Left Behind
Dir: Vic Armstrong
2014
*
Based on the first novel of Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins' Left Behind series, Vic Armstrong's film concentrates on just one aspect of the overall idea; a dispensationalist apocalypse. The books have been successful, not just in Bible-belt America, but I think this is largely down to the suspenseful writing, the style often compared to that of Stephen King and Tom Clancy's. I've heard Christian rock songs with good rifts and some of the most popular of pop songs have ridiculous, nonsensical and sometimes insulting lyrics, sometimes you can go with the flow without noticing certain intentions but this isn't one of those examples. Vic Armstrong's 2014 film, the forth made from the franchise so far, is one of the most stupid films I have ever seen. It would be offensive if it weren't so ridiculous. The premise is simple; one day, without warning, everyone who believes in God disappears, supposedly ascending into heaven. Everyone else not worthy is left behind and face the prospect of seven years of God's wrath. However, the film doesn't get to the wrath bit, that is saved for the equally unlikely event of a sequel. The main story is extremely similar to that of Stephen King's The Langoliers that was a short story made into a film in 1995. It saw a similar 'event' whereby half the passengers on an Airplane suddenly disappear and the remaining passengers try to deal with the panic that follows. In King's The Langoliers, the Airplane wonders through a rift in space and time and they find themselves in a slightly different dimension whereby the passing of time is represented by giant spiky ball monsters who eat everything in site. It's a far more realistic and entertaining story. In Left Behind, our passengers not deemed worthy include an ex-drug user (should have said no), a science guy (not so clever now), a Muslim (wrong God dude), a couple of atheists (will they ever learn?), an adulterer (dirty girl), the wife of a famous Baseball player (everyone knows God is an ice-hockey fan) and a midget (?). Fairly insulting and judgmental work but then the Christians who are taken are portrayed as about as obsessive and delusional as they possibly could be. I'm not sure who the film tries to please, judging by the reviews I've read, absolutely no one. The insulting message is only the start though, the acting is terrible (just when you thought Nicolas Cage's career couldn't get any worse), the effects are shocking and the script is easily the worst I've ever heard. One of the worst films ever made. Save yourselves and watch the excellent This is the End instead.