Contents
Left Behind Movie Review – Introduction
In the line of films that want to convert non-believers to believing in God, there are those that fail miserably simply because, rather than advancing real points that believe in your intelligence, they advance emotional blackmail that just plays with your fears and your insecurities. These films could have made a lot of difference, opening a door to conversations between atheists and believers but instead end up, when fear does not convert the weaker, alienating most people from their beliefs, leaving the undecided and the persuaded alike behind (pardon the pun). Left behind particularly stands out on that account.
Left behind Movie Review
Everyone likes to be right and believing they have found the light seems to be even more conducive to persuading the rest of the world. I have never had a problem with a debate or even a discussion. However, when someone talks at you, there is nothing more counterproductive for an interlocutor with half a brain. Left behind is the 2014 remake of a film, itself an adaptation of a book. The film managed to not make its point, in a way somewhat worse than its predecessor. And it is a shame too because it had potential.
So where did it all go wrong? The first play on emotions was in the title itself. Survival is about not being left behind or so dictates our instincts. Everything else contributes to the flop, from the cliché Q&A sessions about believing, to the tautological game both from science, philosohy and theology via mostly the lack of communication and just the sheer play on fear.
The whole film is about acceptance, surrender and asking for forgiveness. This is the main conflict between atheists and believers. The end might be justifiable but the means are not.
By refusing to give it rational means or at least evidence (even faith requires that, see in the Bible…) beyond the pressure of the circumstances calling onto the reflexes of fear, it turns a movie into a whole lot of preaching with a side of bullying on an already apocalyptic bed.
Editor’s note
Left behind is a 2014 American movie starring Nicholas Cage, Michael Murray, Cassi Thomson, Nicky Whelan, and American Idol winner Jordin Sparks. The American apocalyptic thriller is directed by Vic Armstrong and written by Paul LaLonde and John Patus. It is the second movie adaptation based on the 1995 novel of the same name written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. At the time of writing, Left Behind was being streamed on Netflix.