"The Oath" Movie

[Calm]

47 minutes ago, Raingirl said:

Maybe he made it private because he doesn’t want people finding out his real name and his association with the Capital riot. 

Did I miss this being mentioned before or are you the first bringing it up?  If so, very interesting find. 

[Danzo]

13 hours ago, Pyreaux said:

The Oath (2023)

It was a chore to get through, its main problem is its too long and too drawn out. It would be much better if it were cut. The worst of the slowness is at the worst time, the beginning. 30 mins in you feel all that time you could have gotten a refill and not missed anything. You mainly start to watch Moroni, which I guess establishes he's alone, but he doing things that are not very interesting. Like meditating and laying in a field. Too much silence trying to be mysterious. There should have kept feeding the audience information/context. But they won't explain the mystery, it's all being held back to surprise another character midway in the film. But harms the replay value.

Until he meets a young maiden, then it picks up a bit into a slightly cringy love story. She even gets a little Meta, by telling Moroni to his face, "You're boring!". Though it seems to be finally at the story portion except there is a long "teaching her to read" segment that needed to be cut down. There is a cute and wholesome relationship developing. There is a weak element of danger, as someone is looking for her. The drama that makes Moroni cry and yell I think was an over-reaction I didn't want to see.

Then the last segment is a... a very Gladiator-Moroni ending... It's not bad, it probably the best part really. If they'd had simply teased that any physical conflict was coming and was worth waiting for would have been better. Very Gladiator-que, from his sword and armor, to other things I won't spoil, but you'll probably see it. General audiences will not know what is going on. The best dialog were BoM quotes, which there should have been more, it could have been more like the Book of Eli, quote a cryptic verse to counsel or mystify, then fight. They needed an extra fight or close call near the start, to get an idea of what's coming or had better survival stuff. Moroni's voice over used the term "New World" once near the end. There is a weird end message of how the Lord will remember his oath and remember his people (he means the gathering of Israel), but it's confusing, because it's basically Moroni saying it, while he himself is clearly doomed and his people forsaken.

thanks for taking one for the team.

[MiserereNobis]

18 hours ago, Pyreaux said:

The Oath (2023)

It was a chore to get through, its main problem is its too long and too drawn out. It would be much better if it were cut. The worst of the slowness is at the worst time, the beginning. 30 mins in you feel all that time you could have gotten a refill and not missed anything. You mainly start to watch Moroni, which I guess establishes he's alone, but he doing things that are not very interesting. Like meditating and laying in a field. Too much silence trying to be mysterious. There should have kept feeding the audience information/context. But they won't explain the mystery, it's all being held back to surprise another character midway in the film. But harms the replay value.

Until he meets a young maiden, then it picks up a bit into a slightly cringy love story. She even gets a little Meta, by telling Moroni to his face, "You're boring!". Though it seems to be finally at the story portion except there is a long "teaching her to read" segment that needed to be cut down. There is a cute and wholesome relationship developing. There is a weak element of danger, as someone is looking for her. The drama that makes Moroni cry and yell I think was an over-reaction I didn't want to see.

Then the last segment is a... a very Gladiator-Moroni ending... It's not bad, it probably the best part really. If they'd had simply teased that any physical conflict was coming and was worth waiting for would have been better. Very Gladiator-que, from his sword and armor, to other things I won't spoil, but you'll probably see it. General audiences will not know what is going on. The best dialog were BoM quotes, which there should have been more, it could have been more like the Book of Eli, quote a cryptic verse to counsel or mystify, then fight. They needed an extra fight or close call near the start, to get an idea of what's coming or had better survival stuff. Moroni's voice over used the term "New World" once near the end. There is a weird end message of how the Lord will remember his oath and remember his people (he means the gathering of Israel), but it's confusing, because it's basically Moroni saying it, while he himself is clearly doomed and his people forsaken.

What is the actual oath? Does Moroni and/or God make an oath in the Book of Mormon or is it just the film? It’s a weird title. 

