In the oscar-nominated short film The Voorman Problem, I found myself having to detach myself from my own personal morals and Christian beliefs to stumble upon an objective analysis and interpretation of this film. Within this post, I will discuss both perspectives. I will analyze the overall concept of the film from an impartial standpoint and then compare these observations to the religious themes/ideas they stem from.
In the Voorman Problem we find a psychologist evaluating a prisoner who maintains the he is a god. He also asserts that he created the universe 9 days prior to that evaluation and his only job now has been to maintain it. He finds amusement in humans and war because he is a self-proclaimed "bored god." When challenged that evidence proves that the world existed long before he claims to have created it, he assures Dr. Williams that he created the evidence. He also asserts that the memories caried of times before are memories he created when he established the universe and each being within it. Now, the idea is clever. It can very well make one think, and I see how this would be very persuasive. If the memories I carry are apart of a grand design created, let's say for this hypothetical instance, one day ago, this means all I believe and even the individuals of this world are merely puppets of an illusion-a figment of a grand imagination.
The movie plot and overall idea bases it's ideas on existing religion, however. In Christian doctrine, the world was built by God in 7 days (well, rested on the 7th); Voorman maintains he created the world 9 days prior. 9 flipped upside down, of course is the number 6. I believe this plays on the idea that God created man (and the knowledge he holds) on the sixth day of creation. Also, all evidence of how the world came to be, for us Christians and similar religions, come from the Bible. A book that man wrote, yes, by the knowledge given to them from God. All knowledge of this, comes from evidence provided by God. If knowledge is obtained from God, memories are just the same. By the end of the movie, I found that without existing religious precepts, the ideas used to make this film clever to me and persuasive to some would fail to be conceived to begin with.
Excellent analysis, and I believe you're right that the film plays with ideas from Christianity (as well as, perhaps, other faith traditions--Voorman himself is more like a Greek god who meanders onto earth to do mischief). I'd love to read more from you about the implications of the film; does it confront people of faith? Or atheists? Someone mentioned in class that the film critiques all close-minded people, from the psychiatrist who believes he has all the answers to the prisoners who blindly worship an evil deity. A lot to consider!
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