Left Behind – the Movie

Left Behind the Movie is based on the best-selling series of Left Behind Christian novels. What happens to the people Left Behind when Jesus returns?

Left Behind – the Movie (2000) starring Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson, Clarence Gilyard

Review

There are a series of best-selling Christian novels known as the Left Behind series. It tells the story, over a series of ten (or so) books, about The Rapture. What’s that? That’s a term that Christians have come up with, to describe the return of Jesus Christ. When he takes all of the believers out of the world, to be with Himself. While the remainder of the world goes through the worst seven years in human history — the Tribulation.

So …. What happens to the people left behind? How do they deal with millions of people disappearing worldwide? What about the vehicles they were driving? The jobs they were doing? Their families? What happens next?

That’s what Left Behind – the Movie is all about. It deals with a small group of survivors, how they react, deal with the emotional trauma … As well as all of the physical chaos. And it introduces what happens next, as The Tribulation begins to take shape.

Conclusion

I enjoyed Left Behind – the Movie — surprisingly so. The acting was excellent all around, the sets, costuming, etc. all looked appropriate. Some people complain that it didn’t follow the source material closely enough. Frankly, for a 2-hour adaptation of a 400 page novel, I think they did an excellent job.

Your mileage may vary

If you’re not a Christian, you may well dislike the movie. Frankly, I’d recommend watching it anyway — the acting’s that good. You think it’s a work of fiction? Well, technically, it is. The Rapture, Tribulation, and Armageddon are all Biblical prophesies — I don’t consider them fiction. This particular interpretation is, however. But if you can enjoy fantasy like The Lord of the Rings, you should be able to enjoy this as well.

Repent, and believe the Gospel

Bruce Barnes: Oh boy. Ha. What a fraud I am. Everybody bought it. Ha. Except me. I knew your message, I knew your word, I stood right here and preached it, and I was done. But they’re gone, they’re gone and, oh but no one would believe in two different things. I was living a lie, living a lie. Oh, God, I am kneeling before you. Now asking you, God forgive me for my sins. And I’m asking you, give me one more chance. 

Cast

• Kirk Cameron (Left Behind: Tribulation Force) … Buck Williams. The honest TV reporter for GNN. He’s unafraid to go virtually anywhere to get a story. Including ground zero of the bombing of Israel, at the beginning of the movie.
• Brad Johnson (Left Behind World at War) … Rayford Steele. The family man …. Who was about to begin cheating on his wife with Hattie. He loves his wife, but she’s become religious, and is trying to convert Rayford. His young son, as well. But then they suddenly disappear along with millions of others worldwide. And Rayford has to question if they were right?
• Janaya Stephens (Flashpoint) … Chloe Steele. Rayford’s adult daughter, who’s also been left behind. She has to struggle with all of the emotions and trouble by herself, as her father initially wraps himself inside himself. She’s startled to find Buck sleeping on her couch, until he explains that Rayford brought him along. And he is kind of cute …. And Chloe has to decide, for herself, if her mother was right.
• Clarence Gilyard Jr. (Walker Texas Ranger) … Bruce Barnes. The pastor of a local church. He knows the Bible, knew the salvation message. But never applied it to himself. Until he was one of the many left behind.
• Colin Fox (Tommy Boy) … Chaim Rosenzweig. An Israeli, who’s developed an incredible soil treatment. It could literally end world hunger.
• Gordon Currie (My Blue Heaven) … Nicolae Carpathia. An incredibly good performance, as the politician, forced by circumstances, to become the head of the world government. Someone literally too good to be true …

Secondary characters

• Chelsea Noble (Growing Pains) … Hattie Durham. Rayford’s ex-girlfriend, former stewardess,, who left to join the United Nations. And became Nicolae’s “personal” assistant.
• Daniel Pilon (Ryan’s Hope) … Jonathan Stonegal
• Tony De Santis (Red) … Joshua Cothran

Editorial review of  Left Behind – the Movie

An international airline flight full of passengers disappears out of thin air with now explanation. The pilot, Rayford Steele, finds out that his plane is not the only group to instantly vanish from the face of the earth. His wife and son are among the missing. Millions of people worldwide vanish and so Steele and a group of survivors decided to take matters into their own hands and find out who or what is responsible and why the chosen “millions” have been take away. As the group get deeper into the mystery, they find out the answers could be found in a book more than two centuries old or on a videotape in an abandoned church…who knows.