 |
| Esta nota se encuentra participando en El Desafío de Peliplat Abril 2025 ypuedes apoyarme con un like ingresando a |
It has been almost nine years since the premiere of The Nice Guys, a 1970’s buddy action comedy that pairs Hiring Enforcer Jackson Healy with Private Detective Holland March, who are on the lookout for a girl named Amelia due to a mysterious connection to the sudden death of porn star Misty Mountains.
Thanks to this Monthly Challenge, I had the chance to rewatch the film and enjoy it, because now that I think about it, it was the second time that I saw it outside of a theater. I am glad it is aged so well cause even the jokes or crazy scenes, specially from Mr. Gosling, still makes me laugh out loud. No doubt that this is his movie from the beginning to the end, his and Angourie Rice as his daughter Holly, who turned out a completely surprise of how well she interacts with him. Unexpected but certainly a must need because ironically speaking, she is more mature than both male protagonists.
Said that, it really hurts that it did not received the love that it deserved during summer of 2016 since The Nice Guys was created with the purpose of setting up a new movie franchise in the steps of Lethal Weapon. But even with great reviews, it failed to live up to expectations after only grossing $ 62.8 million dollars worldwide. With a $ 50 million budget plus approximately $ 100 million to promote the film, it became inevitable for the studio to not greenlight a sequel.
But over time, it gained popularity thanks to the performances of Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, and their shared chemistry between them and the rest of the cast, with Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Ty Simpkins (The Whale) standing out after their latest were nominated. Not bad for their careers, outside the superhero genre.
Nobody thought Russell and Ryan would bring something fresh and hilarious, but that is what Director and writer Shane Black does every time he gets free rein. He brings unique, sarcastic and witty stories that somehow connects with our emotions in an unforgettable and fashionable way. Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2, The Last Boy Scout, Last Action Hero and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are his hits while he had his misses with Iron Man 3 and The Predator. It seems that doing sequels for established franchises are not his thing, which it is a win for us, especially if we are getting underrated movies like The Nice Guys.
From the start, I pointed out that this was Ryan’s film, and it would be wrong to say that it bears his signature, because he was established as a Ladies Man thanks to The Notebook and Crazy Stupid Love. Nobody knew his foolish side, his screaming and about all, his suicidal and sensitive issues. Opposite to Russell expected toughness, pure raw straight force as expected since his awards winning portrayal on Maximus on Gladiator.
Now that I see it, they are water and oil. Never to be blended but somehow, they make it work in every scene that they share together, and having Angourie in the mix makes this journey even better that I would have ever anticipated taking into account that the context deals with sex, drugs, dope, pollution, porn, divorce, death, political conspiracy and fraud… you get the picture.
Without a doubt, the best representation of the seventies. Shane’s direction here was remarkable. From every perspective, everything is executed perfectly. Costumes, art, music, cinematography, sound, fashion, food... Honestly, Shane’s team deserved a lot of credit for bringing to life all the cultural references that define that era. It is shame we only appreciate the 1980s and 1990’s
Some of the moments that I truly enjoyed watching all over again was when Holland cuts himself after his failed attempt to open a door, it was so stupid every minute of it. Telling to himself that it is so much blood, was priceless. That and the line about looking for Amelia instead of Jesus. By the way, he did give it a good use to Christ’s name.
When Jackson breaks Holland’s arm and he scream in a Mexican mariachi way, I lost it completely. Really, I don’t know how he did it, but he is hilarious on all his high-pitched screams, being my favorite the dream sequence. This by far was the highlight, I really thought Jackson had an angle gun after that. Well, it did help build the tension toward the end and watching Gosling going to Russell’s feet, made it impossible to contain my laugh.
Also, it is impossible to forget when Gosling tries to close the bathroom door with a gun and a magazine in his hands, even Russell could not resist. That and Ryan swimming with the mermaids under the excuse that he was interrogating them. I don’t know how they came up with the corpse scene. That and seeing their scared faces when they witness the assassination inside The Western Hotel.
And what about the Nixon anecdote? Clearly Ryan had the most fun of all, one moment he is drunk and falling and the other making all types of mistakes. But what I love about his character is that deep inside, he is a good man, a hurting one and that is where Angourie as Holly comes in, to give it a serious tone, to complement the humor with drama. This girl is amazing in all of her scenes, serving as Jackson’s conscious in a manner of speaking.
We also are treated to great action sequences thanks to Matt Bomer as the assassin John Boy. He nails each scene because he just looks so dawn cool unleashing hell on our heroes. We have another antagonist, Kim Basinger but she is more used as a political figure, connecting to the topic of Global Warming, a reality well discussed when Jackson and Holland questions the “dead” protesters. Again, Shane just knows how to pull this.
It is surprising how the story can become thoughtful, as both main characters grapple with serious issues. One has a failed marriage and the other is a widower, both responsible for their failures. And when they talk about it, they learned as we also do. That is right, The Nice Guys have kind souls after all, and are built on relationships. Come to think about it, this has always been the main theme on Shane films.
I want to believe that it was bad timing that made this film into a Box Office Flop, it competed directly with Neighbors 2 and The Angry Birds Movie. Both share the same audience. Besides, Captain America: Civil War had become a huge hit and was maintaining his momentum during his fourth weekend when The Nice Guys opened.
It is also worth mentioning that Shane Black had just finished promoting Iron Man 3, and while this Marvel’s sequel went on to gross a billion dollars, it was considered a disappointment of which The Nice Guys ended up paying the price. So, if you haven’t seen it yet… What are you waiting for?
The reason why we have been getting mainly superheroes films or a lot of sequels, prequels and spinoffs is because they guarantee profits for the studios. The Nice Guys did not come from a reboot or a stablish franchise, it was completely original and we need more of that today. Therefore, I want to encourage you to support these unusual and naïve visions so that future directors and screenwriters, like Shane Black, can bring us fresh, creative content of the highest quality possible like The Nice Guys.
 |
Esta nota se encuentra participando en El Desafío de Peliplat Abril 2025 y por tanto puedes apoyarme con un like ingresando https://www.peliplat.com/es/article/10050638/the-unforgettable-musical-experience-of-hans-zimmer-friends-diamond-in-the-desert |
In the beginning, there was nothing but dust in “A Time of Quiet Between the Storms” and then music happened transforming this desolated desert into an oasis full of life, fresh emotion and abundant creativity.
Introduction A few days ago, I had the privilege to assist to one of only four limited screenings of the Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert documentary concert and it was truly an unforgettable cinematic experience that I will always cherished for the rest of my life. I have been a Hans Zimmer’s follower since I was a child, of which I became aware of this living genius with The Dark Knight Trilogy score, and since then, every time I read a book or write a text, I usually put his music in the background for inspiration because there is so much human feelings in his melodies that magic happens. I have listened to almost all of his film scores, even replay them through time, so I am quite familiar with his work and I can easily recognize which song corresponds to which movie. That is why when I heard about his latest documentary concert being screened on my city, I did not hesitate to buy tickets in advance so I wouldn’t miss the show since we are talking about 2 screenings for each part of the world. Really? So it is not a film that you would find in a theater near you, specially right now, and that is sad because there is so much that you can learn about Zimmer’s career, and having special guests asking relevant questions and sharing their insights really makes you think seriously about his and our personal growth. At the same time, it also inspires us to fully embrace life from the darkness and light within ourselves. Maximus's quote about “What we do in life, echoes in eternity” can easily be applied to Hans Zimmer. That is why this living genius is a huge deal on a personal level, beyond the film industry. As he himself said it during the interview segments, he does not work for directors, producers or writers. He makes music for people like us, people who goes to the movies hoping to have a good time, and he delivers regardless of whether the movie is a box office success or a failure. Therefore, I am going to go over and