone a missionary.

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38

TV Guide Ken Fox

This ersatz jungle adventure is really a thinly disguised Sunday School lesson in faith, charity and the savagery of life without Christ.

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38

Chicago Tribune Allison Benedikt

A childish and visually repetitive movie, ham-fisted, proselytizing and overtly simplified.

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25

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Atrociously scripted and edited.

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25

San Francisco Chronicle Ruthe Stein

A Christian-themed film about redemption with almost no redeeming qualities as entertainment.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 33 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Jacob K. gave it a10:
I wached this movie without knowing what to expect... It appears that the majority of people and orginizations rated this movie with extreme bias. They gave no mention of the acting, sound track, and scenery in this movie (Even with a poor storyline it should rate at least a 6 by itself!!!!). The movie was incredibly gripping, character development was astonishing, and itis based on a true story. If anyone rated this movie less than a 7, it is because they are bias because of the Christain nature of the film. Both sides, anti-Christian and Christian, have this bias problem. Read the posts, its either too politically correct or too religious. Anyhow, from a true critic, The most gripping and moving movie I have seen!!! Its too bad it likely won't win any awards.

Elizabeth W. gave it a0:
There was no point to the End of the Spear. I remember when those missionaries were killed, and this movie did a dreadfrul disservice to them. Those who say the critics are biased because this is a "Christian" movie are deluding themselves. There is nothing Christian about it. A miserable, boring, flop.

Jim J. gave it a0:
Simply Horrible. The entire movie completly ignores the side of a indigenous peaceful civilization, completely ignores the introduction of polio to indigenous societies through missionaries...etc. Another attempt which proves Christianity's intolerance towards people with a different point of view about being "civilized". Watch only if you want to regress as an open minded person, and love colonialism.

Leah M. gave it a10:
A very good movie, I really enjoyed it, and would watch it again.

Pookie D. gave it a1:
if you want to see a good engaging film about missionaries you should skip this one and see 'The Mission.' This one's just a sales tool for christian colonialism and an attempt at justification of oppression of non-christian cultures.

Karen A gave it a9:
As a young adult, I had heard of this story that took place in 1956, where five missionaries were killed trying to save a brutal tribe of people. (One of the wives has a radio program in our area.) I had no idea concerning the details surrounding it. I was fascinated viewing this movie. Watching it and knowing it was a true story showed the ultimate in forgiveness. I greatly appreciated being able to see what one of these five families experienced. It was awesome to see how good can come out of such evil.

M Sb gave it a2:
Simply dreadful. A dull and often times ridiculous testiment to how converting people to christianity makes them more civilized somehow. The brutality of the tribe was actually more of a relief to me. Those missionaries are portrayed as the good guys but I was somehow relieved to see the ends of several spears go into some of them. I felt no sympathy for any of the main characters, I had no sense of enthrallment or enjoyment during this bloody and pointless justification of all things that christians do to save your soul. Useless.

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