After being seemingly the second most praised movie on personal development blogs - the first being undoubtedly “The Secret” - I decided to watch “Peaceful Warrior”. Made after a book written by Dan Millman and according to the movie makers “inspired by true events”. I never had the chance to read the book, a chance that I never gave myself. As far it concerns the true events behind the story, it just made me curious to get on with watching it.
Now let’s get on with some comments on this movie.

When it starts by appealing to “true events”, you tend to expect some sort of realism. But it is soon spoiled, just when you start believing them. I mean Nick Nolte suddenly jumps in an instant on the roof of a store. Maybe it was some sort of levitation, but this definitely lacks a clear insight. On my side.

And after that, all the trivia and obviousness enrolled in any decent and self-respectful New-Age ideology is one by one given to you. Starting with “Are you happy?” and rolling on with “The mess is in your head” or “Live in the present. There is only here and now” (approximate quotes).

The movie suffers from an essential New-Age malady. The one that affects artistic performances in particular. It is what I would like to solemnly declare as the Revelation Syndrome. The cause of it is the strong effort to present the “Sole Truth” as is. You don’t have a chance to figure out something on your own. It is given straight in your face. And the symptom is the kitsch. Unfortunately.

I also did some reading around for reviews. Most of them are diplomatically factual and descriptive. But some of them were expressing similar thoughts to the ones showing up in my mind while watching and after watching the movie. Here are 3 of them:

• Roger Ebert starts his review like this: “If “Peaceful Warrior” were not based on a true story, I might have an easier time believing it.” These were also my first impressions.
• Scott Brown has a concise review in which he just calls it a “self-congratulatory self-help seminar”. To the heart of it.
• And another pick is Michael Phillips who concludes his review like this: “‘Peaceful Warrior,’ which is basically ‘The Karate Kid’ with a bigger kid and a bigger mentor, represents a journey of predictability, rather than a destination worth the trouble.”

And for the grand finale, my conclusions (sic!). The “Peaceful Warrior” is an unsuccessful attempt to demonstrate how enlightenment can be achieved. Quite absurd. Also its message could be rephrased almost like: “The few easy steps to enlightenment”.

Search: