Miles and Kate just want to live an average life no matter what the world is doing around them. However, Miles encounters a point of no return when his Christian brother shows him a secret spaceship that Miles’ brother intends to use to evacuate Christians from earth. The goal is for Christians to recolonize Mars with Christianity. What choice will Miles make???
Production Quality (.5 point)
Between cheap special effects, annoying sound effects, and bad audio quality, this production is a real doozy. Background sounds and echoes detract from the viewing experience, and cheap sets, locations, and props don’t effectively represent what they are supposed to portray. Acceptable video quality and camera work keep this section from a score of zero, but editing is very choppy, and all production elements worsen with time. Thus, only a small rating can be awarded here.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
In this narrative, the writers used plenty of expository dialogue as to leave nothing to chance about what occurred in the plot. The story in and of itself is very fast-paced by trying to get to certain points, creating unrealistic circumstances, and leaving huge gaps in logic. Also, the persecution premise is absurd, full of evil characters who are bent on destroying Christians for absolutely no reason. Stock conversations do nothing to build characters, and Christian characters are ridiculously perfect conduits of Bible verses. In the end, with tons of off-screen content due to the low budget and a lot of silly coincidences, no points can be awarded to this section.
Acting Quality (0 points)
Unfortunately, the acting in Mayflower II is just as bad as other aspects of the film. Whether yelling, screaming, or mechanically delivering lines, many performances feel phoned in. Emotions are not authentic, and a lot of cast members seem to lack conviction of what they are doing. Therefore, no score is warranted here.
Conclusion
It’s evident that the creators of this screenplay went into production with an agenda. In the years that we’ve reviewed Christian entertainment, we’ve never seen this successfully work. Doing this should not be the purpose of Christian creativity, and audiences know this, which is why movies like this one will soon be forgotten.
Kendra Williams is tired of the way things are. She never gets to have any fun because her parents won’t let her go to dangerous all-night parties with her “friends.” One of these said nights, Kendra meets a mysterious man who promises to grant her secret wish of living however she wants. Kendra accepts his offer but suddenly wakes up in a world where she was never born. Will she be able to escape the nightmare before it’s too late???
Production Quality (1 point)
For the most part, Scion offers a very cheap production experience, including shaky camera work, tight shots, and bizarre camera angles designed to be “cool.” Audio quality is also uneven as backgrounds sounds are too prevalent and invasive sound effects annoy the viewer even though the soundtrack is somewhat interesting. The video is also sometimes blurry, and lighting is inconsistent throughout. Sets, locations, and props are mostly average if not slightly limited, and cheesy special effects plague the audience with dizzying sequences. Further, though there is some slight improvement throughout, continuity errors and various editing concerns keep this section on the low end of the spectrum, but it’s not even the worst of it.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
Scion starts off with the completely wrong premise by portraying a tone-deaf view of young people being wayward and throwing in with strawman villains. Also, the psychological fantasy world created for this plot is very difficult for viewers to understanding since its rules seem very subjective. For instance, things in the alternate universe randomly happen for no particular reason, and obstacles are arbitrarily applied to the characters just for the sake of expanding the narrative and illogically getting them where the writers wanted them to go. Similarly, the story’s progression makes little sense as unnecessary time jumps disorient the audience and endless meandering sequences waste time just so that the characters can run all over the place and fill the runtime. Very convenient dialogue also forces the plot to go where screenwriters wanted it to go, and forced suspense scenes crowd out any shred of potential there was for character development. In the end, this screenplay is just a bad version of the typical It’s a Wonderful Life style of psychological narrative.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
Though it’s a bit average and sometimes even awkward, the acting is the best aspect of Scion. However, emotions still aren’t very believable throughout, and line delivery is pedestrian. Nonetheless, it’s unclear how the cast members could have done much better with how poorly written this movie was. Thus, this rounds out a severely underwhelming effort that should have never gotten past the initial planning stages.
Conclusion
Kingdom Sight Studios has demonstrated some slight potential in the past, such as in 2nd Greatest, but more recent projects, like Scion and A High School Story, have not instilled any confidence in their commitment to quality. Often, being a lone ranger studio rarely pays off, but the least they could do is overcome their low production quality with deeper storylines that would make bigger companies take notice. However, this isn’t the case as they further contribute to the already low image of Christian entertainment.
Ram Goldstein and several other genius scientists are working on a top secret project for a multimillionaire named Ahmed. At first, they’re completely cool with being locked in a room with armed guards patrolling the halls, but when they use their super hacking skills to discover that Ahmed is coordinating with government leaders from Muslim-controlled nations to create time travel, they begin to grow concerned. Ahmed intends to use the mystical power of time travel to return to the past and kill Jesus before He’s resurrected so that Christianity will cease to exist! However, time travel is a bit tricky, and when multiple timelines are created due to the tampering, many different versions of the same characters are apparently created. Also, if they don’t erase the extra timelines before it’s too late, they will all converge into an APOCALYPSE! Can Ram and his friends stop this wicked plot before it’s too late?!?!?
