Review: The Imitation Game

As I get older, I realise the importance of being exposed to perspectives - ones that I don't always agree with. And recently, I saw the film The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kierra Knightly, and Matthew Goode and other well known actors. Filmography was great, dialogue was natural, acting was realistic (I mean, no one can dislike Cumberbatch). However, for a girl who wanted to watch a film about the war and the enigma machine, it became much less teachy, and much more preachy. In fact, it shifted from being a Historical Drama to a bit more of a Propaganda piece.

The General Plot

Alan Turing, a frequently unloved and disrespected individual, finds himself working as one of the greatest masterminds in Great Britain during the most intense period of its history: World War Two. By the time he finally cracks the German code with his enigma machine, and is able to aid in British attempts of beating Germany in the war, he finds himself overflowing in respect from many of his colleagues. But this was only after a long slog of seeking the respect and love he did deserve, though he didn't always treat them the same way.

What the movie communicates

Virtues in here of Respect and love are quite clear. Humans were made in the image of God and deserve love from each other. We are sinful and so we don't always do this the right way. So easily, Turing was disrespected unjustly, though he may have needed a stern word after certain arrogance and rudeness.

But the audience is not directed to challenge Alan's life and character, but to sympathise with it. Because, once again, postmodern 21st century thinking accepts what "traditional" Christians would consider immoral, and places such ideas in the spotlight, in all their apparent glory. Let me be clear, Alan Turing was a homosexual. And the movie very easily slips from focusing on his amazing life work - the building of an enigma machine - and instead focusing on the very message it wishes to send: that Homosexuality is okay. That it was once rejected, but now because of the mistreatment in the past, we should accept it in the present.

And can I be clear once again, homosexuality is the result of a sinful world. Acting upon such a state, or temptation is a sin. And whilst I may be calling homosexuals who act upon this temptation sinners, I must admit that I, like any other human being, am a sinner too.

The movie beautifully captures the emotion of isolation, of entrapment of homosexuality. But I feel it from entirely the wrong perspective. In my opinion, homosexuality is a temptation that can cripple people their whole life. If this was the movie's perspective, it could have preached "but there is hope in the grace and love of Jesus Christ". This is unthinkable in an award-winning secular movie. So instead we are given the perspective "previous culture and society was the cripple for many a homosexual in that day" and so the lesson is "we must celebrate the man as a homosexual first (to ensure this doesn't happen again) and secondly admire his achievements in the war". In fact, in the final facts presented in the closing scene of the movie, it talks first about the remainder of his sad life, mistreated because he was homosexual, then about the celebration of the many lives he has saved.

I am left wondering "Were the many lives he saved really less important than your agenda for homosexuality?"

The Vehicle for the Salvation of Mankind

And on that note, we must notice something about the film. It implies the illogical idea that Alan Turing created the enigma machine - that which saved millions of lives - through the vehicle of homosexuality. I've kinda shown it in the diagram below.

But there is a reality to how it actually works. Though filmmakers and many audience members would be unwilling to accept it. It might be more logical, but it is not communicated like this in the film.

And I can't expect that they would consider his brilliance God-Given. Throughout the movie, it becomes very clear that there is a major drift from God. One quote says this: "Was I God? No. Because God didn't win the war. We did". Whilst I am opposed to Homosexuality because of my faith, and whilst I believe that God is real - I am not naive enough to think that non-Christians will believe in God or act like Christians.

However, I do expect that they will see that there is no positive correlation between him saving millions of lives and his sexuality.

Perhaps what the filmmakers try to do is make him appear arrogant concerning his intelligence so the movie becomes less praising of his enigma machine. Then, sympathy is directed to their main focus - his homosexuality. This receives the most criticism in the day, he is saddened, melancholy and miserable, and an audience is forced to feel the same way. There were moments I was on the verge of tears because of the effective way they filmed it. But I came to a point of realisation: the movie's real aim is blanketed under his greatest achievement, so they are able to celebrate what they want to.

If this movie had ever been made from a Christian perspective, we might see it mirroring the main story of the Bible: the gospel of Jesus Christ. God, out of love, saves all mankind from their sins, if the elect (or predestined) would only turn to Christ in faith. It's shown in John 3:16 quite clearly and it might look a little something like this.

Alan Turing, a man who was hardly perfect, could be seen as a kind of figure who uses his gifts and sacrifices all he can for his fellow man. How much greater a message we could see from this movie, if only it didn't have such an agenda! If only mankind could see the damage they continually do: in proposing messages against the God who created them and the world.

In Conclusion

I suppose there are some out there who are strongly opposed to my viewpoint. In which case I feel is it important to express one clear statement. I love all people, because I was first loved by Christ, my Lord and Saviour. In this way, I wish them to see the right way to serve the God of the universe. Acting upon our homosexuality is defined as a sin, an act against God, as is lying, cheating and stealing. This may not be something I can convince you of, but I feel convicted to share my belief.

We live in a world where what is truth is continually reversed. Can we even believe what is preached in this world? It would be very hard to do so without a foundation, or canon (measuring rod). This is found only in the Bible. This movie does something my mind considers illogical. It focuses on something I wouldn't. It praises something I wouldn't. And this is because based on the words and commands of a loving and just God of the world, I should not be following immorality but a perfect God.

Alan Turing was a sinful man, but he was also made in the image of God. The good he achieved should have been celebrated the most in this film, not his immorality and yet it is not. And I did not appreciate that. I turn to the judge of the world, who will one day come back and cleanse the world of all unrighteousness.