Rent Left Behind (2014)

Eye-wateringly on-the-nose religious propaganda which is painful to watch - Left Behind review by Timmy B

The main point which needs to be clearly stated at the start of any conversation about Left Behind is that is it a piece of religious propaganda which uses as it's touchstone a series of books about the Rapture/Revelation as described in the Bible. And if the book covers claims are to be believed, it has shifted tens of millions of copies all over the world (but primarily in the USA,) so it's storylines regarding the snatching up of all devot believers into Heaven (The Rapture,) and the subsequent narrative arc of those "Left Behind," are catnip for those devoutly religious people looking for a specific type of story. So for an American audience, this film wears it's colours/themes on its sleeve.

However, what turns it from the sort of low-budget tripe you'd find playing during the afternoon slot on a Gospel TV channel into a film which was shown in cinemas was firstly it's budget, which is much greater than anything those TV production companies could afford; and secondly the casting of Nicholas Cage. This was released during the period of time when Cage was saying yes to ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING (the period being after his early, critically-acclaimed work/Oscar win, and before he started to again make incredible films such as Pig & The Bad Lieutenant,) and resulted in absolute barrel-scrapers such as USS Indianapolis, Mom & Dad and Tokarev.

And the reason for writing all of this is because, if you are not the target market, this film is not only absolute garbage, but totally incomprehensible. The discussions about extreme Christian doctrine are so on-the-nose & blunt, it is like you are in a surreal parallel universe. Within 5 minutes, one of the main characters is accosted by a woman who sounds like she is part of a cult, spewing out ideological religious arguments at him, completely out of nowhere.

The Steele family, whose father Rayford (Cage) is the protagonist & a pilot, is quickly established as being driven apart due to his wife's sudden & extreme conversion to Christianity. The first time we meet her, she sits down for a conversation with her daughter (who is practically estranged due to her mother's views) and the film attempts to, in a wince-inducingly manipulative way, not only justify her beliefs, but to cast her as an oppressed & maligned speaker of truth who has all the answers, if only her family would listen to her... When the conversation implodes, she sits on the sofa with a look which is a weird combination of sadness & smug self-righteousness, before standing at the window watching her distraught daughter taking her brother away from the lunacy which has made the home intolerable.

And the film just keeps going down this extreme spiral. When the "Rapture" happens, meaning millions of people vanish into thin air, the film attempts to drum up tension, but it just looks like a load of extras have been directed to run around half-heartedly whilst either shouting, looting or dodging cars which suddenly have no driver. The film also doesn't in any way attempt to tackle the notion that it's maybe a little bit disgusting that unless you believe exactly the religion in that world, you are effectively left to rot on Earth...

Meanwhile, up in the sky, Rayford attempts to make sense of what is happening, mainly from the awfully constructed pilot's cockpit. And in a neat bit of symmetry, you also get the feeling that Cage's looks of exhaustion & confusion are from the very real realisation that he is starring in yet another piece of absolute garbage which further sullied his once-incredible filmography.

The most surprising thing of all about this film is that, despite it's critical panning, it actually made money. Having watched it, the fact it turned a profit is the only thing that convinces me there may be a God. It definitely wasn't anything on screen...

Bible Bashing at it's Worst! - Left Behind review by CS

This film could have been such a good movie if it had left the Bible Bashing element behind and concentrated on giving us a good Sci-Fi mystery instead! All through the film you think there is going to be a twist at the end, but there isn't! The religious theme is constantly thrown in your face and whilst you think this may involve Aliens, it doesn't. this is nothing more than religious propaganda, throwing the believe and go to Heaven myth right in your face, but none of it make sense, with good people and innocents being left behind! All through I thought there's got to be an Alien twist to this, otherwise it becomes nothing more than religious bible bashing, but sadly there wasn't and it did turn out to be religious propaganda at the end all the time!