Production Quality (-3 points)
Even though it seems like there was a substantial budget spent on Assassin 33 AD, the funding didn’t pay off as it was wasted on extremely cheap CGI and ridiculous special effects that overtake and overpower all other production elements. They have direct connections to the sets, locations, and props and make it clear that this team had no idea what they were doing when they slapped this project together. While there are some notable positives in this production, they are covered up by the myriad concerns created by the CGI and special effects blunders. Also, the editing has a handful of issues, but this could easily be chalked up to having to deal with one of the worst plots in the history of Christian entertainment. Overall, the glaringly obvious negatives throughout this film overshadow any slightly good elements that could be noted.
Plot and Storyline Quality (-3 points)
Where to begin? Assassin 33 AD has achieved the unthinkable feat of being as incoherent and offensive as Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas. This is not a title to be lightly delivered, but there plenty of ways Assassin goes further than even Timothy Chey has gone (yet). First of all, the entire premise behind Assassin is totally off-base from the get-go. Messing around with time travel and how it relates to Jesus is an absolute no-no when it comes to story-boarding, so there’s no reason to even broach the subject. Then, to take this a step further and actually make a purportedly Christian film about modern day soldiers being able to shoot Jesus with a pistol in the Garden of Gethsemane is borderline insanity. As if this isn’t enough, to create multiple timelines that both alter Scripture and try to twist biblical history into including the movie’s characters in the actual canon is just the end. I literally cannot comprehend the inanity of this proposition, which by no indication is being done in jest. Besides these glowing red flag problems that are part of the story’s very fabric, there are so many other movie faux pas committed in Assassin that space will likely not permit a full exploration. Nonetheless, here is a very quick rundown: characters are poorly developed via expository dialogue and unnatural lines that are designed to force the plot forward, key plot points are supported by unexplained “science” and convenient technical devices that lack basis in reality or logic, the villains basically stepped out of a conservative fever dream about Muslims taking over the world, wild time jumps are only supplanted by the maddening nature of the multiple timelines created by time travel, basically every character has a minimum of two different versions of themselves (“past” and “present”), some of these copy characters end up having conversations with each other, the protagonists can seemingly do whatever they want in a supposedly high-security facility with armed guards all around them, the Jesus character seems just as confused about what’s going on as the viewers are, etc., etc., etc. Did I mention that the writers took a crazily arrogant creative license to replace Biblical characters (like the thieves on the crosses beside Jesus and the man who fled the Garden of Gethsemane with no clothes on) with modern-day characters from the “future” timelines? This notion is only made complete by the scene where two copy characters (the same cast member) are discussing how the modern-day Bible is changing right before their eyes due to the timelines being altered in the past. Further, as if all of this wasn’t an epic trainwreck, the film’s epilogue completely turns everything on its ear by negating the “past” timeline that set the movie’s events into notion in the first place. Therefore, taking all of this evidence into account, this section is awarded the maximum negative score, and this also affects other aspects of the film.
Acting Quality (-3 points)
The horrid nature of the plot bleeds over into acting and causes this section to suffer even though it may not have been as bad if it were paired with a different narrative. Much of the line delivery is robotic and not earnest, and emotions are hard to believe. Some cast members, especially those who are portraying villains, overplay their roles while others seem bored or confused, which may have been justified. In the end, the major negatives at the core of the project drag the entire thing down into the depths of Christian entertainment.
Conclusion
Assassin 33 AD also receives to honor of scoring a negative x-factor point to round out an effort that joins Saving Christmas as one of the worst films of all time. Whenever a creator sets out to make a movie about how biblical accounts and Jesus’ life on earth in general could be altered via time travel as well as how the Bible could be rewritten based on the changing of previous timelines, they are already way off the road and should entirely ditch the project. Going through with such a travesty raises some serious questions about the true motivation behind its creation. There’s literally no way to redeem this awful concept, so the best thing that can be done is to encourage audiences to stay away from it and to help future film makers avoid these types of monumental blunders.
When the legendary King Wiglaf becomes stuck in a time period not his own, he is tasked with finding the Titan thief Tome and procuring the Taker’s Crown before Tome can get to it. It’s said that whoever holds the Taker’s Crown has immense power, but in order to get to it, Wiglaf must find his old friend the Maverick. Along the way, he is accosted by the two troubled children of Tome, one of whom he tries to befriend. Will Wiglaf be able to find the Crown before it’s too late?
Production Quality (1 point)
As a first-time production, The Taker’s Crown is an ambitious project that appears to have bitten off more than it can chew. Video quality is fine, and the soundtrack is okay, yet the positives are limited to those two elements. Camera work is much too shaky and there are a lot of weird camera angles. Audio quality is inconsistent, with some overdubs and overdriven audio. Sets and locations are fairly limited for the idea that is trying to be conveyed here, and props are downright laughable. Finally, editing is quite bad as the film is very hard to understand and extremely difficult to follow. Unfortunately, though a commendable effort was here, a successful follow-through was not.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
The Taker’s Crown is intended to be the first in a series, and it’s trying to portray a large-scale fantasy idea. This basic idea is the only thing that keeps this story from being zero, because while it’s a good idea, the intended epic nature of it does not come across in any way. It was touched on in the production critique, yet setting this fantasy\sci-fi idea in some random woods, a street corner, somebody’s house, a random field, and a playground does not convey what the writers want to convey. Besides this, the characters are extremely thin and one-dimensional. Who are these people and how do they fit into this vague fantasy universe? What is this universe and how does it work? Is it an alternate world, a parallel universe, or a time travel concept? These unanswered questions don’t even touch the fact that the dialogue is ridiculous and the plot progression is forced and predictable. This film was basically written for the prologue and the epilogue and kills time in between them. Maybe there’s a great idea in store for this series, but it’s certainly not evident in this installment.
