End of the Spear (2005)

Two people come to the end of a spear in order to realize that the divisions between them are not real.

Director:

Jim Hanon

Writers:

Bill Ewing, Bart Gavigan

Stars:

Louie Leonardo, Chad Allen, Jack Guzman

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Louie Leonardo	...	Mincayani
Chad Allen	...	Nate Saint / Steve Saint
Jack Guzman	...	Kimo
Christina Souza	...	Dayumae
Chase Ellison	...	Young Steve Saint
Chemo Mepaquito	...	Gikita
Ninabet Bedoya	...	Gimade
Sara Kathryn Bakker	...	Rachel Saint
Cara Stoner	...	Marj Saint (as Cara Stoner-Parris)
Beth Bailey	...	Elisabeth Elliot
Ocniel Barrigon	...	Nenkiwi
Yariela Caizamo	...	Ompodae
Andrea Lino Mache	...	Dawa
Marco Flaco	...	Young Mincayani
Gabriela Valdespino	...	Young Dayumae

Storyline

"End of the Spear" is the story of Mincayani, a Waodani tribesman from the jungles of Ecuador. When five young missionaries, among them Jim Elliot and Nate Saint, are speared to death by the Waodani in 1956, a series of events unfold to change the lives of not only the slain missionaries' families, but also Mincayani and his people.

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Plot Keywords:

sliding downhill | dead baby | infanticide | chase | tablesaw | 

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Taglines:

Dare to Make Contact

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Genres:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | History

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

20 January 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Walk His Trail

Filming Locations:

Colon, Panama

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,281,388, 22 January 2006, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$11,967,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Every Tribe Entertainment,Bearing Fruit Entertainment,Toy Gun Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During casting it was difficult to find a pilot in the Screen Actor's Guild qualified and willing to fly the 1947 Piper plane in the jungle. For the movie the plane ended up being piloted by the real life Steve Saint.

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Goofs

As the bright yellow Piper is maneuvering over the jungle in the mid-1950s, we briefly see a view of the top of the plane, and there we see the one object that isn't yellow - the white Garmin GPS antenna.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Steve Saint: Some people say we live in a world of irreconcilable differences. Others say that true peace, lasting peace, can't be obtained because we haven't found a way yet to change the human heart.

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Connections

Followed by The Grandfathers (2011)

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Soundtracks

Along the River
Written by Blake McIver Ewing (as Blake Ewing) and Mandie Pinto
Performed by Blake McIver Ewing (as Blake Ewing) and Mandie Pinto

User Reviews

Really well done and important film

Jim Hanon's new film, "End of the Spear" comes to us in a new tradition started by David Cunningham's "To End All Wars". Over the past 2 years a growing number of films have begun to appear with a believable spiritual connection. I'm happy to say this is another one that hits a home run when it comes to telling a great story without stripping out real life spirituality-- something that is integral to most people's life.

The film brings us the important story of Christian missionaries killed during their first efforts to meet an isolated band of Ecuadoran native people embroiled in a cycle of violence. "End of the Spear" tells the story from the perspective of a tribal leader and the child of one of the missionaries that died.

I think if you keep in mind this is an independent film shot on a restricted budget, you'll be pleased with most technical aspects-- cinematography, sound etc.

You'll also love the actors that were just great. Louie Leonardo does a wonderful job portraying Waodani tribesman Mincayani in the lead role. You also have to give credit to young Chase Ellison in his role as young Steve Saint, whose pilot father died.

The role of religions in transforming culture is a hot button issue these days. This film doesn't take that head on, but presents a balanced realistic view, and perhaps an alternative aspect that most critics generally don't acknowledge.

There were weaknesses in the film also, but none that distracted much from the story. There were a few bits that might have been served by further character and story development-- the son's issues in particular.

All in all, this is a wonderful film with a great message of reconciliation. I hope we see more like this.