analyze this feature with both my mind and my heart, and I will do so by breaking down each section to address each one individually. Forgive me if I go on too long, but believe me when I say it's necessary. But first, I must clarify that I will only mention the highlights, since it is no longer available to rewatch, I will rely on my memory to provide justice to the material because every minute of its two and a half hours is worth it. For those who don’t know Hans Zimmer, nowadays, it is consider almost an equal to John Williams, except that Zimmer is recognized for combining electronic music with traditional orchestra and giving new uses to the voice vocals through a variety of synthesizers. For that reason, he was awarded 2 Academy Awards for Film Score, 1 BAFTA, 2 Critics Choice Movie Awards, 3 Golden Globes, 4 Grammy Awards, 6 Prime Time Awards and a Tony Award. Probably you have listened to his work, it is impossible not to after working on more than 100 movie scores. Even if you don’t know his name, you will always remember that moment that touched your soul. And with three or four notes, you are instantly transported to the scene when Mufasa was killed by Scar or where Maximus revealed his true identity to the Emperor after his epic battle in the Colosseum. This happens in our minds without the need of movie scenes as he decided not no include on his concerts. We just connect to the feeling and we replay our favorite parts of those events with or without the need of imagination. That is how the Diamond in the Desert was structured, not as a traditional concert where we only see the conductor leading an orchestra but instead there is a coordinator giving directions to each of his valued members, because they are simply the best of the best and they prove it by playing together. He even commented that it is not about playing well, but rather getting along with your colleagues. It all comes down to good relationships, and it is easy to spot it during the presentantion thanks to the inclusion of an interview every two or three songs. In addition to calming emotions as one gets sentimental. To say that one can also relax and even laugh with some unexpected revelations. Editing As I said it, the editing was unconventional, which it is not only good but also great because it looks and feels frickin' awesome. I am impressed by the direction of Paul Dugdale and his editing and sound mixing team. Mr. Zimmer decided to film some of his suites in different locations, and through editing, they managed to merge these two places from different eras and make them sound like one, which ended up hitting our minds in an unexpected way. Making reference to the Dark Knight and Gladiator’s medleys, obviously. Seeing each of the core musicians shine, alone or together, in different settings and lighting effects shows us how hard they work to deliver a truly spectacular performance. Therefore, it is important to show my respects to Cellist Tina Guo who steals the show with her Wonder Woman and Pirates of the Caribbean’s portrayals, and my total amazement at those crazy and long notes from Guitarist Guthrie Govan during his Man of Steel solo. What a moment! and of course it is impossible to forget Vocalist Loire Cotler for putting her voice on the line on Dune part I and Part II numbers! It is a nice balance to have the interviews on black and white, sort of “filmed” from a cell phone. Here we don’t see them in a 16:9 Widescreen, but instead in Format 4:3, which I believe was the first standard format for television and computers. It helps us relax and focus on the simplicity and at the same time intimate moments between Zimmer and his guests. Thus, we can truly hear them unveil their musical collaboration. We also get a glimpse into Zimmer’s creative process behind these epic songs. Interviews It is great to hear Zimmer’s conversations with Billie Eilish, Sir Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve, Finneas, Jerry Bruckheimer, Johnny Marr, Pharrell Williams, Tanya Lapointe, Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. If I had to choose my favorite: I would probably go with Christopher Nolan for his best work on Interstellar, because it became a real challenge for Zimmer to compose something so personal and to do it without seeing the movie. He also confesses that Nolan once unplugged his console to convince him that enough was enough after thanking his team. “I need it a father” Zimmer replied sincerely, revealing the importance of delivering his best work to date every time he works on a film. No matter his long list of hits, Zimmer remains a humbled man, even if he refuses to admit it. It was very moving listening to Billie Eilish reveal how helpful Zimmer was during their collaboration on 007: No Time to Die, where she and his brother learned a lot about the movie