Acting Quality (0 points)
Casting a collection of Crystal Creek Media retreads is not exactly the way to create a winning acting formula. Tim Kaiser, Jared Withrow, and Tiffany Burns need some serious pointers when it comes to emotions and line delivery. Elsewhere, this cast is very lacking in direction, though it’s not like they had any lines to work with. Overall, this movie is a mess and needs a total rework.
Conclusion
We will air on the side of believing that Whiteshore Films has better things in store for this series, even though this is not entirely evident right now. Wherever this series is going, hopefully it can only get better. As it is, this film is predominantly a wreck and doesn’t have much going for it. If this idea is going to succeed in the future, the premise needs to be explained way better, the production needs to be improved, and the cast needs to be revamped. Perhaps then it will be a worthwhile series.
When a disillusioned Christian lawyer receives a very unusual visit from a man that claims to have access to a special phone that allows the caller to call people in the past who have died in the present, he is very skeptical at first. However, he finds himself intrigued enough to try to call his recently deceased wife in the past. But the deeper he goes, the more he discovers that he needs to get right with God before he is ready to truly make a difference.
Production Quality (1.5 points)
Though this is a very low-key film, attempts were made to make the production worthwhile. Video quality, camera work, and audio quality are all good, including a creative and intriguing soundtrack. However, there is some unnecessarily poor lighting and a lot of the sets and locations are quite limited, probably due to budget limitations. Also, the editing of this film is not really what it should be, especially considering how short it is. Nonetheless, this is a good effort for a low-budget production.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
Dialtone is based on a very unique idea, but it is still a time travel plot, and like other time travel plots, it has a lot of continuity and logic problems. Sci-fi is one thing, but a logic-defying story is hard to justify, even though the effort to be creative is commendable. Since this idea is so short and underdeveloped, it’s hard to see the justification for it except to beta-test movie-making. It’s great to have a creative idea, but it needs to be expounded upon. The characters are also pretty well-developed, but we need to know more about them since there are so few of them. In the end, creativity should be rewarded, but time travel plots should mostly be avoided. An idea isn’t enough to carry a film—you need characters to do that for you.
Acting Quality (2 points)
Though this is a small cast, they post good performances that lack glaring errors. Emotions are believable and line delivery is on point. The only drawback is that they can be underwhelming at times, but they really showed effort to make this portion good.
Conclusion
Movies like Dialtone are hard to figure. It seems like the creative team behind these sorts of films really has potential to do something great, but they just don’t go quite all the way. It could be that films like this one were started projects, but there isn’t any follow-up, which is unfortunate. But perhaps one day they will pick it back up again and improve on what they already have.
Tom is grief-stricken when his father suddenly and mysteriously dies, but he soon discovers a strange artifact his father left behind that opens up a whole new world for him that he never knew existed. Using the device, Tom travels back in time to find that all he ever knew is not as it seems and he is caught in a battle that spans decades. Only he can stop the evil that is coming, if he has enough faith and courage.
Production Quality (1.5 points)
It seems like the entire point of A Path in Time was to show off the professional special effects and animation the production team obviously had access to. There are also other good production elements to be found, such as fine video quality and camera work. Audio quality is also on standard, though the soundtrack leaves something to be desired. Unfortunately, sets and locations are fairly cheap and limited. Finally, there is next to no editing as scenes are dragged out and expounded upon just to make the runtime reach barely sixty minutes. In the end, it is clear that some thought was put into this production, but this movie is still only half of an idea.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
While we always welcome different genres of Christian film, time travel plots are always going to be problematic, illogical, and unnecessarily mind-bending. Sci-fi plots are already hard enough to craft without introducing all sorts of isolating concepts through constant information dump dialogue. As the characters drone on about ideas foreign to the audience and speculative lingo, there is little chance to get to know them as people. There are too many convenient turns and highly confusing plot ‘twists’ that are associated with the time travel concept. This is not even to mention the fact that the concepts and premise presented in this barely-one-hour film are far too expansive and complicated to cram into this time frame. We need more gradual development of these ideas rather than an uninvited dump of ideas. Also, was this film meant to be continued? It’s been twelve years and there is no plan for a sequel, even though the story clearly leaves the viewer hanging. Overall, this story is far too confusing to warrant any points.
Acting Quality (1 point)
All too often, this cast exhibits very lifeless emotions and monotone line delivery. While the performances are certainly not all bad, they could also use a lot of work. Some effort was put towards historical costuming at least. It seems like this cast has potential, but it goes untapped.
