Another Notch Better
Released in March of 2014 and based on the book God’s Not Dead by Rice Broocks, the film God’s Not Dead is the first in what has become a series of at least four productions. The executive producer was Brent Ryan Green. Russel Wolfe also produced the film with David A. R. White. White also stars in the movie. Together Wolfe and White created Pinnacle Peak Pictures which produced and distributed the film. The movie is directed by Harold Cronk. It stars Kevin Sorbo, Shane Harper, and Dean Kane. Willie Robertson and Korie Robertson of Duck Dynasty have cameo appearances. The Christian rock band Newsboys appears toward the end of the movie. The film is rated PG. For a detailed examination of the film’s rating, click here. The runtime is 113 minutes.
Watch the movie on Amazon Prime
In God’s Not Dead, Josh Wheaton, played by Shane Harper, is an evangelical college student attending a non-Christian college. He enrolls in a philosophy class taught by atheist Professor Jeffrey Radisson, played by Kevin Sorbo. During the first class session, Radisson states that to pass, students must sign a declaration that “God is dead.” Josh is the only student to refuse. Radisson then challenges Josh to debate whether God is real. Josh agrees. The other students in the class will decide the winner. This debate drives most of the issues throughout the rest of the movie.
The last few decades have seen great strides in the quality of Christian cinema. God’s Not Dead is another notch of improvement and an example of what can be done with an earnest film that has a strong faith message. Josh is shown standing up for his faith despite the consequences. Professor Radisson is villainized but, I known of several professors like him in our public colleges and universities. The concert performance scene with Newsboys near the end of the movie is powerful.
The acting is generally good but sometimes stiff. There are subplots involving a Chinese student and a Muslim that some have called stereotypical. Both families are shown as angry when their children investigate the Christian faith. Some reviewers have called God’s Not Dead one-dimensional, or contrived. I believe that says as much about the reviewer as it does about the movie being reviewed. The film is attempting to make a point about the Christian faith. It doesn’t give equal time or weight to opposing points of view. Almost every film out of the big Hollywood studios presents the secular, post-Christian viewpoint. This is a small studio with a limited budget presenting a Christian perspective in cinematic form.
Despite the issues mentioned above, I enjoyed the movie. I recommend God’s Not Dead to the faith community.
