Most recent Christian film struggles to make its mark, unless you’re a Christian.
By Zach Schanzenbach
Staff Writer
Feature-length Christian films have a reputation when it comes to the big screen. I would say it isn’t positive, but then I’d be dishonest. The reality is that Christian films, more than other films, focus more on delivering a message than on making good quality movies. Consequently, the films generally appeal more to the Christian audience than to any other audience.
Being a Christian-Catholic myself, I usually enjoy these films. I’d say that the best ones out there that anyone will enjoy are Soul Surfer (2011) and Facing the Giants (2006).
The latest addition to the roster is Pure Flix’s God’s Not Dead. When I first saw the preview, it looked promising. It is a story about a Christian college freshman, Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), confronted by an atheist philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo) regarding his beliefs. There seems to be appropriate tension, and it’s enough to pique your interest.
When you get around to actually watching it, though, your expectations are not met. I was hoping that this film would be different from its predecessors, and that there would actually be some quality so that non-believers wouldn’t roll their eyes and snore because of all the preachiness. Seriously, who wants to be preached to like that?
To be fair, God’s Not Dead doesn’t do as much preaching as some other similar films. Unfortunately, the film still doesn’t measure up- proving to be yet another addition to the stack of low-quality, high-spirituality films in the movie cupboard. But before you tune out, let me explain…
If you only look skin-deep (which is usually how deep critics go with these movies), the movie’s most glaringly obvious flaw is the sheer number of subplots and supposedly important characters. While these may go on to reinforce Christian belief and perseverance, they make the movie drag, even more so than those of The Desolation of Smaug. And, like that movie, these will make the non-believer shift in their seat and wonder when they’ll get back to the main plot. It also doesn’t help that some of these flaws are left unresolved.
The other serious flaw is the two-dimensional nature of the characters. Unlike most Christian movies, which at least feature some character/faith development, this one has practically none. The film’s message here is simple: if you’re a believer, you’ve got nothing to worry about. God is good, and so life must be good as well (only a few characters are exempt from this). Even when things are tough, you’ll be fine. Non-believers, on the other hand, are portrayed in a more negative light: they are cold, calculating, and out to get the believers.
The strongest example of the first half of this is Josh’s girlfriend Kara. While she and her man go to get some lunch after he is accosted by his professor, she doesn’t just discourage him; that would be too nice. No, she tells him, and I quote, “I forbid you [to take on this challenge].”
I forbid you. Really?! And she’s a head shorter than him! I’m not saying people can’t tell other people what to do just because they’re shorter, but in this context, it just doesn’t seem right.
Well, ultimately, she breaks up with him, and we never see her again. How does this affect him? It doesn’t. He’s hardly even fazed. Oh sure, he tried to convince her to stay, but she didn’t, and he just rolled with it. Granted, he made the right choice by simply saying “okay,” but you’d think that after something dramatic like that he might struggle a little and wonder if it really is worth it. After all, they were dating for six years. But no, life just goes on like normal for Josh. Besides, if you have God, what have you got to be down about? No need to worry!
Um…I’m sorry, but if I dated a girl for six years– heck, if I dated her for six months– then broke up with her because she couldn’t support something I believed was important, I think I’d struggle a little bit, and possibly need to talk to someone. There would just be no way to feel okay after that without counseling.
To be fair, Josh does talk to a pastor…but that happens before the breakup. And he only sees him once: the spark to get him going, and that’s all he needs. No need to fill-up because the gas tank is limitless!
A much more realistic portrayal of what happens when you choose your faith over your loved ones happens in one of the many subplots: a convert from Islam must keep her faith a secret from her family, or suffer consequences. But her father finds out and tells her to renounce it. She refuses, and he is about to strangle her…before he remembers that this movie is rated PG and that this would push it over the edge. So he merely disowns her instead, cutting her off from the family- a decision that takes a toll on both of them. The last time we see him, he’s crying on the stairway because he thinks he’s lost his daughter, while she sinks sobbing to the ground right next to the door he shut on her.
Even here, however, one can’t help but note the negative light that Islam is portrayed in. While it’s true that Muslim extremists have a knack for this kind of treatment, would the average Muslim really go that far?
At this point, we’ve gone deeper than skin-deep, and when you dig that far, you’re sure to find an upside amidst so many flaws…and subplots. The professor, while he’s portrayed for the most part in 2D like the rest of the cast, does get a bit more depth to his character. This might not seem like much, but Kevin Sorbo delivers a strong performance, easily scoring the best acting performance in the movie. In addition to that, Willie and Korrie Robertson of Duck Dynasty make an amusing and inspiring cameo.
Perhaps the strongest moment in the movie comes at the climax, when everything is put on the line, and the question of whether or not God is dead is answered. On that same note, while it’s a much more subtle message, Josh’s actions make a real impact on both his classmates and his professor, inspiring anyone who may feel as though they want to stand up for something important, yet feel alone. The message is subtle and clear: one person can make all the difference.
So what’s the verdict? Is God’s Not Dead a worthwhile watch? If you’re a Christian, it could be, but only the most stubborn of Christians (stubborn in the bad sense, as opposed to standing firm on their faith) will find no flaw with this movie. Flawed or not, though, any Christian will come away from watching this inspired.
As for the non-believers, I believe that this movie’s title is truth: God’s not dead. This movie, however, is another story.
Rating: 2.5/5 Paws