Conclusion
It’s very hard to determine exactly what the purpose of A Path in Time was. The creators had a vague idea and some special effect software, so they charged right ahead to make a beta test. Perhaps they were just experimenting, but was this really worth releasing to the public? It seems like they could have built off of the ideas here over time and not rushed through them. There are certainly many struggles to independent film making, but time and consistency are almost always on your side. If God wants to make a film, the provision will always be there. We just need to make sure we aren’t rushing things.
The Veritas Project consists of the Springfield family—their job is to work with local law enforcement undercover in order to discover the origins of unusual happenings in small towns. Their next job is to go undercover at a high school that seems to be haunted by the curse of a teen who hung himself inside the school one night. Seemingly random deaths keep happening that are tied back to the hanging and to dark happenings at the school. Will they be able to get to the bottom of it before it’s too late?
Production Quality (1 point)
Like many early 2000s productions distributed by Fox Faith, Hangman’s Curse has its high points and its issues that keep it from being all it could be. For example, the video quality is unnecessarily grainy and there is poor lighting throughout. However, the sets, locations, and props are realistic and appropriate. Audio quality is fine except for the cheesy soundtrack and the cheap sound effects that are dubbed on top of the normal audio. There are also a lot of very juvenile horror-related special effects that are actually quite annoying. Finally, the editing is fairly choppy as scenes end abruptly, off-screen content is referred to often, and transitions do not flow well. In the end, it’s possible that this production team’s budget was not ready to handle a sci-fi\horror film, so they might should have rethought this effort.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
Though Frank Peretti knows how to craft an interesting enough Christian horror\sci-fi plot, Hangman’s Curse crams too much content into a short amount of time. This stunts character develop and forces dialogue to be rushed and packed with information. Sometimes the premise of this ‘horror’ concept is hard to believe and is even a little silly at times. We are supposed to treat the issue as serious, but it is difficult to do so because it all seems too shallow. There are too many very cheesy half-attempts at horror that are more annoying than effective. Like too many sci-fi plots, this one relies too heavily on the ‘twist’ and the concept revealed near the end rather than actual character development. It’s hard to care about what’s going on when it all rushes by so fast all in the name of solving the mystery in under two hours. In the end, some will find this story interesting, but it does not appeal to every audience.
Acting Quality (2 points)
The casting and acting of this film are definitely its strong suit. Though there is nothing truly dynamic about the cast members’ performances, they are also not detracting or negative. Their emotions are mostly believable and their line delivery is professional. This should be the baseline for acting in Christian film.
Conclusion
Frank Peretti has always been a genre pioneer in Christian entertainment. He went where other Christians were afraid to go and opened up a whole new world for both writing and movies. While there is nothing inherently wrong with his work, this particular film does not capture it well, and this could be due to the early days of Christian productions. Perhaps if this film were made today, it would be better.
When a secret space observatory in Nevada picks up a mysterious and erratic signal from outer space, a powerful billionaire who owns the observatory forms a team made up of his spiritual guide, two investigative reporters, and his company’s computer technician to fly out to the observatory to find out what happened. Some of them believe they have been contacted by intelligent beings from outer space, while others believe something more sinister is going on. The signal also draws the attention of a specialized squadron of troops, some of whom have questionable abilities. As they all meet up at the observatory, who will prevail? Will they ever discover the truth of what is really out there?
Production Quality (1.5 points)
As an early 2000s Cloud Ten production, Deceived is mostly average in its production quality. the biggest detractors are the grainy video quality and poor lighting in most scenes. There are also too many cheesy special effects that are used in an attempt to be different and sci-fi. However, the sets, locations, and props seem realistic enough. Audio quality is also fine and the soundtrack is intriguing. Finally, the editing job is decent and overall rounds out an average production. It certainly could have been better, but it could have also been worse. However, there is not much we can say for the plot.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
With a cheesy sci-fi premise that’s full of technological mumbo-jumbo and empty dialogue, Deceived tries to be creative and different, yet misses the mark badly. There is far too much time wasted on petty conflicts and not enough time spent on character development. While some of the characters could be interesting, we barely get to know them in the midst information dump dialogue and monologuing. The Christian characters are too perfect while the non-Christian characters are too flawed. There are also too many spiritual elements that come off as a bizarre in an attempt to bridge the horror genre. The ending is quite confusing and seems like the writers just ran out of ideas. In the end, this is a very disappointing story that could have been interesting.
Acting Quality (1 point)
With a cast made up of semi-professionals, these cast members have their good moments, but unfortunately, the bad moments outweigh the good. There are too many overly dramatic and theatrical performances. Emotions are hard to connect with. In the end, they do not live up to their full potential.
Conclusion
The early 2000s era of Christian film had some noble attempts to bridge different genres Christian film had never bridged before, and John Patus and Cloud Ten Pictures were on the forefront of this attempt. However, for the most part, these attempts did not fulfill their fullest potential and settled for half-measures, probably because the market was so thin then. Much has happened since these films came out, but they can certainly serve as an example of how and how not to expand Christian film into unique genres. Yesterday’s disappointments can certainly be remedied in the future.
