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.
Plot Synopsis: This crowdfunded series will take viewers back in time to Biblical events in history from the perspective of a time-traveling pair from the dystopian future.
The end of the world is nearing, and all of the bees are dying. Thus, Dr. BEEatrix Cera has been enlisted by the mysterious Chairman of New World Genetics to create the Immortal Bee, an experiment that will causes bees to live forever and produce food that makes humans live forever. Simple right? Well, with the food stores running out, even though cancer has been cured by a random Catholic guy who gives food away, the Chairman demands immortality from BEEatrix. However, at what cost will BEEatrix go to save the world and try to get rid of the dreams of Jesus she keeps having? What will happen when the end finally comes?
Production Quality (2 points)
While it’s clear that time and effort was spent on this independent production, which is evidenced in the good video quality and camera work throughout, this film still seems quite indie. While the sets, locations, and props are fairly well done and while the soundtrack is intriguing, there is quite a bit of obvious CGI and cheesy animated overlaying throughout this film. However, audio quality is fine, and the only other issue to point out here is that the editing is quite choppy. Nevertheless, there is enough effort and funding here to make this an overall above-average production that is reminiscent of the modern productions we see in Christian film today.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
What the world doesn’t need is another half-baked Christian apocalyptic film, but at least The Second Coming of Christ gets past that overused speculative beginning of the tribulation known as the Rapture. We rarely get a look at the end of the apocalypse in the Christian cinematic universe, but we get that opportunity in this film. However, it doesn’t deliver at all. The plot is very incoherent as it is based on flimsy dialogue and very thin and empty characters. A lot of the end times elements are presented in a very juvenile fashion, and key concepts of this storyline are not well-explained at all as the entire world hangs in the balance waiting for immortal bees to be born. Umm, what? Besides this, the villain is very cheesy, and there is a lot of Catholic message-pushing. There is very little to hold the interest, and this seems more like a regular sci-fi plot rather than and end-of-the-world depiction. It’s really quite boring, actually.
Acting Quality (.5 point)
The acting of this film is particularly bad as all of the emotions are painfully forced, as if through a sieve, and the cast members are extremely dramatic with their line delivery. Some cast members, however, are just lackadaisical or clueless. There is a tiny amount of good here (how did Quinton Aaron get stuck in this movie?), but on the whole, this section wraps up a very poor film effort.
Conclusion
It seems like this movie started off with half of an idea and just tried to run with it without realizing that it was running on fumes and had nothing substantial to show for it at all. How are films like this even made? Think of all the projects that get abandoned, but stuff like this one gets put through. Well, at least we can say there’s never been a Christian film about the bee apocalypse before this one. There are new ideas being born daily, apparently.
Doug Holloway’s charter plane business is struggling, and his marriage is strained by busyness. On top of all of this, he receives word that his biological father is having medical complications and may be ruled psychologically incompetent. When Doug arrives at his father’s house, he discovers that he is half-crazy and is obsessed with solving his theory of the universe before he dies so that he can know whether or not God exists. Will he find out before it’s too late for him?
Production Quality (1.5 points)
The Theory of Everything begins as a very rough production, including some unusually crazy camera work and strangely poor lighting. There are also some odd sound effects and an odd soundtrack. Another strange element is the unusual use of overlaid and disorienting audio throughout. This goes without mentioning the wild cuts and transitions that make for a confusing experience. However, the good thing is that there is production improvement throughout, even though it has a lot of strange elements in the beginning. These factors are hard to overlook, but at least the production becomes more palatable as it goes on. Ultimately, it is an average production that needs some further work.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
The best thing you can say for this plot is that it is trying to be different. However, in doing so, it is too confusing. It includes random Christmas elements and a lot of other random ideas that need severe organization. At times, there are far too many things going on at once. Thus, the story tends to lack focus and overall purpose. The characters begin flat, but they do become more realistic as the story finds a better focus in the second half. For the most part, dialogue is fine. However, despite the improvement near the end, things become too rushed, which is a product of the whirlwind beginning. In the end, it comes off as an incomplete idea in need of some serious direction and reorganization. While this was a creative idea, unfortunately, it needs a major rewrite in order to become understandable.
