Catholic Review of There Be Dragons

As the film continues a sort of rivalry grows between the boys as they meet again in the seminary. Josemaria is ordained, but Manolo drops out and chooses to follow in the family business. They are placed on opposing sides of a civil war which then takes center stage for the rest of the film. Josemaria becomes less and less central to the plot of the film and Manolo takes over for the most part.

As Far as Faith Goes

One of the things I did enjoy about this film was the positive portrayal of priests. There is a scene where a priest is executed by militia fighters and it actually envokes sorrow, whereas the mainstream media might play it off in another way. Josemaria has some strong lines in the film which build up his exemplary Christian figure. His model of holiness and desire to live the Gospel was perhaps my favorite aspect of the film. Even though his faith is at times tested, he continues to trust in God.

Not Perfect, but Worthy

Overall I recommend this film both to believers and non-believers. I especially think it’s a great way to show non-believers the role of faith in our lives, especially in suffering. It’s in those struggles that we are challenged to keep our faith. I also recommend it for non-Catholics, both as a way to get to know a little about St. Josemaria Escrivá and the role the Church has played in world events like the Spanish Civil War, without being confrontational or preachy.

For a more in-depth review and commentary of this film and others, I recommend my favorite Catholic film critic Steven Greydanus at DecentFilms.com.