Mission: Impossible, Made Possible – Greyhound

Please note: The following text contains spoilers

“Acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.”
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Without question, Tom Hanks is our movie dad. From Big to Forrest Gump, Hanks
has always been there for us as the epitome of the affable everyman - one
who carries with him a sense of warmth that just makes you feel safe, whenever
he’s onscreen. Even if the situations in which his characters find themselves are
dire, he’s the one who ushers in peace, with his softly spoken voice and
thoughtful musings. He’s also just about the only actor whose presence can elevate
a film’s quality, and such is the case with his flawed WWII naval epic, Greyhound.
It’s seaworthy, but Hanks himself is the component which really keeps the
engine running, in his role as a ship’s captain, but also a committed Christian –
an unexpected, but welcome surprise.

Narratively speaking, Greyhound is almost as simplistic a war film as one
could imagine: Commander Ernest Krause (Hanks) of the United States Navy,
is tasked with spearheading a convoy of 37 Allied ships, as they sail for Liverpool (UK). It’s all about getting from point A, to point B without incident. However, in-between both points, lies the “Black Pit”, the Mid-Atlantic gap in which air support is no longer available to the Allies, and German U-boats prowl the ice-cold seas, like a pack of wolves. Against all odds, Krause must strive to protect every soul who serves under him – despite this being his first wartime command and the constant threats coming from some sinister radio transmissions…

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Placing an emphasis on detailed procedure over character development, Greyhound thrills us with evasive manoeuvres and cacophonic barrages of artillery fire. But unlike Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers, however, the violence of Greyhound is largely displayed without injury detail. Instead, mournful attention is paid to the tragic loss of life, following each deadly attack. For example, when a Nazi U-boat is sunk after a dangerous game of cat and mouse, those aboard Krause’s ship rejoice over defeating their enemy: “Congratulations sir! Fifty less krauts”, remarks a young lieutenant. Krause looks over towards the sinking enemy ship, and says with genuine sorrow, “Yes, fifty souls”. It’s a small moment, but one which reinforced for me the notion of the sanctity of life, and ultimately God’s heart for humanity, in that “He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent” (2 Peter 3:9, NLT).
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​This aforementioned scene is made all the more poignant, when we consider that the cold, desolate location in which these men perished, is named ‘The Pit’, which draws comparisons to Hell. For example, Jesus describes Hell as a place of “darkness” (Matthew 22:13, NLT), which evokes a sense of solitude and confinement. And these men, despite being the enemy, are now tragically lost in the depths forever. Krause’s lament (albeit brief), embodied for me a glimpse of what I imagine to be the sorrow that Jesus experiences, when those who do not know Him, are eternally separated from Him – despite the Good News of the Gospel being made available to all.
 
But curiously, these same villains which pursue Krause’s ships are led by a slippery, menacing U-boat, with a wolf symbol, painted onto its hull. It stalks the convoy, appearing and attacking when they least expect it, or when the allied group shows a sign of weakness. This wolfpack tactic reminded me of the schemes of the devil, who the Bible teaches is a cunning enemy:

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“Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around
like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, NLT)

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​This prowling adversary manages to confuse, distract and eliminate a number of ships from within Krause’s convoy at an alarming rate – but Hanks’ character, being a man of genuine faith, draws upon Scripture for practical guidance, when he reminds himself to “be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16, NRSV). He also prays for protection, before rising, eating and sleeping – E.g. “Dear Lord, let Your angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.” But despite every hurdle he faces, Krause powers on with selfless faith, doing everything in his power to save lives and complete his overall mission, even at a physical cost to himself – witnessed in his feet bleeding heavily, experiencing exhaustion and going without food. He even risks the overall success of the mission, when he chooses to save survivors from a sinking vessel, leaving the rest of the convoy vulnerable. In this way, Hanks’ character embraces the attitudes of Christ, as noted in Philippians 2:3-8 (NLT):

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“Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
​When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross."

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​Krause, despite holding such a position of seniority, ultimately chooses sacrifice over comfortability and compromise, not allowing his rank to interfere with what matters most. Only when the battle is won, does he finally go down to his quarters to sleep. And it’s because of his modest heroism and dedication to living out his faith, that the convoy ultimately succeeds in reaching its destination. He would not rest until the task was completed, just as Christ himself would not choose to leave all of us perishing in our sin, but came to this world, “not…to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17, NIV) who were in need of His life-saving forgiveness. For “everyone has sinned” and fallen “short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23, NLT) for the way in which we should live our lives. In fact, the Bible teaches that we have actively chosen to do wrong in God’s sight. But He was unwilling to see us perish in our sin, for all eternity.
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So, God sent His one and only Son Jesus to be the One who could deal with the problem of our sin, by dying in our place, and rising again three days later, having defeated the power of darkness, so that we could be forgiven. When we turn from our sins, therefore, trusting in Jesus’ promise of salvation, we are restored to a relationship with Him and given the gift of eternal life. By the film’s end, Krause emerges as more of a Christ figure, reminding us of the Father tirelessly fighting for us in His masterplan of salvation. And whilst Jesus now resides in Heaven (his quarters, if you will), we can experience relationship with Him, today and for all eternity – we only need acknowledge Him as our King, Saviour, Commander.
 
Challenge:

• Why not prayerfully invite a friend or family member who doesn’t yet know Jesus, to watch Greyhound for themselves? Use the film’s themes to ask them what they thought of the film, if they spotted any links to Christianity and what they might think of the Gospel’s response to this subject.

• If you feel able to, ask them what they think they are worth to God – do they think that they’re important to Him, and if yes/no, why? You could then ask them what they think about God sending Jesus to be their Saviour who was resolute in His task to save and draw us to relationship with Him. If they're open to hearing it, take an opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel message with them.

 
Prior to watching the film for yourself, however, take a moment to pray that God would speak to you through the film. If you feel comfortable, pray this prayer over all of your future, film-watching experiences:
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Dear Lord, As I watch this film, I ask that you would be present here with me. Highlight to me anything within it that is honourable, anything that can be used in conversation for your Kingdom purposes. Amen. ​
 
Greyhound is now available to stream exclusively on Apple TV+
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