Cleaner Christian Review

So Cleaner is a film that puts you in a mix of action and thriller, but the things that this film really explores are a little deep. The setting is in London, where a group of radical activists hijack the gallery of an energy company, holding 300 people hostage. Their main motive was to change their life and the world, but when an extremist comes between them, everything changes. Now it becomes the responsibility of an ex-soldier, who has become a window cleaner, to save these hostages. And that too 50 storeys above something, in a very intense setting.

If seen from a Christian perspective, the film has some good themes that motivate us. The protagonist, who is now living a normal life, tries to save the lives of others by putting his own life at risk. This is exactly as it is written in the Bible – laying down your life for others (John 15:13). Stepping out of your comfort zone and supporting the right, and saving people without worrying about your own safety, is a powerful message. This is exactly what we have to learn in real life too, isn’t it? Sometimes, to do the right thing, you have to sacrifice something.

But one thing that seems a little difficult in the film is the “just cause” of those activists. Initially, it seems that they are doing something right, to raise their voice. But as soon as an extremist comes in their way, their purpose changes completely. There is a good point here – how a just cause becomes wrong when it gets caught in the middle of extremist things. This is the exact same thing which is said in the Bible – if we cannot control our anger, it harms us later (Romans 10:2). If this moral dilemma was explored a little more deeply in the film, it could have had more impact.

The action of the film is quite intense and full of thrill, but at times, these action sequences overshadow the deeper messages of the story. The hero’s journey is quite thrilling, but if a little more time was given then perhaps the focus would have been more on the characters’ decisions. The questions this film raises – do the ends justify the means? – are not very clear, and it forces the viewer to think. Through this, we get a chance to think a little about our choices, and it is interesting.

So overall, Cleaner is a solid action thriller, which also has some moral complexities. If you want an adrenaline rush, then definitely this film will excite you. But if you want a little deeper exploration between your faith and justice, then it can be a little shallow. The film forces us to think about how we handle injustice in our surroundings, and whether we are capable of doing so much when it comes to innocent lives.

Rating: 3.5/5

Sacrifice, standing up for what’s right, and fighting for justice even when the odds are stacked against you. Moral ambiguity could have been explored a little more deeply, and there should have been more focus on the characters’ decisions. It was a good action thriller that could provide moral reflections, but if a deep dive was required then it was less visible.