Was there any MAGA stuff/ideas in it? Asking since the main guy is known for it. 

Our local theater has 5 showings a day. I wonder how long that will last. 
 

[bluebell]

43 minutes ago, MiserereNobis said:

What is the actual oath? Does Moroni and/or God make an oath in the Book of Mormon or is it just the film? It’s a weird title. 

Was there any MAGA stuff/ideas in it? Asking since the main guy is known for it. 

Our local theater has 5 showings a day. I wonder how long that will last. 
 

I was wondering that as well?  I don’t remember any prominent part of the book of Mormon itself that deals with oaths. In our vernacular, that would be a covenant. I’m wondering if maybe there’s a part of the movie that focuses on an oath?

[Pyreaux]

1 hour ago, MiserereNobis said:

What is the actual oath? Does Moroni and/or God make an oath in the Book of Mormon or is it just the film? It’s a weird title. 

Was there any MAGA stuff/ideas in it? Asking since the main guy is known for it. 

Our local theater has 5 showings a day. I wonder how long that will last. 

The word "oath" is thrown around a lot, referring to covenant oath he personally made or concerning the plates, later it's a marriage covenant, but the main theme he quotes from an Isaiah verse (I forget which), where the Lord promises to remember his people, Israel. This has some resonance with his fear the Nephites will be forgotten.

[morgan.deane]

His video complaining about the church's response made me LESS likely to see it. But I disliked the knee jerk anti Mormon reactions to the movie, I watch lots of Mystery Science Theater 3000, and I feel like I should support it so when a good independent Mormon film comes along movie theaters and studios would be less instead of more likely to reject it. Besides, I've watched Marvel movies for less. I saw it today and here are my thoughts I wrote on my facebook: 

Well, it wasn't the WORST movie I've ever seen. But definitely bottom tier. It had its moments that were decent and beat out the Book of Mormon movie at least. It had some good shots, like the use of a branch of a tree on a Nephite scroll to tell Nephite history. Any time the movie stayed close to scripture it was good, though I think the director tried to fit too much explanation and preaching into it, when a man with a haunted past and high principles would have been intriguing with good writing.

Billy Zane was actually good, which I expected because he's a legit star and the villains in bad movies at least get to twirl their mustache and chew some scenery. (Though he's totally broke if he agreed to be in this.)

I think 90% of his lines were in the trailer lol. He seemed to do this with an Irish accent which was just odd and highlighted the many other suspect creative choices like some use of Hebraisms, but then the use of Indian. speak. like. white. man., or trying to embellish any part of the story beyond what's in scriptures. It was a confusing mish mash of Last of the Mohicans, Gladiator (especially at the end), Robert the Bruce, and Lord of the Rings. It tried to force in Nephite history and preach at times when it should have focused on a good story.

Hollywood gets a lot of crap, but when you watch a movie that is devoid of any top or even medium shelf talent in almost every area (except Billy Zane), you definitely wish for that talented writing, acting, directing, a bigger budget etc. I suddenly feel like I'm too harsh on Michael Bay and Zack Snyder.

Edited December 10, 2023 by morgan.deane

[blackstrap]

Just curious, did Moroni wear leather wrist bands ?😶

[The Nehor]

53 minutes ago, blackstrap said:

Just curious, did Moroni wear leather wrist bands ?😶

Please don’t kinkshame prophets.

[teddyaware]

4 hours ago, MiserereNobis said:

What is the actual oath? Does Moroni and/or God make an oath in the Book of Mormon or is it just the film? It’s a weird title. 

Was there any MAGA stuff/ideas in it? Asking since the main guy is known for it. 

Our local theater has 5 showings a day. I wonder how long that will last. 
 

