Approved for 12+

Smugglers Ransom

This low-budget, very evangelical story is about a young woman who is caught in Communist-held Romania durning the Cold War for smuggling Bibles. A lone American agent is sent to rescue her and during his mission he learns the true meaning of courage and faith. It's a shorter movie that has a very clear salvation message.
4
Negative Rating
12345
SexLanguageViolenceDrugsNudityOther
0
Positive Rating
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FaithIntegrity

Dove Review

This is nice production for a low-budget project, which looks good and includes some good acting, particularly from Marina Resa as Carmen, and Anthoney Tyler Quinn as William Donnelly, the man who is hired to take people out. Donnelly had a Christian mother and although he doesn’t hold to the faith, things begin to change when he meets Carmen, who he’s supposed to rescue from captivity for her “crime” of smuggling Bibles. The story begins in Houston, Texas in 1985 but moves to Los Angeles, California, and Bucharest, Romania. A communist woman verbally attacks Carmen for her faith as she is held captive but she is bold to speak up for her faith in Christ.

Although Donnelly has no problem in using his gun when he deems it necessary, young Carmen encourages him to remember that all life is a gift. Carmen winds up with a few converts by film’s end and some characters have undergone profound changes, which speaks well of this story and of the gospel. The film seemed to move quickly to me, which is a compliment to the fact I enjoyed it and didn’t become bored in the least. Although there is some shooting in the film and some deaths, it is handled without blood and never becomes gratuitous. We also learn that Carmen is the smuggler but also who the ransom stands for. This one surprised me as the producers and filmmakers got the most out of their budget and then some.

We happily award this film our Dove Seal. This would be a nice one to use for a church movie night, missions event, or for teenagers. We recommend it for ages twelve and above, although some parents might believe their children who are a few years younger might be fine with the mature story of an assassin whose life is changed by the gospel.

Dove Rating Details

0
Faith

None

0
Integrity

A few people are shot but no flowing blood; a fight; a gun backfires on a woman who tries to kill an innocent person.

0
Sex

None

0
Language

H-as a location.

2
Violence

A few people are shot but no flowing blood; a fight; a gun backfires on a woman who tries to kill an innocent person.

1
Drugs

Drinking in a scene.

0
Nudity

None

1
Other

A woman prays and witnesses to others about Christ.

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