Acting Quality (2 points)
Like the other elements of this film, the acting begins a bit raw and under-coached, yet it shows definite improvement as it goes on. The cast members settle into their roles better as the movie progresses, even though there are some annoying arguing sequences. Yet for the most part, emotions are realistic and line delivery is on point, thus rounding out an above average section.
Conclusion
Regardless, this film cannot shake its rocky start, and it thus falls short of what it could be. However, these ideas are good enough to be used in a different context, with better production quality and a more organized storyline. Thus, The Theory of Everything joins the ranks of films that are almost there and are thus in need a remake or a redo.
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.
Stephen Kendrick (not the film maker) is a computer science expert who finds himself a part of a major project on artificial intelligence at MIT. However, when the government shuts the project down due to safety concerns, Stephen and a friend of his decide to go underground with the project and ask the new AI software some pressing questions. They want to know if the AI can prove the existence of God, as well as other important philosophical concerns. Will they be able to discover the answers they are looking for before time runs out?
Production Quality (1.5 points)
Though it’s a clear effort was put into this production to make it professional, there are still some nagging issues with The God Question that keep it from being all that it could be. Video quality, camera work, and audio quality are all fine. However, sometimes it seems like there needs to be more of a soundtrack. There are too many cheap special effects pertaining to the technological props, which also need somewhat of an upgrade. Sets and locations are okay, yet they are partially limited. Finally, the editing of this film is quite poor as sequences lag too long and there is little driving purpose. In the end, this is a good effort, but there are definitely places for improvement.
Plot and Storyline Quality (.5 point)
Though this is an interesting and unique topic to make a movie on, it’s too focused on only the artificial intelligence concept. There is little plot content or character development outside of this one idea that dominates the film. Though there are attempts at complexity, there isn’t any real complexity or plot development that would otherwise make this film interesting. The story is all about the same thing and is fixated on the artificial intelligence concept, although there is some brief exploration of the philosophical debate surrounding this idea. Yet it’s still not enough and we don’t get enough of a change to get to know the people who are involved in this story. After killing and wasting a lot of time, the plot finally paints itself into a corner and ends abruptly without figuring out what it really wants to do. In the end, this is an unfinished idea that feels like it was forced to happen.
Acting Quality (1.5 points)
Though this cast is semi-professional, they often come off as overly practiced in their line delivery and extremely matter-of-fact. Emotions are not always believable, yet most of these performances are average. But the bottom line is that there were a lot of elements in this film that feel like they’re not reaching their full potential.
Conclusion
We definitely different sorts of plots and ideas like this in Christian film, but the biggest temptation for sci-fi stories in general is to make the movie all about the centralized concept. In doing this, dialogue and character development are left by the wayside in pursuit of the ‘big idea’. Besides this, production and acting in this film, while passable, are simply underwhelming. It might have been better to give a little more thought to this film before it went to distribution.
Anwaar Osem and David Sutherland are on the run from the powerful force that has taken over the American government and has sent its enforcers to capture and kill those who resist their anti-Christian rule. As they hide in the woods, they decide to record the truth about Christianity for all the world to see, even though the enforcement tries to stamp it out. Will they be able to spread the truth and save people’s lives before it’s too late?
Production Quality (.5 point)
Despite a somewhat strong beginning and several years of production experience, this Crystal Creek series is not what it should be. Camera work is very shaky throughout, like a camcorder is being used. Video quality is fine, but there are way too many scenes filmed in the dark. Audio quality is also below standard as sound effects that sound like they came from Final: The Rapture are included. The soundtrack is also underwhelming. Sets, locations, and props are severely limited and cheap-looking. Finally, editing in this series is very poor a lot of unnecessary scenes and sequences are included, seemingly just to make the ‘episodes’ longer. In short, a 2017 production should be much higher quality than this.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
Though there are plenty of potentially interesting and creative ideas at the heart of this series, they are never properly developed. This season overall lacks focus as it relies on a very vague and unexplained dystopian premise and stock suspense dialogue. There are far too many unrelated and empty characters that are put through unrealistic circumstances. The subplots are overall disjointed and any ‘twists’ that are employed are actually quite cheesy. Finally, the end of this season is very confusing and really doesn’t inspire one to want a second season. It’s very difficult to see the justification for this so-called series.