industry. Speaking of those people how think they know it all, but they are actually limited by the past due to their rejection of the future. To create new music, one must unlearn everything that have learned. My biggest surprise was Timothée Chalamet. After learning of his involvement in Interstellar, I thought it was great that Zimmer acknowledged that they had both worked with directors Nolan and Villeneuve, and explaining the effort they put on Dune’s films regarding the timing was indeed very interesting to hear. As they perfectly understands the creative process that it is required in order to transmit what needs to be transmitted between takes. Chalamet is not only well informed, but he prepares for each of his roles, doing so with Zimmer’s music to really get into character. This is something that I shared with this young actor, because Zimmer’s songs are really helpful in my writing process. What better way to develop a character’s personality or get inspiration for a scene? The same goes for Zendaya, who explained how The Lion King inspired her to pursue acting. But the biggest revelation, at least for me, was discovering that musicians Pharrell Williams and Johnny Marr were responsible for pushing Zimmer to become a rock star. It is all about working together, sharing the moment and above all, creating music. I can relate to every one of their speeches, and I am very aware of the impostor syndrome Zimmer deals with daily. After nearly fifty years of career, he stills feels like that outsider who only took 2 weeks of piano lessons. This speaks very high of him; about how thankful he is about life and his friends. Admittedly, if Pharrell hadn’t convinced him to be his main guitarist at the Grammys, the ten year journey that led to the Diamond in the Desert tour would never had happened, and therefore instrumental music would never have been fully appreciated or valued on the same level as pop and rock songs does. Truly speaking, this is pure art without egos to overshadow it, and anyone who has had the chance to see this film can clearly appreciate that. Locations The use of all areas of the Coca-Cola Arena was excellent, the arrangement of the band and orchestra was perfect. What is curious is that no one stays still, not even for a minute. Everyone is always moving, including Mr. Zimmer, one minute is upstage and next, he is with the audience playing electric guitar. It is beautiful how well he interacts with each participant and also gives them credit for doing what he can’t which is executing the difficult notes, those unreachable accords that we love to hear from the award-winning score of Dune. Taking advantage of the Dennis’s Dune part II production, Zimmer used the iconic landmark Burj Al Arab for the main intro which was breathtaking to witness on the big screen. How the camera zooms into the dunes as it follows singer Loire Cotler’s raw, soaring voice, was indeed powerful. Once she is reunited with the drummer, one hit and the show grab us without notice. Honestly, I did not expect this! Nobody did. As for Gladiator’s, he travels to the Arabian Desert to make us feel as if we were there in that moment. This would not be possible if Lisa Gerrard had not been present: hearing her voice while everybody is enjoying the scenery with the art direction was a tearful moment. I did feel like I was being there exactly where Maximus fought and die for a free Rome. The Al Wasl Plaza dome was perfectly used to shock us internally with Interstellar medley. The lighting effects and witnessing how big and small the composition is perceived around the dome was engaging as it was playing The Dark Knight Trilogy from top of the Dubai building. That and witnessing Zimmer on the piano playing Time, a fan favorite song from Inception. It was a truly intimate moment, perfect for closing the show in a simple and high note. Setlist This eventually leads to the setlist that was displayed, and as you noticed through this extensive analysis by now, we are indeed offered the greatest hits from his last 40 years career. To our astonishment he chooses to play Wonder Woman 1984 and Dark Phoenix of which I loved. Both superheroes films flopped at the box office but I can’t deny how rich they felt on a live stage and also how the female musicians are given the spotlight on a huge and empowering level as the score and having the electric cellist was the cherry on top. Suddenly, three notes and everyone went crazy to the catchy Pirates of the Caribbean tune. It was a nostalgic and dynamic 14 minutes segment that spanned all three films (1-3). According to Jerry Bruckheimer, Zimmer not only rescued the production, but was responsible for turning it into an iconic event that forever will be remember for his fun, sassy and mischievous cords. I really enjoy Jack Sparrow’s personality reflected in the ever-changing