You think ‘The Oath’ is a “weird title” for a movie about a prophet of God who was put under a most strict and solemn charge to preserve the Book of Mormon plates from destruction, and then fulfill a most important commandment from God to safely hide the sacred Nephite record until the latter-days when the prophet Joseph Smith would be shown by revelation where the plates were hidden? This same prophet Moroni later appeared as a resurrected personage to the prophet Joseph Smith, who put the young prophet under a similarly strict charge to keep the Book of Mormon plates safe from harm until the work of translation was finished? In fact, the main plot line of the movie focuses on the prophet Moroni’s struggles against the sworn enemies of Christ to keep the sacred Nephite record safe from harm until he’s able to finish the it and hide it away from the prying eyes of a wicked world. Bottom line? There’s nothing at all weird or inappropriate about the movie’s perfectly reasonable title. But you can’t be blamed for taking Darin Scott’s labor of love lightly when there are so many church member participants on this board who can’t wait to belittle and mock the culmination of years of hard work by a fellow member of the church who was never able to raise enough money to make the kind of quality movie he was originally hoping to make. What follows is the solemn charge given to the prophet Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni…

59 At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected. (Joseph Smith 1).

Edited December 10, 2023 by teddyaware

[Raingirl]

12 hours ago, Calm said:

Did I miss this being mentioned before or are you the first bringing it up?  If so, very interesting find. 

Go back and read the narrator’s post in this thread. 

[Calm]

30 minutes ago, Raingirl said:

Go back and read the narrator’s post in this thread. 

Wow…I had definitely missed that post, not one I would have forgotten.  Thanks for mentioning it (most interesting tidbit about the movie to me, lol).

He actually changed his name.  Might have worked a couple of decades ago….plus if he wants credit for his precious work under that name…

Edited December 10, 2023 by Calm

[MustardSeed]

8 hours ago, teddyaware said:

You think ‘

It’s strange IMO that you seem to support someone who is badmouthing the church.  Church owes him nothing.  Nor do we.  He chose a project known by all to require millions.  He took a massive risk.  It didn’t work.  The product wasn’t good enough.  I feel sorry for him but also think he went about it very poorly in his video. If someone is going to badmouth a massive org they’d better have a solid case. He seems foolish to me.    

[The Nehor]

8 hours ago, teddyaware said:

You think ‘The Oath’ is a “weird title” for a movie about a prophet of God who was put under a most strict and solemn charge to preserve the Book of Mormon plates from destruction, and then fulfill a most important commandment from God to safely hide the sacred Nephite record until the latter-days when the prophet Joseph Smith would be shown by revelation where the plates were hidden? This same prophet Moroni later appeared as a resurrected personage to the prophet Joseph Smith, who put the young prophet under a similarly strict charge to keep the Book of Mormon plates safe from harm until the work of translation was finished? In fact, the main plot line of the movie focuses on the prophet Moroni’s struggles against the sworn enemies of Christ to keep the sacred Nephite record safe from harm until he’s able to finish the it and hide it away from the prying eyes of a wicked world. Bottom line? There’s nothing at all weird or inappropriate about the movie’s perfectly reasonable title. But you can’t be blamed for taking Darin Scott’s labor of love lightly when there are so many church member participants on this board who can’t wait to belittle and mock the culmination of years of hard work by a fellow member of the church who was never able to raise enough money to make the kind of quality movie he was originally hoping to make. What follows is the solemn charge given to the prophet Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni…

59 At length the time arrived for obtaining the plates, the Urim and Thummim, and the breastplate. On the twenty-second day of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven, having gone as usual at the end of another year to the place where they were deposited, the same heavenly messenger delivered them up to me with this charge: that I should be responsible for them; that if I should let them go carelessly, or through any neglect of mine, I should be cut off; but that if I would use all my endeavors to preserve them, until he, the messenger, should call for them, they should be protected. (Joseph Smith 1).

Jesus ended the taking of oaths under the Law of Moses. Now oaths are allowed only as part of prescribed ordinances. Moroni’s father rashly made an oath in the final days of the Nephite military confederacy saying he would never command them again. He had to repent of that oath.

