MOVIE REVIEW: God's Not Dead

God's Not Dead is not a bad film, but by no means is it the return to form for Christian movies that it is heralded to be. Indeed, with it being the champion in what could have easily been considered the Christian Film Renaissance (with at least 12 Christian/Biblical movies released theatrically in 2014), I would have hoped for a bit more than what is really a bloated ensemble piece that cares too little for its characters in its effort to send a message that you already know by looking at the title.

Rated PG for thematic material, brief violence, and an accident scene

The trailer promises that the film will deal with the debate of God's existence between professor and student, and for the most part it does. Shane Harper (Good Luck Charlie) plays a college freshman who refuses to deny God's existence because that's not what he believes. His philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Soul Surfer) challenges him to "prove the antithesis," which he valiantly and persistently does over the course of the film. However, one of my biggest gripes with the film is that the plot is too bloated, and it feels like it. The main plot, as described above, sounds really promising and it is inspiring, displaying a true role model for Christians. Yet if it had just focused on and thoroughly developed that plot, along with the relationships of professor and student (with pastors, significant others, fellow classmates), it would have had the potential for greatness, especially when we're inundated with under-par Christian films. Instead, the filmmakers felt it was necessary to add in way too many subplots, such as: a seemingly anti-Christian reporter who faces a major tragedy, a atheist son who hates his dementia-afflicted mother, a pastor and a missionary experiencing a series of unfortunate events with their car, and a girl raised in a Muslim home challenged for her Christian faith. None of them are significantly related to the main plot or to each other, and the last one is hardly in the film, making me wonder why it was even included at all. Furthermore, the cameos by the Duck Dynasty crew feel so forced. I understand that because of the A&E show their presence would get butts in seats, but they felt extraneous. Their only purpose is to make redneck jokes and deliver the message of the film...which is the title.

The ending even feels unearned. In time, the professor finds redemption after being met with tragedy, and at that moment, we the audience are supposed to cheer (or be crying because that was actually a well-done scene). This is going to have a dramatic impact on the remainder of the film, yes? Nope! Instead we cut to an event that condemns the professor and praises the kid for standing for his beliefs...before making a direct appeal to the audience to share "God's Not Dead" via text to their friends. So everything leading up to this--the mother with dementia, the reporter with cancer, the outcast Muslim, the debates, the breakups, the comic relief of the pastors, the businessman who cares for no one--all led up to an appeal to send a text message? Come on! In that moment, all of the emotional buildup was lost. One could give the argument, "The people at the event didn't know what happened to him," but the screenwriter ought to have had enough integrity to keep the audience engaged in this new connection and resolution.

The acting is alright, with Kevin Sorbo and Shane Harper rightfully stealing the show. Sorbo is probably one of the better actors working in Christian media today, so at least we have him to look forward to. But even then, the power of his performance is inhibited by a weak script that has him a complex antagonist in one scene, and the dastardly caricature of an atheist in the next. Harper impressed me for the most part, breaking away from the Disney sitcoms he was once a part of, which is nice to see. Otherwise, though, the acting is meh. Standing out in my mind is Trisha LaFache, who plays the reporter in an overly cartoony performance when interviewing Newsboys and the Robertsons, sacrificing emotion for a soulless "hard-hitting news break" over-the-topness. That's not to say she doesn't convey emotion at all; when she is diagnosed with cancer, her sadness felt real. I'm just disappointed that Christian films are stuck in a rut with overall quality.

I'm not singing the film's praises because I don't feel it completely deserves it. The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Divergent did not get great reviews from me because, even though there were promising aspects, the films themselves were incredibly flawed. I don't feel a Christian film ought to get a pass from such criticism just because I happen to agree with its worldview. The fact of the matter is God's Not Dead has problems that severely hurt it. The movie generally feels like the filmmakers threw good ideas at the screen, hoping that something would stick, regardless of how they meshed. Some parts do stick, which the filmmakers try to use as an "out" for including unnecessary, unmeshable material in the script. That's an appalling way to look at making a movie. The Christian audience deserves better than that, but the film is so concerned with telling the "message" that deaths, cancer, being an outcast, and dementia feel sad because the idea of it is sad. It's purely sentimental, just like a Hallmark movie; we feel no raw emotion because emotion isn't developed. Even The Passion of the Christ wasn't sentimental, giving us flashbacks that develop the character of Jesus, making his death so much more heart-wrenching; you won't be getting much of that here.

It's my belief that a Christian-made movie should stand well on its own right, regardless of the presence of "the message." It's my belief that Christian movies should be held to a higher standard because of their goals. This one fails to do that, being a pretty mediocre drama regardless of your beliefs. Take, for example, M. Night Shyamalan's Signs. Regardless of what you thought of the ending, you cannot deny that that film was so tightly-knit together that everything felt necessary. That movie has strong Christian themes, but there's not that need to tell "the message." It stands well on its own. Why couldn't have God's Not Dead have done the same if it's mission is to reach the secular crowd? Why couldn't Christian audiences gotten a movie worthy of the $12 they paid at the movie theater? Wouldn't the message be more effective if it was part of a genuinely great film instead of being the film itself? Wouldn't it get secular audiences interested in a genre that is filled with more lackluster pictures than horror?

Kevin Sorbo delivers an acting performance worth seeing. Too bad the main story doesn't soak in all the limelight.

In short, this had the potential to be one of the Great Christian Movies, being a sleeper hit and all, and it just failed to do so. It placed less emphasis on the cake--character development, believable dialogue, meaningful direction, a sense of focus--and placed more emphasis on the icing--"the message"--and the sentimental sprinkles on top. It's not among the worst of Christian films, but I'd think twice (maybe thrice) before saying it's one of the best. A disappointment, I can only give this film 2.5/5 Stars, for its two leads and the positive examples displayed in the main plot. It's just too muddled for me to give it a more positive review. It may touch people, it may lead people to Christ, but a completely good movie it is not.