rhythm, but even more so, the smoothness and melancholic love theme, because it reminds me of Will and Elizabeth tragic romance. In a way, it gives me hope that every love story can endure even if they are destined to failure. I believe this and Gladiator’s songs spoke very highly of the band and orchestra by showing us that they are really the best at what they do in a whole international level as Hans Zimmer puts it. He is all about the truth and we can see it when he pushed them to their limits during the Dunkirk segment. Imagine Inception without a break, that is how the tunes goes, fast and faster every time until it crashes and burns in our minds, and then later, without our permission, they make us revisit our childhood with a blast from the past suite of The Lion King. Has it really been thirty years? It is hard to believe, and knowing it is described as a requiem for Zimmer’s father breaks my heart. I was seven years old when I watched The Lion King for the first time, and honestly hearing Lebo M singing the beginning of The Circle of Life to the He Lives In You became a tearful and devastated moment. It was like reliving Mufasa’s death all over again but at the same time, regaining hope in myself and in the future of humankind. In Conclusion Time stops when you witness the Hans Zimmer & Friends: Diamond in the Desert docu-concert feature. Yes, it may be as crazy and chaotic as life itself, but that is the beauty of it: the opportunity to be vulnerable with yourself and your loved ones, to remember everything we have experienced from childhood to adulthood at or outside the movies. We have so much in common with Hans Zimmer and his friends, including each member of his band and orchestra because this is also their show, and they deserve full credit for what they achieved in each of their live performances. There is nothing they can not do, for them everything is possible and that is why they deserved a tremendous applause. And the best part is that it was created for people like us, people Hans refers to as Doris. Since his early beginnings, he has been writing to an imaginary and hardworking woman, who, instead of spending all of her money at a bar, she does it by going to a movie theater. Because of this, Zimmer goes to great lengths to reach our hearts and ensure a deep and moving experience, and I am happy to say that, in the end, he truly delivers on his word and specially with his music. |
 |
| Esta nota se encuentra participando en El Desafío de Peliplat Abril 2025 y por tanto puedes apoyarme con un like ingresando a https://www.peliplat.com/es/article/10051540/el-caballero-perfecto |
Es curioso ponerme a pensar sobre los personajes con los que me identifico. Psicológicamente hablando, más que identificarme, resultan ser aquellos que en cierto modo me han ayudado a forjar una personalidad, una personalidad que hasta la fecha me ha costado conseguir por asumir que soy insuficiente.
A decir verdad, siempre he optado por seguir a personajes honestos, aquellos que se rigen por los valores y tienen un fuerte sentido de la justicia. Precavidos a lo que sucede a su alrededor, idealistas de corazón y siempre dispuestos a convertirse en la mejor versión de ellos, aunque sea imposible de lograr.
Esto me encamina a tres personajes de tres películas que comparten 3 cosas en común. Los tres buscan convertirse en El Caballero Perfecto, las películas en las que participan cumplen 20 años de haberse estrenado en los cines e interesantemente, cada uno ha tenido al talentoso Liam Neeson como su maestro.
Difícil de creer ¿cierto? ¿Cuáles son las probabilidades de que esto sucediera?
A continuación, describiré a cada uno de ellos y enseguida mencionaré el por qué me identifico con ellos y de qué manera han contribuido a convertirme en la mejor versión de mí o al menos en una buena persona con sus defectos y virtudes.
Empecemos con:
Anakin Skywalker (Star Wars: Episodio III: La Venganza de los Sith)
Cuando se trata de Star Wars, para mí no hay nadie como Obi-Wan Kenobi. Vieran cuánto admiro su paciencia, estabilidad y presencia. A parte de ser un poderoso guerrero, envidio su sabiduría y lealtad a la Orden Jedi. Es un guardián nato de la orden, siguiendo las reglas al pie de la letra y manteniéndose fiel a los lineamientos trazados para resolver cualquier circunstancia que se le atraviese en su camino.
Lamentablemente, ese no soy yo y por mucho que he tratado de seguir sus pasos, terminó actuando como Anakin Skywalker debido a que me cuesta trabajo soltar el pasado. Me temo que la impulsividad saca lo mejor de mí, pero también me condena con pensamientos de inseguridad e impotencia. Y es gracias a Hayden Christensen con el que uno puede no sólo visualizarlo sino llegar a sentirlo de adentro hacía afuera. Se percibe en sus gestos, tanto en los momentos divertidos como en los de incomodidad.