The main plot is the love interest and not the Book of Mormon.

[Teancum]

On 12/7/2023 at 8:58 PM, california boy said:

Having worked for an independent motion picture company for a few years doing their national marketing, I can tell you that without a major studio supporting the film, it is going to be a major uphill battle to make this film profitable. It is why many films go straight to streaming.  

I predict this film will only be in the theaters about 2 weeks.  Then he better hope he can sell it to streaming.  He would have done better doing a regional release in the Mormon corridor.  If it did well there, perhaps he could expand to other markets.  650 screens nation wide is really a bad idea.  You can't effectively market a film without a huge advertising budget.  I think he might be realizing this now and without the Church stepping in to support his project he probably realizes the financial disaster he is headed for.

The movie industry is so rigged against independent movie companies having any success at the box office and is extremely risky financially.  I hope he didn't put up his house for collateral   All of this is true even if the film is an amazing film. 

The film is not getting good reviews at all.  Even comments from believing Latter-day Saints that I have seen are not complimentary.

[Teancum]

On 12/7/2023 at 11:39 PM, smac97 said:

https://www.cinelinx.com/movie-news/movie-reviews/the-oath-is-an-agressively-bad-historical-epic-review/

A review.

Not good.  Bummer.

I am seeing no good reviews of the movie.

[bluebell]

10 minutes ago, Teancum said:

I am seeing no good reviews of the movie.

Rotten Tomatoes gives a couple critic reviews that are positive, though it's over all score is 29% so definitely a rotten tomato.  The movie viewer reviews are almost all glowing though, which makes me doubt their authenticity a bit.

[smac97]

11 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

It’s strange IMO that you seem to support someone who is badmouthing the church.  Church owes him nothing.  Nor do we.  He chose a project known by all to require millions.  He took a massive risk.  It didn’t work.  The product wasn’t good enough.  I feel sorry for him but also think he went about it very poorly in his video. If someone is going to badmouth a massive org they’d better have a solid case. He seems foolish to me.    

I have seen a few instances in which genuinely sincere and devoted Latter-day Saints earnestly want to use their interests/talents in this or that artistic/creative medium (moviemaking, writing, artwork, etc.) to help advance the work of the Church, only to end up disappointed and discouraged, maybe even embittered, when the institutional Church and/or the generalized members of the Church don't give the effort sufficient attention and/or financial support.  I really feel for these folks, as I surmise that they put all sorts of time and effort into these artistic offerings, such that they feel that the insufficient embrace/support of the "art" is perceived, to some extent, as a rejection of the artist.  This lack of appreciation can also sometimes foster feelings of resentment and estrangement.

I know nothing about Darin, but I hope he does not take offense at Latter-day Saints not lining up for his movie.  As several here have noted, making a movie and getting it right is hard, as is doing so in a financially successful way.

Thanks,

-Smac

Edited December 11, 2023 by smac97

[The Nehor]

RottenTomatoes reviews are mostly abysmal. The only semi-positive review I have found is from the Epoch Times and it includes such gems as Moroni’s ghost teaching Joseph Smith and that the Lamanites were the Blackfoot tribe. That is an interesting take on Book of Mormon geography.

Ironically the one thing the reviewer really disliked was the musical score which is odd since in some of the negative reviews the music was one of the things they actually liked.

[MustardSeed]

30 minutes ago, smac97 said:

have seen a few instances in which genuinely sincere and devoted Latter-day Saints earnestly want to use their interests/talents in this or that artistic/creative medium (moviemaking, writing, artwork, etc.) to help advance the work of the Church, only to end up disappointed and discouraged, maybe even embittered, when the institutional Church and/or the generalized members of the Church don't give the effort sufficient attention and/or financial support.