Acting Quality (1 point)
Can someone explain to us why Daniel Knudsen consistency uses an obviously fake British accent? It’s very off-putting and annoying. Elsewhere, this is a typical Crystal Creek cast with a few new additions that have some talent. However, acting coaching is still lacking as a lot of the line delivery in this series is monotone and phoned in. Emotions are difficult to grasp. It’s possible that this cast could do better with coaching, however.
Continuity Quality (0 points)
Each so-called ‘episode’ is basically just the same plot over and over again. Thus, there are no character arcs or real plot twists, as previously mentioned. The format this ‘series’ is placed in makes it more like a movie than a season, since the breaks between the episodes are totally arbitrary and unnecessary. They all run together, thus creating zero continuity.
Conclusion
We are certain that the Crystal Creek Media team means well, so we hope they will accept constructive criticism and use it improve in the future. They have the drive to make movies and series, which is good, and they have the means to consistently produce them, though not very well. They definitely like to build strong messages in their stories, but they need to build strong stories to hold their message properly. They need to pool their resources to make one good production rather than a collection of bad ones. Finally, their acting pool is limited, but they can be worked with if better coaching is employed. We know all of this is easier said than done, but it’s so worth it in the end.
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.
Carl Onoway is a captain in the new world army and is constantly tasked with making sure the new laws are enforced. Children are not allowed to be raised by their parents and can only be raised by qualified professionals. Everyone is required to take weekly medication to make them forget about their pasts and what has happened. Propaganda, such as religious materials, is not allowed. But what happens when these rules begin to be disobeyed? What happens when Carl and his wife begin to remember the past?
Production Quality (0 points)
Here’s a good rule of thumb for production: if you don’t have the budget to make it good, don’t make it at all. This is especially true for sci-fi\speculative dystopian productions. These types of projects require a lot of funding to create proper special effects, props, sets, and locations. Unfortunately, Remember does not have what it takes in this department. Audio quality is especially horrific, with lots of echoes and background noises. Lighting is very inconsistent, with a lot of the outside scenes inordinately bright. Camera work is very shaky and video quality is inconsistent. Sets, locations, and props are very cheap-looking, with obvious low-quality special effects and animation riding on top of them. The editing is lazy as it includes constant useless time subtitles and repeated sequences. In the end, this is one of those nightmare productions that should have never been released to the public.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
Much like the propaganda pushed in the plot of this film, the writers obviously had their own agenda in making this movie. Otherwise, there’s no reason for its creation. The dystopian premise constructed here is extremely absurd and juvenile as the viewer is constantly reminded that kids cannot be raised by their parents in this world but is given no realistic explanation as to why. This is combined with constant obvious references to how the natural family structure is attacked in this dystopian world. Rather than create meaningful characters, time is filled with message-pushing and repeating the same activities over and over again. The villains are laughable and the protagonists are plastic. As the story meanders and repeats itself, it still follows a predictable progression with a typical suspense climax scene. Basically, what appears to be a convoluted idea just boils down to a typical plot structure with no real surprises.
Acting Quality (0 points)
Another grave error of a poorly-funded dystopian thriller is terrible costuming, and Remember sports this quality. In an attempt to be futuristic, the costuming is very cheap and rushed. As for the acting, line delivery is very half-hearted while emotional delivery is very forced and sometimes over the top. Once again, this is another swing and a miss.
Conclusion
We desperately need new genre-breaking films in the Christian market, but this is just not the way. What could be better than a well-funded, well-constructed dystopian thriller with a Christian worldview that’s not too pushy? Unfortunately, Remember’s attempt to do this totally failed. Maybe the creative team should have saved their money a bit more or made a dystopian short film just to get the ball rolling. We know that funding an independent Christian film is very difficult, especially starting out, but that doesn’t mean you need to bite off more than you can chew. There is no shame in doing the best you can with what you have. Unfortunately, Remember is not the best.
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.
