"God's Not Dead" delivers the Good News, but not a good movie
As a Christian and a movie-lover, I have to appreciate many of the faith-based films that have been released over the last few years, including the new film "God's Not Dead," based on the novel of the same name by Rice Broocks and the popular rock song by Christian rock band Newsboys. I appreciate the message given this is largely missing in mainstream Hollywood, as do many of my Christian friends, who wholeheartedly embrace many of these faith-based films. What I don't appreciate is the second or third-rate quality (acting, production values, etc) of many of these films, including this one, which often hurts the credibility of the message. In "God's Not Dead," a college freshman named Josh Wheaton (Disney star Shane Harper), is challenged by his atheist philosophy professor Jeffery Radisson (Kevin Sorbo) to prove that God is not dead. Other intersecting storylines include Radisson's Christian girlfriend Mina (Cory Oliver) whose douche-bag brother (Dean Cain) dumps his girlfriend (Trisha LaFache) because she has cancer, and all who struggle at some point or another with their faith. Directed by Christian filmmaker Harold Cronk, "God's Not Dead" delivers its message of faith, God, Jesus and the Good News very well, though in terms of pure movie making it doesn't deliver a great film and comes across as more of a second-rate apologetics class. The melodramatic, intersecting storylines aren't effective here, and it "God's Not Dead" would've been better had it focused on the more compelling Josh-Radisson storyline, which is the heart of the film. Though I'm glad that "God's Not Dead" has become a hit at the box-office (and especially within Christian circles), it would be better to show the world that a movie by and/or about Christians can actually be good.
Wes's Grade: C
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