Unbroken: The Path to Redemption

Picking up literally where the first film left off, Path to Redemption is the final segment in Louis Zamprini's biography, Unbroken and the beginning of his new life that changed the world. Louis has overcome prejudice, crashes, war, prison camps and endless enemies. Yet, his greatest and most powerful war is about to begin. The war for his heart and his soul. PTSD which leads to alcoholism and the desire to hunt down and kill the man who almost destroyed him makes Louis his own worst enemy. Yet, the most difficult paths are often the ones that teach us, mold us, help us to fight stronger and run faster. Toward a life of insurmountable joy. 

Upon returning home to Torrence, California, Louis becomes a national hero due to his survival stranded in the Pacific for 47 days and then surviving the Japanese POW camps. The military doesn't waste time in using his remarkable war stories to help sell war bonds. While Louis doesn't get caught up in the fame, nightmares begin to haunt him. Water flooding into his room, sounds of explosions and the constant presence of The Bird wherever he looks. Louis is also having a hard time adjusting the to the civilian world. Work for returning vets is hard to come by and Louis is feeling more lost and alone.

While taking time off from war bond selling, Louis meets Cynthia Applewhite. A beautiful and wealthy young woman who possesses a lively spirit and a constant happiness that Louis has desperately been looking for. After a whirlwind courtship (of about three weeks), Louis and Cynthia are married. Yet, unbeknownst to Cynthia, her new husband is battling war trauma and an increasing alcohol problem. 

It's not long before Louis and Cynthia set their sites on the upcoming Olympics. Although Louis is having a hard time finding work, both believe that Louis still has the skill and talent to make him an Olympic champion again. However, after a fatal ankle accident, Louis' dream ever running in the Olympics come to a painful end. Angry and depressed at his failure, Louis begins to sink deeper and deeper into alcohol that helps to settle his ongoing PTSD.

Louis' drinking begins to wear on his and Cynthia's marriage. Even with a new baby girl, whom Louis adores, the young couple are struggling to stay together. Louis is desperate to cure himself of his constant nightmares, anger and internal suffering all caused by one man. When the news that Mutsuhiro Watanabe or The Bird is alive, Louis begins to make plans. The man that abused, humiliated and terrorized Louis and continues to haunt him in his dreams, Louis believes to be responsible for his suffering. If he can find and kill Watanabe, then maybe, finally can he be free. 

This obsession with Watanabe becomes the final straw for Cynthia. Knowing she can no longer reach her husband and save him, Cynthia wants a divorce. However, when she goes to a small church revival meeting that's being led by a young evangelist, William "Billy" Graham, she learns of love and forgiveness and understanding the hurting human heart. Cynthia forgives Louis and is determined to stay and make their marriage work. 

After some persuasion, Louis begrudgingly agrees. During the sermon, Louis gets agitated and uncomfortable and refuses to listen. When he tries to leave during prayer, Pastor Graham calls him out, his words of hope wrestling with Louis' drowning angry spirit. Then Louis remembers the promise he made to God years before, when he was caught in another turbulent storm:

"If you save me, I will serve you forever."

Louis' heart, finally turns toward God. He seeks his love and redemption to end his PTSD, alcoholism, anger, fear and shame. He ends his drinking and gives himself back to his wife and daughter. Then he does the unthinkable. Louis returns to Japan, to the prison camp that he suffered under and the prison guards that almost killed him. He returns and forgives them; even The Bird, who wasn't there, but for Louis that no longer matters. His journey to Christ that was marked with strife and anger, now comes full circle. For the rest of his life, Louis would devote himself to teaching and training those to run that same path of redemption. 

I honestly think I like this one more than the other one! For an independent Christian film, Path to Redemption really gave justice to the life of Louis Zamprini and did not shy away from his war trauma. While the first movie was excellent, Path to Redemption truly got into the horrors of PTSD and how alcoholism is often used as a personal treatment. Louis Zamprini was a man who returned home with many demons. Those demons increased due to the little understanding of PTSD as well as Louis' sudden shot to fame. Were it not for Cynthia and their daughter, Louis' life may have ended when he was still very young.

From reading the book, to watching Unbroken and finally watching Path to Redemption, I have such a great deal of admiration for this man who overcame so much, gave so much and continued to run his race until the very end.