Plot Summary
William Carey always knew that God had called him and his family to be missionaries in a foreign country, but he never expected God to open a door in unreached India. Unlike English missionaries before them, Carey and his family immersed themselves in the culture of the people rather than try to impose religious culture on people. In getting to know the people and meeting their everyday needs, God opened doors of opportunity for them, but their stay in India was certainly not without hardships. Through it all, God was faithful to them.
Production Quality (2 points)
Although this production is somewhat cheap and under-funded as a curriculum companion, in the grand scheme of things, it’s not all that bad. Sometimes the sets look fairly cheap, but outdoor locations and cultural props are fine. Video quality, audio quality, and camera work are all fine as well, even if the soundtrack is a bit generic. While the editing is a bit odd at times, there is definite improvement throughout this production, which is enough to warrant an above-average score.
Plot and Storyline Quality (1 point)
The story of William Carey is a great historical account to present in the form of a film, but this rendition tends to make the characters a bit too lofty than they should be. This is done through dialogue that is too formal and unnatural, as well as some whitewashing of family struggles. There is also a crutch of narration through journaling that moves the story along too quickly. The time jumps stunt character growth as the story just tries to hit all the high points. However, it is clear that this plot means well, and it does become more realistic as it goes on. There are plenty of good marks here, and the ending is appropriate. It just seems like it could have been presented in a more accessible fashion.
Acting Quality (2 points)
Plenty of care was given to making the costuming historically and culturally authentic. There are also good efforts to have culturally authentic cast members. However, sometimes the acting can be too theatrical and programmed. There are one too many dramatic moments, but there are also plenty of other good moments that outweigh the negatives. For the most part, emotions are realistic, thus warranting an above-average score here.
Conclusion
It’s frustrating when Christian films like this are so ‘Christianese.’ This curriculum clearly had an agenda to push, so it’s surprising that the film turned out this well. As Christians, however, we’ve got to get out of our little boxes and make truly great movies that will make a difference. We can really do without even more cute little Christian films.
Final Rating: 5 out of 10 points
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