Chris Fable is a thief and feels like he can’t be anything else. He lives in a junkyard and is enslaved by a con artist, but one day, he stumbles onto an opportunity to lead a new life. Though he is reluctant at first, he decides to take a chance and try something new. Thus, he and his friend embark on a journey that changes their life forever. On their way to freedom, the companions encounter weird looking bugs, loud noises, shaking trees, a freaky CGI city, and a giant stomping robot. The question is not will they make it, but will we ever make it to end of this movie?
Production Quality (-1 points)
Although this film has clear video quality, this good production element is drowned out by all the utterly terrible elements that accompany it. Camera work is awful as the screen shakes all around like someone is literally running with a camcorder. The soundtrack is ridiculously loud and annoying, making for a nearly unbearable experience. Sets, locations, and props are extremely cheap and special effects are positively medieval, including horrid CGI. There are also overpowering sound effects throughout. Finally, editing is as bad as can be expected. Essentially, this is one of the worst productions since Final: The Rapture and warrants negative points for the horrible experience the audience is forced to endure.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
The Adventures of Chris Fable is very loosely based on the concept of Pilgrim’s Progress, mostly ripping off the quest idea and some of the character names. Yet there is basically no plot as empty, cardboard-cutout, and stereotypical characters wander from one thing to the next. While this type of fantasy story could have been interesting, the entire storyline was written for an idea that never materialized. Many elements, especially dialogue, are very childish and empty. Chris Fable gives the impression that this is a kids’ movie, but it never really commits to this concept. This indecision only makes matters worse. In short, this film has no idea what it’s trying to go for as it pursues an obscure idea of a remake that never really comes to fruition. Somebody needed to step back during the storyboarding (if they had any) of this film and really think about what they were doing.
Acting Quality (0 points)
This is overall an extremely poor casting job. These cast members are mostly very juvenile and childish with no coaching. Others are very over the top and obnoxious. Emotions are very difficult to connect with and line delivery is stunted and awkward. Unfortunately, there is nothing good to say here.
Conclusion
With such a low, limited budget, what exactly was the justification for attempting to create a fantasy movie that requires so many special effects? If you don’t have the budget to make it quality, don’t try to make it halfway. Also, if you don’t have a real story to accompany your fantasy idea and are only trying to rip off an old idea, please do not do through with it. The biggest problem with Christian films in different genres like this one is that they stand out and get attention due to their rarity. People watching them who do not normally watch Christian films, and this is what they’re stuck with. How embarrassing and disheartening it must be. We implore future film makers to learn from the mistakes seen here and never repeat them.
Creatures claiming to be extraterrestrials are controlling the world’s leaders by revealing information on weapons to some. The humans who know about this are either controlled by the beings or are ordered to be killed. It seems that no one stands a chance against these alien forces, but a small group of Christians claims to have to tools necessary to fight these creatures. Thus, it comes down to a battle between good and evil inside a warehouse (where else?), where all will be revealed, including some end times stuff.
Production Quality (1 point)
So another random company sets out to create a Christian sci-fi\horror film with a very limited budget. These are the most difficult genres to craft, so doing so with a limited budget makes it nearly impossible to do properly. Sets, locations, and props in this film are very cheap and limited. There is poor lighting in some of the scenes, although camera work, video quality, and audio quality are mostly okay. One of the biggest detractors in this production is the existence of ridiculous and over the top special effects that come off as very juvenile. Finally, the editing is horrible as scenes cut from one thing to the next, leaving the audience very confused as to what is happening. In short, no care was given to this production as it was just slapped together for the purpose of pushing an agenda.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
Filled with heavy-handed propaganda messaging and isolating information dump dialogue, Watchers: Revelation is a real doozy. The characters are very empty and only exist to robotically download ideas and theories the writers have, which are actually quite absurd and childish. There are also a lot of conversations about things that happen off-screen as the storyline jumps all over the place with no continuity. Things just randomly happen that leaving the viewer scratching their head. On a lighter note, this plot has an interesting spiritual concept that is of course wasted and used improperly. However, this fact is not enough to overcome all of the other glaring errors here.
Acting Quality (0 points)
This film contains the most robotic acting I have ever witnessed. The overly practiced line delivery sounds like a computer is talking instead of a person. Thus, there are zero emotions and many cast members do not have a future in acting. There are also some amateurish makeup errors. Basically, this entire film is a wash.
Conclusion
It never pays to use a cheap film to push your personal propaganda. It also is a bad idea to try to make your first movie a complex idea that requires special effects and explanation of foreign ideas to the audience. Also, if you’re going to write a sci-fi plot, please make sure it’s actually a good idea and not some half-baked theory that invites unintentional comedy and mockery. Writing a story because of a theory never pays off, so please don’t continually clutter up Christian entertainment with it.
When an old friend of his reaches out to him to give him a second chance, Simon takes the opportunity to cross the south border into Mexico, but soon finds himself on the run from a drug cartel. With his passport stolen, Simon is forced to take refuge in a local orphanage, where he learns of his friend’s untimely death. Strange things are happening around him and the only way he can solve the mystery is to face dark past he is running from.