Admittedly my cynical personality invites me to assume such people are using Jesus to promote their talents for personal gain.  Be it money fame or pride- I’m sure that’s not always the case but I suspect (opinion only) this is the case too often.  I’m fairly vocal about my distain for Deseret Book and other “industries” that claim to want to bring folks to Christ through merchandise.  Jesus movies and music are no exception for me. 

[mfbukowski]

20 hours ago, bluebell said:

I was wondering that as well?  I don’t remember any prominent part of the book of Mormon itself that deals with oaths. In our vernacular, that would be a covenant. I’m wondering if maybe there’s a part of the movie that focuses on an oath?

When I heard the title, I had the same question.  I kind of took it as accepting The Covenant Path.

[Pyreaux]

7 hours ago, The Nehor said:

RottenTomatoes reviews are mostly abysmal. The only semi-positive review I have found is from the Epoch Times and it includes such gems as Moroni’s ghost teaching Joseph Smith and that the Lamanites were the Blackfoot tribe. That is an interesting take on Book of Mormon geography.

Ironically the one thing the reviewer really disliked was the musical score which is odd since in some of the negative reviews the music was one of the things they actually liked.

The music was really good. Joseph doesn't make an appearance, but Lamanite characters were played by Native Americans while Nephites are all very Caucasian with very Roman style looks, I guess they are supposed to be portrayed as Jews, like in Ben-Hur, instead of like the Church movie Testaments: One Fold, One Shepard. Billy Zane is a Nephite traitor on the Lamanite side. Billy Zane was pretty good. They should have given Billy more lines as a main character in the beginning and cut all of Moroni doing nothing, cut the slow panning and cut all the long staring. They really wanted to turn Gladiator into a Hallmark movie with a Book of Mormon flavor.

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Pyreaux

[Tacenda]

On 12/8/2023 at 11:07 AM, bluebell said:

You have to see the Best Two Years!!  It's one of the top 3 movies in "mormondom".  Seriously it's go so much heart and it's hilarious.  

The one scene was unforgetable and funny, the one where they are giving the discussions. But I won't say more. Hopefully he'll watch it, it's a gem.

[bluebell]

1 hour ago, Tacenda said:

The one scene was unforgettable and funny, the one where they are giving the discussions. But I won't say more. Hopefully he'll watch it, it's a gem.

My very favorite scene of any movie ever.  My not-at-all-active uncle watched it with us and he about died laughing.

[Calm]

5 minutes ago, bluebell said:

My very favorite scene of any movie ever.  My not-at-all-active uncle watched it with us and he about died laughing.

Okay, now I will have to watch it after all.

[MiserereNobis]

20 hours ago, teddyaware said:

You think ‘The Oath’ is a “weird title” for a movie about a prophet of God who was put under a most strict and solemn charge to preserve the Book of Mormon plates from destruction, and then fulfill a most important commandment from God to safely hide the sacred Nephite record until the latter-days when the prophet Joseph Smith would be shown by revelation where the plates were hidden?

I thought the movie was about a guy hiding from his enemies while falling in love with his enemies’ escaped concubine. 
 

20 hours ago, teddyaware said:

In fact, the main plot line of the movie focuses on the prophet Moroni’s struggles against the sworn enemies of Christ to keep the sacred Nephite record safe from harm until he’s able to finish the it and hide it away from the prying eyes of a wicked world.

I haven’t seen the movie, but I’ve seen trailers and reviews. What you say doesn’t match those. 
 

20 hours ago, teddyaware said:

But you can’t be blamed for taking Darin Scott’s labor of love lightly when there are so many church member participants on this board who can’t wait to belittle and mock the culmination of years of hard work by a fellow member of the church who was never able to raise enough money to make the kind of quality movie he was originally hoping to make.

So does a labor of love supersede quality? He put his movie out there in 650 theaters. You need to think this through: if a poor quality film is held up by LDS members and/or church as what your church offers, then aren’t you turning off potential converts? Or at least misrepresenting LDS views?

Or maybe you think The Oath is what the LDS Church offers?