Did you see God's Not Dead? What was your favorite Christian/Biblical movie released in 2014? Whatever you have to say about me and the movies, comment below!

Most Anticipated Movies of 2015

It's the same drill as last year; this is just a fun thing to do that I hope introduces you to other films coming out this year. No need for introductions. As Monty Python famously said...

Cinderella (March 13)
Dir. Kenneth Branagh; Star. Lily James, Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter
The successor to last year's Maleficent (which received mixed reviews), Cinderella, directed by the man behind the unforgettable Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing films, aspires to be a faithful adaptation of the classic Walt Disney film from 1950 rather than a complete reimagining. Furthermore, Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham Carter seem to offer strong performances, and overall, I feel it will be the heartwarming, perfect family movie it needs to be. After the gritty retellings of Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland, perhaps this too will be a breath of fresh air before Disney does a live-action Pinocchio in May (more on that later).

The Water Diviner (April 24)
Dir. Russell Crowe; Star. Russell Crowe, Jai Courtney
This one seems weird to put on here, but for some reason I want to see it. This one stars Russell Crowe and is his directorial debut. It's not that I'm a huge Russell Crowe fan (the only movies I've seen of his are Les Miserables and Noah), but I feel like this movie about a father's search for his children after a great war with the Turks will be a film worth talking about and sharing, to analyze and find meaning. Almost fitting for a film society.


Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1)
Dir. Joss Whedon; Star. Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, James Spader
"I've got no strings on me." This easily had one of the best trailers last year, as things are looking really dark in the Marvel Universe, especially after all the schnozz that went down in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Ultron looks so incredibly menacing and it only makes me more excited for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially with the Civil War storyline coming up. Things are gonna go down. And it's going to be awesome. And I am going to be there.

Tomorrowland (May 22)
Dir. Brad Bird; Star. George Clooney, Britt Robertson
Another Disney movie! Made by the guy behind The Incredibles and Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, this film is about an inventor and a young woman and a world known as Tomorrowland, accessed primarily through a magical pin. I'm optimistic about it. This could be the theme park movie to end all theme park movies. Imagine what this could do for Disney World and how they could integrate the lore of the film into the parks. The film could be revolutionary if executed right, and given the length of time Bird's been working on this, it very well could be Disney's most important film since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I just hope they didn't shoot themselves in the foot financially by releasing it the same month as Age of Ultron.

Jurassic World (June 12)
Dir. Colin Trevorrow; Star. Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard
This is my most anticipated movie of the year, even over Star Wars. The original Jurassic Park was not only a cautionary tale about playing God, but it was a beautifully directed film with the best, most exciting special effects I've ever seen put to film. I'm still floored by them, and seeing the "Making Of's" make me love them even more. The second film continued the condemnation of man controlling nature, which was nice, but suffered from too many characters, an emotional core, and an ending that was kind of disappointing despite its scale. This has the scale back at the park (which is now open!), furthers the theme of the entire series, seems to keep the cast small, and has the right amount of nostalgia and effects. What could go wrong? I mean, there's the chaos theory, but besides that, there's very little keeping me from not seeing this opening night. This is the franchise I adore so much, I went on the water ride based on it at Islands of Adventure, and I don't do flumes typically. That should say something.


St. James Place (October 16)
Dir. Steven Spielberg; Star. Tom Hanks, Peter McRobbie
This is a film I've only heard about recently, but I'm still really excited for. It's Spielberg's first movie since 2012's fantastic (if long-winded) Lincoln, and it's written by the Coen Brothers, who have given us such great movies as True Grit and the cult classic The Big Lebowski. The film also stars Tom Hanks (who has appeared in more of my favorite films than any other actor) as James Donovan, a lawyer who gets caught in the middle of the Cold War when he has to negotiate with Fidel Castro and the Soviets for the release of a U-2 spy pilot. After 3 years, I'm so excited to see one of the greatest living directors go at it again, and with strong screenwriters behind it along with acting powerhouse Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg in another war movie sounds like a great time at the cinemas in 2015.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay--Part 2 (November 20)
Dir. Francis Lawrence; Star. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Philip Seymour Hoffman
If you read my review for Mockingjay--Part 1, you know I've come to really enjoy these movies. They're on par with many other great films and the Harry Potter series. They take time to develop the characters so we care for them, which other YA adaptations fail miserably at doing (looking at you, Divergent) and engage the audience in not only the action, but the drama as well. The propaganda stuff was the best part of the last film, and after the ending we're left with at the end of that last one...yeah, I want to see this. And probably see the first film for the first time while I'm at it.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (December 18)
Dir. J.J. Abrams; Star. Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega
It's Star Wars. It has the original cast. The Force is awake. John Williams is doing the score. These aren't the prequels. Laser swords. It's Star Wars. These aren't the prequels. Awesome trailer. John Williams is doing the score. It's Star Wars. Seriously, what more do I need to say? Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year because Star Wars is back in theaters!

So what films are you looking forward to next year? Are you going to see the return of Jurassic Park and Star Wars? Do you want to see Adam Sandler's Pixels? What are your thoughts on the Poltergeist remake this year? (Oh yes, that's happening.)

Also, my Year in Review will be coming soon. There are still a handful of 2014 movies I want to see before I make it this year, so hang tight--it's coming soon! In the meantime, have a happy new year!

So whatever you have to say about me and the movies, comment below!