Production Quality (2.5 points)
It’s clear that a lot of thought and time was put into making the production of Unlimited. Shot on an authentic location with realistic sets, this film is very quality. Video quality is crisp, and audio quality is flawless, including an excellent culturally relevant soundtrack. However, there is some out-of-place shaky camera work that makes no sense, considering the quality of the rest of the production. The editing is error-free, thus making this a top-notch production that should be commonplace in Christian film.
Plot and Storyline Quality (1 point)
Though Unlimited is based on creative ideas and concepts, the plot itself is a fairly typical and formulaic suspense storyline. The characters are fairly realistic, but they tend to fit too easily into predictable predetermined molds. However, though the progression is predictable, the story is still crafted well and is very engaging. There is a lot of professionalism here and with this much positive, we really wish the plot scope wasn’t so limited by mediocrity. There is so much to offer here, yet we feel that full potential was unfortunately not reached.
Acting Quality (3 points)
Unlimited is cast very well with highly professional cast members. However, just because they have ‘big names’ like Robert Amaya and Fred Thompson, they do not neglect acting coaching, which has a clear presence. Line delivery and emotional delivery are on point. The cast is also culturally authentic. There are no errors here.
Conclusion
It’s a shame that Unlimited couldn’t take that next small step forward onto the Hall of Fame, but this is still an enjoyable movie nonetheless. While the plot is not super creative, it’s in a different genre than usual and shows just how much we need a breath of fresh air like this in Christian film. We can’t wait to see more from Gundersen Entertainment and others that have unique ideas like this.
After the Rapture rocks the world and leaves millions of people searching for answers as to what happened, agent Thorold Stone is left searching for his family and wondering why the entire world has suddenly turned against Christians. The world is also following the bidding of a rising world leader who promises peace to all if the Christians are eliminated. With chaos ensuing around him, will Stone be able to find the truth he needs?
Production Quality (.5 point)
The second installment of this unfortunate series is much like the first. There is barely any difference in the production quality of Caught in the Eye of the Storm and Revelation. Camera work is still shaky and video quality is still blurry. Special effects are very cheap and out of place. Audio quality is average, but the soundtrack is loud and annoying. There is some improvement with the sets, locations, and props, however. But this film is still replete with Jack Van Impe product placements. The editing is also poor. In short, while there is some slight improvement here, it’s not significant.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
The Apocalypse series is very thin on plot content and heavy on agenda-pushing. Much of this film is dedicated to sequences of cheesy and stereotypical sitting around talking with robotic dialogue that is designed to force the plot along. There’s also a lot of technological mumbo jumbo lingo and a weird obsession with virtual reality devices. The plot has a predictable apocalyptic\suspense progression and is based on lots of coincidences. Also, it’s worth nothing that it’s extremely hard to follow the cast of characters that is supposed to be portrayed in this so-called series. In the grand scheme of things, it’s still difficult to find a justification for this series.
Acting Quality (0 points)
Made in 1999, this cast is far too theatrical. Jeff Fahey is always a head-scratching cast, since he basically whispers all the time. Emotions are either flat or overblown and line delivery is stiff. Unfortunately, nothing good to say here.
Conclusion
Once again I ask, who’s going to watch this movie? It has nothing going for it whatsoever. There is no plot and certainly no notable production quality. The casting is horrible. Most Christians are and should be offended by this nonsense. Once again, the world is laughing. This kind of junk reaches no one and only adds to the caricature of Christian film. But wait…there’s still more of these…
As Roxy, a college student, witnesses the slow but sure takeover of a one world government, she chronicles her thoughts, beliefs, and discoveries in a detailed journal that is eventually discovered by agents of the new world order. Shaw 408, the agent who discovers the journal, is unsure of his role in the takeover regime and finds himself intrigued by the journal’s contents. As Zurn, the leader of the new regime, tightens his grip on the world by ordering everyone to receive a microchip inserted under their skin, the world descends into chaos. Who will survive?
Production Quality (3 points)
It’s clear that the Bearfruit Films team has a commitment to high quality productions, as their effort on Rumors of Wars shows in every production element. Video and audio quality are error-free. The original soundtrack is effective and appropriate. The apocalyptic sets, locations and props are excellent. The action-based camera work, which is often difficult to execute, is done quite well. Finally, there are no obvious editing errors, thus making this a perfect production job. This is rarely found, so we greatly anticipate Bearfruit’s future work.
Plot and Storyline Quality (1.5 points)
Rumors of Wars is a unique brand of apocalyptic storyline that actually doesn’t bite off more than it can chew by trying to cover tons of apocalyptic high points. Instead, the story stays in a controlled atmosphere to build a good dystopian premise without jumping through time too quickly or zooming all over the world. The mixing of the past and present subplots is interesting and is done fairly well. However, this overall concept needs a little more explaining and development. The characters are most okay, but some of the villains are cheesy. Surprisingly, the antichrist character is actually different and creative. Finally, Rumors of Wars does commit a key apocalyptic error in creating a passive-aggressive this-might-be-continued-someday ending. But otherwise, there is a lot of potential here and room to grow.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
Full of recognizable actors and actresses, this cast is a mixed bag. Sometimes they are over the top and other times they are very much on point. For example, this is not T. C. Stallings’ best performance, but Ben Davies is better than usual. It’s different from cast member to cast member, thus making this an overall average performance.