In our vast Christian entertainment viewing experience, we sometimes come upon films that we can hardly justify writing a full review for. Therefore, for your convenience, so you don’t have to go watch those free films that invade your suggested watch list in on-demand video services, we’ve provided a quick overview here. Someday we might post more, if we’re fortunate enough to find more.
There’s a map on the back of Georgia’s state constitution
The Adventures of Mickey Matson and the Copperhead Treasure
Oh, Mickey Matson. Why does this series exist? I guess someone pitched the idea of a juvenile young-adult patriotic secret society action adventure suspense secret codes National Treasure concept copycat film to PureFlix and they liked it because they don’t usually have any standards (see Divine Will). So they found the most redneck characters ever to play the villains and wrote out a bunch of mumbo jumbo about secret codes to make the story look interesting. Then they thought it would be cool to throw in some kind of cockamamie machine invention doohickey that does alchemy or something. Basically, this sort-of-non-Christian action adventure film is just too far over our heads to warrant a full review, especially since we can’t make heads or tails of what we’re supposed to learn from it.
The secret lies with Charlotte
Pirate’s Code: The Adventures of Mickey Matson
Oh, there’s another one? To think they meant to make more of these like PureFlix’s own version of a poor man’s young adult film franchise. Seriously, is this all they could come up with? More redneck villains and stupid props! More devices, doohickeys, and junk science! More secret societies and secret codes and secret secrets! More terrible special effects! If a non-Christian saw this, they would laugh you out of the room. This non-franchise should have been left at the storyboard.
Road to the Open
This isn’t really even a Christian film at all, just another random cheap inspirational film that PureFlix endorses. It was so boring to watch and the only reason we did was so we could see John Schneider and Eric Roberts play an alpha-male star tennis team. They were barely in the movie as it was, which was a real bummer, and they weren’t even that funny, even though they tried. Oh well.
Well that’s all for now! Maybe we’ll post another one someday…maybe not…
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.
Tom Canboro doesn’t believe in God or the supernatural, but his sister does and insists that he should before it’s too late. However, one day, his brother-in-law begins to go insane, along with other people around the world. Then Tom falls into a coma and wakes up to an entirely different world. Everyone is following a world leader and receiving his required mark. Will Tom turn to God before it’s too late?
Production Quality (1 point)
Not much about production changes throughout this agonizing series. Though video quality has finally improved, the film is filled with unwatchable and dizzying action scenes. Audio quality is fine, but the soundtrack is cheesy. Sets and locations are somewhat limited and there is some poor lighting in certain scenes. In keeping with the theme of this series, Tribulation is full of more product placements from Jack Van Impe, John Hagee, and even T. D. Jakes for some reason. Finally, the editing is all over the place and causes a confusing plot development. In short, though tiny improvements are being made, it’s just not enough.
Plot and Storyline Quality (0 points)
This installment is perhaps the most bizarre and sensational as it includes a lot of horror and creepy spiritual elements. There are a lot of strange and bizarre sequences of violence, including sensationalized demonic activity. The occult is portrayed in a childish manner yet there is still an obsession with the satanic. All of this is combined with the forceful and ridiculous apocalyptic worldview that is being propagated in the midst of this madness. The storyline is very incoherent as it jumps all over the place and fills time with information dump dialogue. Most of the characters, especially the antichrist, are extreme strawmen and really have no potential. In short, it feels like this movie was only made for the sensational appeal rather than anything meaningful, and it’s still horrible.
Acting Quality (.5 point)
In keeping with the theme of sensationalism, emotions are over the top and obnoxious. Line delivery is mostly forced. While there are some good factors, this cast seems overall disingenuous, especially when one finds out that a handful of these cast members didn’t even know they were in a Christian movie when they agreed to this lunacy. I guess they should have known that a movie this bad would be labeled as Christian.
Conclusion
Besides everything else, how does this installment fit into the series? There are some connecting elements, but this ridiculous series as a whole really has no continuity or sense whatsoever. If PureFlix had been named as a contributor to this mess, I would have believed it. Constantly pushing TV preacher talking points and products transposed on top of a C-grade horror film is only a recipe for disaster. Once again, scaring people into Christianity is a failing strategy and only serves to feed someone’s obsession with the sensational. But don’t worry, there’s only one more of these…
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.