La primera vez que presencié la caída de Anakin al lado oscuro, confieso que me asusté porque literalmente me estaba viendo a mi mismo. Tanto tanto odio, tanta represión, tanta reserva y esa presión de cumplir con las altas expectativas de las personas que me rodeaban, llegaba a sentirse como si tuviese una daga enterrada en mi corazón, y por tanto me costaba respirar.
Y es que verlo estresado, con constante pesadillas y afligido por el futuro, obsesionado con la muerte al negarse a despejar su mente del dolor, sí que coincidía con mi yo de dieciocho años. Presenciar su transformación de Anakin a Darth Vader, me sirvió para darme cuenta que si no paraba a escuchar los consejos que en su momento Qui-Gon Jinn y Yoda le dieron sobre lo de ser consciente del entorno, de las acciones de uno mismo, de concentrarse sólo en el presente y de entrenarse a soltar todo lo que le daba miedo a perder, entonces no sólo me condenaría a mí sino al resto de mis seres queridos.
Y tras pensarlo seriamente después de darse los créditos, me di cuenta de que no quería que nadie sufriera por mi incapacidad de aceptarme. Sería con el tiempo, pero por el debido momento, me pareció mejor vivir con la decepción, cosa que no pudo hacer Anakin y eso que en el fondo seguía siendo una persona bondadosa porque a pesar del dominio de la oscuridad, su conflicto interno fue lo que hizo que Anakin siguiese estando vivo dentro de Darth Vader.
Bruce Wayne (Batman Inicia)
La frase del: “Por qué nos caemos? Para que aprendamos a levantarnos” es más que palabras, es una verdad, un modo de vida del cual se ha quedado en mi cabeza y que suele aparecer siempre que las cosas andan inquietantes en mi vida. Recurrir a ella, me ha dado la tranquilidad y la seguridad de que al final todo va a estar bien como le pasó a Bruce Wayne desde que presenció la muerte de sus padres siendo tan sólo un niño.
“Si te conviertes en algo más que solo un hombre, si te dedicas a un ideal y si no pueden detenerte, entonces te conviertes en algo totalmente diferente, una leyenda.” Si tan sólo fuera fácil. Me temo que esta es la única de Henri Card alias Ra's al Ghul quien era un extremista, pero no puedo negar que en ese extremismo tenía un punto válido a analizar e incluso cuestionar.
El Bruce Wayne que interpreta Christian Bale y que presentó Christopher en Batman Inicia es para mí la mejor versión que se ha conseguido de El Caballero de la Noche. Por referirme a su humanismo, porque aquí la oscuridad en la que se encuentra rodeado es sólo el motor que lo impulsa a ser esa luz que Ciudad Gótica necesita. El miedo te paraliza y así como Bruce, debemos convertirnos en ese miedo para derrotarlo. Si no podemos ayudarnos a nosotros mismos, como se puede esperar que podamos hacerlo con otros.
No tendré los recursos para pelear el crimen, ni soy dueño de grandes empresas como para establecer fundaciones, pero al menos comparto su sentido de justicia y la necesidad de promover el bien. La urgencia de no formar parte de la corrupción y apostar por la humildad. Finalmente, un superhéroe fácilmente identificable por tener los pies en la tierra lo cual lo torna mucho más real y humano de entre todas las producciones que hemos tenido de Marvel.
Balian de Ibelín (El Reino de los Cielos o Cruzada)
El papel de Balián de Ibelín es lo mejor que nos ha brindado Orlando Bloom, casi casi a la altura del Rey Arturo con la excepción de que Balián sólo necesita del perdón de Dios hacia él y su esposa suicida para seguir adelante, un perdón del que todos podemos recibir sin cuestionamiento alguno. Para mí, la travesía por la que atraviesa este cruzado resulta una verdadera inspiración porque tras experimentar lo peor de su tierra, él siguió adelante hasta el grado de convertirse en un líder, un hombre de Dios, el Caballero Perfecto.