Conclusion
This whole idea would work so much better either as a series of films or as a miniseries. There are a lot of creative ideas and concepts hidden in here that require further development, which necessitates more time and money to do this. We hope that one day this movie concept can be continued or remade in some fashion. Regardless, Bearfruit Films has a talented team, so it will be interesting to see what they have planned next.
Stone Alexander always craved power and always knew that he was meant for something bigger. As he grew up and rose through the ranks of the military, he was ruthless and unfeeling. His own family never understood him, especially his brother. The older he became, the deeper he became involved in darkness and evil. Stone quickly became a raving, power-hungry madman committed to do anything to achieve world domination. Ultimately, it comes down to the differing choices of the two brothers and how they affected humanity.
Production Quality (1.5 points)
Needless to say, The Omega Code 2: Megiddo has better production than the previous installment, The Omega Code 1. Sets, locations, and props are all fairly professional and camera work has improved. Video and audio quality are also improved, and the soundtrack is intriguing. However, there are still cheesy special effects and confusing crossfades. Editing is overall okay, but there is too much useless footage that drags down the film. In the end, this is just an average production.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
Though it portrays an odd view of the Thousand Year Reign, this story shows an interesting side to the development of the antichrist. Thus, it jumps back in time to before the first movie ever began and works its way up to where the first film left off. However, it does fill in missing parts from The Omega Code 1, which becomes sort of a crutch to ‘fix’ the first film. Also, this filling in is not done in the best way as it relies on information dump dialogue, time jumps, and of course, over-dramatization and sensationalism. There is, as usual, an addiction to creepy and weird spiritual elements and a fixation on the demonic. This story gives tons of attention to Satan and barely any to Jesus and Christianity. Finally, similar to the first one, as this movie goes on, it gets stranger and stranger until it boils down to a very bizarre ending that leaves you scratching your head. When all is said and done, the plots of the two Omega Code films are the same—ridiculous.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
Acting somewhat improves between the two films, but there are still problems here. Lines are sometimes overly practiced and emotions are often over-the-top and extreme. However, not all is bad here and there are some bright spots. In the end, this portion is also just average.
Conclusion
What was ever to be gained from The Omega Code series? Megiddo barely has any reference to the original dubious premise of printing out codes supposedly hidden in the Torah. It’s highly unlikely anybody but white evangelical Christians will ever see these disasters, but if anybody else did, they would probably find a good laugh and then forget about them. The creepy obsession with the demonic in these films does nothing but fuel sensationalism and the messaging only preaches to the choir. In short, these films are utterly useless and have no part on Christian entertainment.
Gillen Lane is a genius who has a massive following as a motivational speaker. He believes in some form of spirituality, but when he is recruited by the powerful Stone Alexander to work for his new world empire, Gillen doesn’t know what to think. Times are becoming stranger on earth, especially as someone as discovered that the Torah supposedly holds a secret code that predicts major world events. With everything spiraling out of control, is there anywhere safe to turn?
Production Quality (1 point)
For an independent production created in 1999, The Omega Code 1 is ambitious yet misguided. While it’s clear that effort was put into the international sets and locations, many other production elements fall by the wayside. Video quality and camera work are average, but audio quality is quite poor. The soundtrack is also annoying. The film is filled with cheap and obnoxious special effects, not to mention the fact that the CGI is cheesy. Finally, the editing is very choppy as the story attempts to cover too much ground at once. In short, trying to attain this level of production was not really the best idea in this situation.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
The entire premise of this film is that the Torah supposedly predicts key events through a secret code of moving letters around or something, and this plot device is used to move the plot along. However, this convention isn’t even necessary as the plot does plenty of jumping all over the place without needing printouts from a primitive computer to aid it. The plot actually focuses more on the inner workings of the antichrist, who is a highly cheesy and sometimes wacky character. There is no plot continuity as time speeds forward at a breakneck pace in an attempt to cover the entire traditional evangelical Tribulation period in the span of 100 minutes. No, seriously, it goes from Rapture to Second Coming in less than two hours. What’s more is that TBN inserts its typical obsession with spiritual sensationalism into the story, which causes things to get weirder and weirder as it progresses. By the time it’s all over, the audience has either abandoned the film, is laughing at the attempts to portray demonic activity, or is extremely confused as to what they just experienced. In short, there was little to no justification for this film being made.
Acting Quality (0 points)
A majority of this acting is bizarre and overly dramatic, which shows more TBN influence. Emotions are sensational and line delivery is lazy. There are also some inconsistent accents that make it clear several cast members are trying (and failing) to fake them. Unfortunately, there is really not much good to say here.
Conclusion
I would have liked to hear the rational behind the creation of this disaster. Was it similar to Timothy Chey, who wanted to “scare people into being saved” with that horrid thing called Final: The Rapture? Or was it just a sales pitch to try to sell sensationalism to white evangelical Christians who all talk to each other about how the end of the world is near? Whether it was juvenile evangelism or preaching to the choir, The Omega Code 1 is a train wreck from start to finish. But guess what! There’s still a sequel to watch!