We should go back to the good ole’ days…when old white guys ran everything
My time machine is far too complex for you to understand
And over here we have an even larger selection of horrid Christian films
Plot Summary
The year is 1890. Dr. Carlisle does the unthinkable and writes a seminary textbook advocating for the teaching of morals apart from Jesus Christ, Dr. Andersen sees fit to stall his vote for the book’s endorsement until Carlisle comes and sees his time machine invention. When Carlisle finally stops moping around and agrees to meet with the mad scientist, he is roped into travelling through time to the future so that he can learn what supposedly happens when society teaches morals apart from Christ. What he finds is a shocking new culture he’s not familiar with in many ways. Will he ever make it back so he can sell his textbook?
Production Quality (.5 point)
Time Changer is one of those films that is very memorable, but for all the wrong reasons. While the production team should get some slight credit for attempting to dress characters in historically appropriate attire, there are too many other negatives that outweigh the small amount of positive. For starters, money was wasted building ridiculous time travel contraptions that look like they belong in a 1980s sci-fi film. The camera work and video quality are okay, but the audio quality is inconsistent, including a very annoying soundtrack. As usual, the editing is all over the board and is basically just a pasting together of heavy-handed scenes that demonstrate the Christiano brothers’ ridiculous worldview. Unfortunately, the production isn’t the worst this film has to offer.
Plot and Storyline Quality (-1 points)
Time travel plots are always going to be a problem. There’s rarely an instance when this concept can be justified. But when you merge this mind-bending sci-fi premise with an extreme fundamentalist Christian worldview, disaster occurs. There is no plot present here, since the Christianos are content to shove their unwanted opinions on the state of humanity in your face at every possible turn. Who believes that if some crazy professor from the late 1800s discovered time travel, he would use it to ‘solve’ the world’s biggest theological nitpick? Time Changer is entirely built on the incorrect assumption that the ‘good ole days’ were better, when old white guys made all the decisions, women were not allowed to do anything but sit at home, and religious idolatry reigned. Thus, the dialogue is chock-full of religious jargon and fundamentalist talking points while at the same time making a mockery of anyone who opposes the assumptions of the writers. Besides this, in an attempt to be ‘historical’, the dialogue is also overly awkward and cumbersome. Because of this, the characters are extremely programmed and robotic, just waiting to spew their lingo when the time is right. There are also subtle racial stereotypes and jabs at modern women’s roles throughout the film. The ending of the film is borderline bizarre, as it quietly depicts the nutty professor trying to find the ‘end of time’ using his contraption. Not only do the writers silently let you know that they think the end of time occurs before the year 2050, but they also show disdain for Jesus’ own words in the Scriptures, which state that no one knows the time or day when He’s returning. In short, there is nothing good about this storyline, and it even goes far enough to be rated in the propaganda category. It’s purely preaching to a small audience that already agrees with these narrow-minded views and accomplishes little else.
Acting Quality (-1 points)
As can expected, the acting is as outdated as the ideas in this film. Line delivery is forced and awkward and emotions are not present. Male cast members are overrepresented while female cast members are painted in a strange light. As previously mentioned, there are also some subtle racial stereotypes. But what else is new about this film?
Conclusion
This movie is a wide open window into the disturbing worldview of the Christiano brothers. In the end, they blame all of society’s ills on Hollywood. There may be some truth to this, as there are other nuggets of truth buried throughout the sludge of this film. Immoral Hollywood movies have certainly contributed a great deal to the corruption of society, but the world is always going to do what it does best—recede into sinful entropy. It is up to the Christians to stop this slide; we cannot expect the world to fix itself and pat us on the back for it. What people like the Christiano brothers really want is a return to their idea of a comfortably religious society. But what they don’t realize is that today’s culture is a reaction against that older worldview. If a white patriarchal religious utopia built on ivory tower theology was the answer to the world’s problems, it would have never ended. The problem is that those who claimed the name of Christ tainted His Name with their actions, not those who do not claim His Name. Jesus is the answer for culture’s problems, not some Pharisaical dominion. And when it comes to movies, if you don’t like what you see, make something better. So far, Christiano brothers and everyone else who complains about the state of Western culture, you have not produced any movies that are better or more worthwhile than the Hollywood alternative. So shame on you.