Y es que este humilde herrero me ha dado muchas lecciones en compañía de su padre, también de aquellos que lo rodean ya que dichas frases o conversaciones son las que me han moldeado y por consiguiente, me han concedido la libertad de ser yo mismo. Por esa razón se las comparto a ustedes esperando les sirva como a mi me han servido. Son una riqueza cultural y en mi mente han desafiado el paso del tiempo por seguir siendo un fuerte referente.
Frases como:
“Nadie puede elegir su destino. Un rey puede mover a un hombre, un padre reclamar a un hijo, pero no olvides que, aunque aquellos que te mueven sean reyes, o sean hombres con poder, tú eres el único responsable de tu alma. Cuando compadezca ante Dios, no puedes decir que otros fueran responsables de tus actos, o que la virtud no era oportuna en aquel momento. Eso no será suficiente”.
Cada que estoy por tomar una decisión importante, sea personal o laboral, siempre pienso en las consecuencias que podrían desencadenarse, y sobre todo, en el temor de Dios. Hoy en día, se ha perdido ese temor porque si se tuviese tan sólo un poquito, al menos la pensaríamos dos veces antes de cometer algo que sea malo y ciertamente produzca un daño. Además, ya porque alguien te lo ordené, no te libra del juicio final porque si de algo estoy seguro es que nadie puede obligarte a hacer algo que no quieras hacer. Y el ejemplo de Balian al rechazar la oferta del Rey es el claro ejemplo de conciencia, o es eso o nada.
“No muestres miedo frente a tus enemigos. Di siempre la verdad, aunque te lleve a la muerte. Protege a los desamparados y no hagas mal. Éste es tu juramento.”
Por culpa de este juramento, tiendo a exagerar con la honestidad y eso me ha provocado que puertas se me hayan cerrado porque nadie parece apreciar a los honestos. Y la verdad, es que ser honesto no quiere decir que debas de ser grosero, sino de dar a conocer tus razones con respeto y mesura.
“Yo no creo en la religión. En nombre de ella, he visto a miles de fanáticos de todas las confesiones cometer atrocidades. La santidad está en los buenos actos, en el valor de proteger a aquellos que no pueden defenderse. Es lo que decidáis hacer cada día lo que os hará un buen hombre o no”.
Quizás por ello no soy religioso, de por sí era un niño fanático que andaba nada más viendo los errores de los demás con respecto a los reglamentos de la Iglesia por lo que sí de algo me he dado cuenta es que las personas más devotas son las que más daño ocasionan, incluso tanto criminales como terroristas recurren a esta para justificarse. Lo importante aquí es que son los actos buenos los que al final marcan la diferencia sean o no miembros de una religión.
“Dios lo comprenderá, si no entonces no es Dios y no tenemos de qué preocuparnos.”
Esta frase lo dice todo, y gracias a ella, pude suavizar mi concepto de Dios ya que yo crecí con la imagen de un Dios castigador, serio que nada más está viendo en qué te equivocas, al que tienes que demostrarle en orden de ser salvado y ese no es Dios, porque si Dios es un Dios de Amor, entonces tal como lo menciona Balian, el sólo hecho de amarnos implica comprensión y con eso al menos, mi fe se reforzó a través de los ojos de Balian.
En conclusión:
Podría decirse que estos personajes fueron la base con la cual comencé a moldearme porque a pesar de haberlos descubierto a mis 18 años de edad. Lamentablemente, tuvieron que pasar décadas para sentirlos como parte de mi persona. Aspirar a ser El Caballero Perfecto es imposible si no se tiene conciencia, autocontrol y paciencia. Características que comparten estas buenas personas con las que me identifico.
No estamos exentos a cometer errores y causar grandes daños, estos tres personajes se perdieron en el camino, pero hallaron la manera de reencontrarse de nuevo gracias a los altos y bajos en los que se tuvieron que desenvolver para dejar su huella. Una huella que hasta la fecha conservo en mi mente y corazón y que no va a desaparecer porque forma parte de mí al igual que estos tres caballeros perfectos.
