“On Sacred Ground” Review: A Thought-Provoking Exploration of Faith and Culture

Plot Summary:

“On Sacred Ground” is a powerful and thought-provoking film that explores the intersection of faith and culture. The story follows a young woman named Maya, who is a devout Christian and a recent college graduate. She is given the opportunity to work as a missionary in a remote village in Africa. As she immerses herself in the culture, she begins to question her own beliefs and the impact of her actions on the local community.

Themes and Message:

One of the central themes of the film is the idea of cultural imperialism, and the ways in which Western ideals and beliefs are imposed on other cultures. The film raises important questions about the role of religion and faith in shaping our understanding of the world and our place in it. It also explores the tension between the desire to help others and the potential harm that can be caused by a lack of understanding and sensitivity to different cultures.

Performances:

The performances in “On Sacred Ground” are outstanding. The lead actress, Maya, is played by a talented actress who brings a sense of vulnerability and complexity to the character. The supporting cast, including the local villagers, are also excellent, bringing authenticity and depth to their roles.

Review of “On Sacred Ground”:

The first dramatic film by environmental activist documentarians Josh and Rebecca Tickell, “On Sacred Ground,” has a lot of nice aspects, but altogether, this technically excellent independent effort is more admirable for its purpose than it is for its story. The prevalence of “white saviour melodrama” in a film purportedly centred on 2016 demonstrations by Native Americans and its supporters against the development of the Dakota Access Pipeline will likely turn off many viewers, and there’s simply no way to avoid it.

As the main character has his eyes opened and his conscience aroused, it may be claimed that narrating the narrative from the viewpoint of the non-Indigenous protagonist is an effective method to educate a larger audience to urgent social concerns regarding land usage, water rights, and cultural imperialism. The problem is that Dan McKinney (William Mapother), the freelance reporter hired by a conservative Houston newspaper to cover events at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North and South Dakota, inevitably overshadows everything and everyone else on screen because the movie focuses on his professional, domestic, and psychological crises in so many scenes. Sounds recognisable?

Because McKinney is a Republican, his credit score is below average, and his heavily pregnant wife (Amy Smart) is about to give birth, the editor of the fictitious Houston Daily (played by Frances Fisher) selects him as the ideal reporter to offer the “right perspective” while covering the problematic protesters threatening to obstruct the pipeline’s progress. (Have to confess, this made me wonder if editors could really discover that much about a writer by conducting a quick web search. Yikes.)

As it turns out, McKinney is so anxious to get paid that he shows no reluctance about travelling to Standing Rock with Elliott Baker (David Arquette), a slick-talking fixer who represents the interests of the oil industry. Baker wants to make sure McKinney tells his readers the whole story about how disruptive Native Americans and outside agitators are jeopardising a project that is supposed to employ hundreds of people and move “500,000 gallons of crude oil a day.” McKinney largely executes his lines on cue when he isn’t paralysed by shocking PTSD flashbacks to his experiences as a combat journalist in Iraq.

In fact, McKinney’s editor is so happy with his work that she sends him back to Standing Rock to become friends with the protesters while feigning objectivity as a journalist in order to expose them as dangers to the American Way of Life. Unsurprisingly, another event takes place.

The directors regularly draw from their background as documentarians, and not just in the protracted prologue that sets the mood by flashing statistics over news footage. Later, in a tense lunch scene, the same bombastic visual cues are utilised to suggest tension between an overpowering Baker and a freshly awakened McKinney as they debate, among other things, the possibility that the pipeline may contaminate tribal water sources. The distinction between creating dramatic tension and preaching to the choir is perilously near to being erased in “On Sacred Ground” both here and elsewhere.

Supporting actors who have been cast as Native American protestors are impressive all around, but Kerry Knuppe, who plays a brassy activist who is rightly sceptical of McKinney, Irene Bedard, who plays a protest organiser whose doubt about the reporter curdles into contempt, and David Midthunder, who plays a protestor who is noticeably more accepting of McKinney until he has good reason not to be, stand out for their standout performances.

The fact that Mapother’s powerfully implosive performance is highlighted and emphasised, and “On Sacred Ground” sets its primary emphasis on his character’s salvation, makes it difficult for even these excellent performers to avoid coming off as window dressing. The end effect is a film that is not only unsatisfyingly uneven, but also completely imbalanced.

Conclusion of “On Sacred Ground”:

Overall, “On Sacred Ground” is a thought-provoking and powerful film that explores the intersection of faith and culture in a sensitive and nuanced way. It raises important questions about the impact of our actions on others and the importance of understanding and respect for different cultures. The performances are outstanding, and the film is sure to leave a lasting impact on viewers. Highly recommended!

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