The Stand

I don’t know if Stephen King is a religious man or not but this movie is the greatest example of good vs evil that I have seen in a movie. There is so much taken from the bible about the final battle of God and Satan and what leads up to it is what makes this movie a true classic. The characters are displayed as humans with many problems but because of the time spent building up who they are, when a number of them die, a pain is felt for their loss. This film contains no superheroes who use their strengths of martial arts, guns or wits to fight Randall Flagg, the person of satan, just the trusting of a God that has a use for them. Dreams and visions inspire them to search for Mother Abigail Freemantle, who is 106 years old, and is used by God to encourage them to travel to Colorado. God can use anybody (mentally retarded Tom Cullen, old man Glen Bateman, old farmboy Ralph Brentner and even a deaf and mute non-believer of God, Nick Andros) in His battle against evil. Satan himself has his chosen ones (crazed trashcan man, secret spies in the camp Harold Lauder and Nadine Cross) to bring destruction to God’s chosen ones. The final part as God’s two witnesses stand against all of Flagg’s evil henchmen, standing “in the name of God” is what makes a final battle a true final battle. Two men against hundreds, an impossibility to win but with God on your side, all things are possible. Perfect casting and perfect writing makes this the greatest of all the Stephen’s Kings mini-movies. A must see, especially if the odds are against you right now!