Keith and Brad work for a magazine that is more prominent its own mind and when they are sent by their supervisor to investigate some UFO claims in some obscure small town in Texas, they can’t believe it. They think it’s all pointless, especially when the locals refuse to talk about the sightings. But when their friend Darren invites them to take a different look at the UFO phenomena, their whole world is turned upside down.
Production Quality (.5 point)
Sometimes the Christiano brothers put together a respectable production, but not in Unidentified. The okay camera work is the only positive quality to speak of. The video quality is quite cheap and there are too many cheesy special effects littering the film. Though the plot goes all over the country, the sets and locations are fairly limited and mostly focus on the office set. Finally, the editing is extremely choppy in a failed attempt to be dramatic. In short, there are not enough redeeming qualities to make up for the rest of the nonsense in this movie.
Plot and Storyline Quality (-1 points)
The Christiano brothers might as well have not even tried to make this a fiction plot, because it’s mainly a docu-drama filled with regurgitated UFO documentary talking points. There are tons of disjointed subplots that are nearly impossible to follow and that are based entirely on coincidences. Things happen because they need to as the dialogue is filled with information dumps and consists of long and drawn out conversations. There is also tons of off-screen content. A clear agenda is being pushed here, placing this plot in the propaganda category. Even though there may be some truth to what is being said here, it comes off as disingenuous and is mostly clouded with legalism. As usual, opposing worldviews are treated offensively, thus warranting negative points. Finally, this film has the weirdest end since Decision that you have to see to believe.
Acting Quality (.5 point)
Except for a few small positive elements, this cast is very unprofessional. It’s not only a very awkward cast, but they are not coached very well at all. Their line delivery and emotional delivery are overly practiced and robotic. Some cast members come off as lofty. In short, this rounds out a very embarrassing effort.
Conclusion
It is clear that the Christiano brothers have a legalistic agenda to push both in this film and in others like Time Changer and A Matter of Faith. The sad thing is that spiritual issues like the ones alluded to in Unidentified need to be discussed on Christian film, yet people like the Christianos are the only ones who seem to do this, and always in the wrong way. There is some truth to the UFO phenomena, but no one is going to learn it from this film. Unidentified only serves to further solidify a Pharisaical and sometimes bizarre image in Christian film, especially Christian sci-fi, which is a needed genre. Who will stand up to reverse this trend?
Oliver Henry wonders what is really out there, beyond the stars in the night sky. Ever since the tragic death of his brother, his family has never been the same. But that has only made Oliver all the more curious about the true nature of reality. So when a mysterious man comes to town and reads to the local kids after school every day, Oliver finds himself drawn to the man’s unique outlook on life. Though his mother is skeptical of everything the strange man does, Oliver looks deeper and deeper into his claims and into how others view reality. What he finds is not what he expected, but is exactly what he was looking for.
Production Quality (2 points)
Echolight Studios is known for its quality productions, and Beyond the Heavens is no exception. The camera work is professional, as is the video quality. However, lighting is inconsistent throughout, with some scenes being too dark. Audio quality is fine but the soundtrack is uninspiring. There is an odd use of special effects and overlays in an attempt to make the movie mysterious. Unfortunately, this also contributes to the editing being confusing and isolating. Therefore, once again, Echolight has the potential to go all the way, but does not. Needless to say, this does not only apply to the production quality.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
Beyond the Heavens is a very ethereal and mystical experience, one unlike any other movie we have reviewed. However, this is not a good thing. The ‘plot’ is very unclear and murky, consisting of vague and meandering ideas and cryptic dialogue. It’s like Corbin Bernson is winking at the audience with every scene, waiting to reveal some great secret, but it’s never revealed. The whole has a very tip-of-the-tongue feel, like the characters know something you don’t but never intend to let you in on the secret. As the characters wax eloquent and philosophize about the true nature of reality, the viewer is left, in the end, with a more confusing view of reality than before. Is Bernson advocating for or against Darwinism? Is he a creationist? Does he really believe that angels come to earth on the tails of comets? Is Bernson suggesting that reality is not what it seems? If so, what is his view of reality? Only God knows the answers to these questions as Bernson spends 90 minutes toying with his ‘big reveal’ and dancing around whatever his philosophical worldview is. It’s basically just a waste of your time.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
This cast is mostly average in their delivery. Some acting coaching is present, but some cast behavior is head-scratching. There are too many unnecessary emotional swings. However, costuming is appropriate. Overall, this is just an average performance.
Conclusion
What is to be made of Corbin Bernsen? What is his place in Christian film? Is he trolling? Is he a great mind misunderstood? Whether it’s abstract musings like Beyond the Heavens or half-hearted satire like Christian Mingle or In-Lawfully Yours, Bernsen’s motivations for making Christian films are very unclear. It’s possible that he’s smarter than us all and doesn’t know how to show it. But it’s also possible that he’s just trying to make a quick buck off of Christian audiences. Reality is probably somewhere in between. Regardless, Beyond the Heavens really needed to be rethought before anyone spent money on it, because it falls flat and is unable to properly convey whatever message it is trying to present.
Box Office Revolution 