Two years after the Rapture, the enigmatic Josh McManus has a mission to do good and to right wrongs, even when it seems like evil is winning. His latest mission takes him to a strict and legalistic settlement that tolerates no crime in order to gain medical attention for an injured girl. In exchange for both of their lives, Josh must carry out a dangerous mission: search for a mysterious and troublemaking vagrant known as the Shepherd and bring him back so the settlement leader, Drake, can exchange him to his superiors for more life saving supplies. In route to searching for the Shepherd, Josh and his unwanted tagalong, Sofia, must battle multiple villains and come to grips with what they truly believe about Jesus and His plan for the world.
Production Quality (2 points)
Despite previous production struggles, Bradley Dorsey and Gabriel Sabloff have greatly improved this franchise. The camera work improves dramatically in The Black Rider, as does the sound quality. The surroundings and sets are innovative and creative. Gone are ridiculous special effects, including that weird lightning! This would have been a stellar production were in not for a collection of small issues—no doubt White influences. For example, the CGI that is used is very amateurish. Action scenes are overall not produced well, and there are too many of them, which is an editing problem. The scope of the plot is so vast that precious time does not need to be wasted on silly fight scenes. Yet these such portions squeezed out the deepening of plot creativity. Nonetheless, this is the type of production that Pureflix has been trying to stab in the dark for years.
Plot and Storyline Quality (2 points)
The abysmal non-plot of The Beginning of the End seems like a distant memory after viewing The Black Rider. There is a unique psychological edge to this plot and creative concepts that give the film deeper meaning beyond car chases and gunfights. An entire new cast of characters is introduced, and it actually works. A new world is introduced two years after The Sea of Glass and Fire, and it’s better than before. But this new world is a double-edged sword—it’s too big for the scope of this film. If more of this world had been explained in The Sea of Glass and Fire, we would have a framework to understand, but this did not happen. Foreign plot devices such as the ominous ULC are forced upon viewers without explanation. However, the city-state government system works well in this apocalyptic setting and gives the movie that epic backdrop David A. R. White has been searching for. Moreover, there are other speculative concepts that are introduced and not fully explained. Yet the gospel message is philosophically communicated far better than ever before in a Pureflix movie, and all without forcing the message down the audience’s throats. There is unfortunately still wasted time on childish fighting scenes. The escapades of Josh McManus, a surprisingly good character, border on unrealistic and sometimes coincidental. Some of the many villains in this movie are laughable, while others are believable. Each character is crafted through mostly effective dialogue. The ending of this plot is also a double-edged sword: it both introduces a key psychological element and confuses the audience. It both isolates the viewer and makes them want more. Any further discussion is beyond the scope of this review, but the bottom line is Dorsey and Sabloff really have something going here, something that needs to be continued.
Acting Quality (2 points)
Hands down, The Black Rider is David A. R. White’s best acting work to date. Bradley Dorsey also contributes an excellent role to the film, perhaps his best. Unfortunately, there is still some cheesy acting from certain cast members. Kevin Sorbo in a thrift store disaster getup and sporting a fake insert-ethnicity-here accent is just too much to bear. Action acting is still B-grade. Other small issues plague an otherwise great casting job, such as that dumb sheet the Shepherd wears. Otherwise, costuming is fairly responsible. Line delivery is sometimes effective and sometimes forced. Emotions are mostly believable. In short, everything about this film is give and take: for every cheesy element, there is an excellent element, and vice versa.
Conclusion
The Revelation Road saga is a cinematic freak of nature—a film franchise with a redemption arc of its own that closely mirrors the rise of Josh McManus, the surprising crowning achievement of David A. R. White’s acting career. Nonetheless, The Black Rider is a constant tug of war between the C-grade action of The Beginning of the End and the psychological creativity of The Sea of Glass and Fire. The third installment suffers from the wasted time of the first two installments, where this time could have been used to build a better backstory instead of shoving in all into one movie, intending to fix a broken series in one stroke. But The Black Rider is proof that broken sagas can be fixed. Therefore, we are surprisingly anticipating the release of Revelation Road 4.
Box Office Revolution 