On Tuesday, I went with two other women from my Bible study to see Angel Studios' new movie, The King of Kings. Although the movie is animated, and appropriate for children, adults should not shy away. Several things deserve commendation. It provides a clear articulation of the gospel. We all commented on how appealing it was to tell the story of Christ through the medium of a story told by Charles Dickens to his son. As the story goes along, the viewer begins to feel all of the emotions being expressed by Walter Dickens on the screen. I loved how the creators didn't shrink back from tastefully showing difficult scenes like the woman caught in adultery or Christ's time on the cross. Moreover, they clearly explain how sin separates us from God. Without Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we would be unable to bridge the chasm between sinful man and holy God.
This story-within-a-story is loosely based on Dickens' The Life of Our Lord. Dickens wrote that book specifically to share the story of Jesus' life with his children. While Dickens is not someone I would reference as a clearly committed Christian (nor are the celebrities voicing the characters, I'm sure), I felt his tale provided an educational foundation for key stories in the Bible that demonstrate Christ's power, purpose, and plan.
I would not label it an evangelistic tool, however. It introduces kids to portions of scripture, but I would never look to a film to create a transformed life. Indeed, I noted a Reddit feed of atheist parents expressing the movie as "safe" because it presents Christ's life as "legend" rather than "truth." Still, it opens a dialogue for parents and children, and it gives a basic outline of the life of Christ. It felt reminiscent of the "Walk Through the Bible" teaching tool, condensing large amounts of Biblical details into manageable and memorable story.
Of course, since I'm a Christ-follower and a Dickens-lover, it appealed to me. But the tale is appealing to others, as well. It is billed as the "highest opening-weekend for an animated faith-based film." It has achieved a Cinemascore audience rating of A+, a rare feat. There's no better time to take the young children in your life to learn about the life of our Lord than during the Easter season! Well-timed, Angel Studios!
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