Left Behind

Plot synopsis:
University of Central Arkansas student Chloe Steele (Cassi Thomson) has flown in from college to surprise her father, pilot Rayford Steele (Nicolas Cage), for his birthday party. However, her mother Irene quickly calls to inform her that her father cannot make it. While at the airport waiting for him, Chloe meets up with investigative reporter Cameron "Buck" Williams (Chad Michael Murray).
Rayford shows up on his way to a flight and apologizes to Chloe for missing his birthday party, insisting he was called in to pilot a flight to London at the last minute. He also assures Chloe things are fine between himself and his wife, who recently had become an active believing Christian, much to Chloe's chagrin. Chloe suspects things are not fine between her father and mother – she had seen him flirting with flight attendant Hattie Durham (Nicky Whelan) and notices he has removed his wedding ring. Her suspicions soon are confirmed when an airport worker hands Chloe two hard-to-get U2 concert tickets in London that Rayford had ordered, indicating his trip to London and possible extramarital fling was planned all along.
Chloe brushes off another one of her mother's preachings about Christianity and takes her brother to the mall. While there, her brother suddenly vanishes, leaving only his clothes behind. Chloe is shocked and notices this same thing has happened to numerous others at the mall. Mayhem breaks loose as shoppers begin looting the stores. A driver-less car plows through the mall windows, and a small plane without a pilot crashes in the mall parking lot. Chloe sees television reports of children and some adults disappearing, as worldwide panic sets in.
On Rayford's flight, the same strange event has occurred – several people, including his co-pilot Chris Smith (William Ragsdale), Kimmy (Stephanie Honore), one of the flight attendants, and all the children on board, have simply disappeared, leaving their clothing and personal effects behind. The remaining passengers panic and demand answers. Rayford does his best to reassure the passengers he will pass on information once he has any. Rayford has difficulty getting radio or satellite phone contact with anyone on the ground, until he is finally informed that people have disappeared everywhere and the world is in uproar. Soon a pilot-less jet approaches directly into Rayford's flight path. He narrowly avoids a midair collision, but the jet damages Rayford's fuel line. He decides his only option is to return to New York and hope his fuel holds out.
On the ground, Chloe hears her father's mayday call on her cell phone and assumes his plane has crashed. She later finds her mother's jewelry left behind in the shower, as she has also disappeared. Chloe makes her way to New Hope Village Church to discover the family pastor Bruce Barnes (Lance E. Nichols) who explains God has taken his believers to heaven, and the rest have to face the end of days. The pastor explains he was not taken because he did not really believe what he had preached. Rayford comes to the same conclusion by examining his copilot and stewardess' personal effects. He tells Hattie the truth about his wife. She is initially upset as she did not know he was married, but Rayford convinces her to be brave and to help calm the passengers down until they can safely land.
Chloe climbs to the top of a bridge, intending to jump off it and end her life, when she gets a call from Buck, who is in the cockpit with Rayford. Rayford explains to Chloe all the New York area airports are closed and the streets full, and he is low on fuel and has nowhere to land. Chloe finds an abandoned Ford truck and uses it to clear away the equipment from a bridge under construction in order to create a makeshift runway. She uses her compass app and tells Rayford the coordinates of the landing site. Rayford is able to glide to a rough landing, saving the passengers, who leave the plane only to see the world aflame. Buck mentions that it looks like the end of the world, while Chloe informs him that it is just the beginning.

Tags: violence, murder, storytelling, flashback

Review:
That being said, I think Left Behind is one of the worst films I've seen in some time.To have a good movie, you need to have a well-written screenplay.
The book is written decently enough where people like Rayford Steele, Buck Williams and Hattie Durham seem real, but in the movie scenarios are consistently given the quick treatment without anything substantial.
In another scene where one character gets angry about being left behind (again, I won't say who), it seems artificial.I realize as a Christian it's unedifying for me to say I disliked this film, but I can't in a good conscience recommend a film that I feel was horribly done.
We're expected to believe that the population of the planet buys the idea that some mysterious form of radiation has selectively wiped out millions of people in a wide spread area with no particular pattern (they wouldn't, especially considering that some of the world's top scientists are unlikely to have been "chosen").
Just the main character finally realising the truth of what the viewer noticed hours ago.I've certainly seen worse movies, of course, but if you happen to see a copy of this on the store shelves, even at weekly prices...
There are certainly plenty of Christian materials worthy enough to be made into movies...but not the "Left Behind" series...and these movies ultimately fail because, while being best-sellers, they are poorly written novels based on bad theology.As a Southern Baptist minister, I confess that the books were a guilty pleasure for me, though I have yet to finish the last two books of the series.
I have described them as decent fiction, and if the books would take the point of view that this is one "possibility" or interpretation of the subject of biblical eschatology (study of the "end times), then I could live with that.
But because many people, particularly unstudied Christians, can't think beyond their own world-views, we are left with a pro-conservative, fundamentalist stance with regard to Bible interpretation, and attempts to push it through as the "only" interpretation.Thus, the books carry with them an agenda, not so much to get the "lost" to understand their need for Christ, but to state that the fundamentalist point of view is the only valid way to understand the Bible.
I recall very clearly reading (several years ago) in the second novel a scene where the characters reference a person who was "left behind" BECAUSE of his non-adherence to this point of view; as if "real" christians worthy to be "raptured" couldn't possibly hold to another eschatology.
This is disturbing for several reasons, the least of which is because a "rapture" is only briefly mentioned in Scripture and it's connection to real, end-time prophecy is tenuous at best.But the real issue with these books is comes in the way they divide the Christian community and how they portray "true" Christian behavior.
As a Christian body, on the whole, we've done enough of that kind of damage to society over 2000 years of history...and we certainly don't need to promote it by film to thousands, maybe millions of others.Thus, the "Left Behind" movies fail because the "Left Behind" books aren't worthy to be interpreted into movies..
The characters' conversions to Christianity had the proper emotional impact, and while some might tire of basically hearing "God is the answer," to nearly every question the characters have post-rapture, you have to keep in mind that Christians really do believe that God can help you out of any problem.The movie is very true to the book.
As a movie, the end result at times more looks like clips out of a televangelism program (complete with family prayers and light breaking through church windows while harps are playing).For mainstream viewers, it may be hard to believe, but many people believe in this stuff literally, as presented in the movie.
Also, early in the movie, it seemed that Buck Williams already had a relationship with the Steele Family before the Rapture where it did not germinate until towards the end of the Left Behind book.Maybe it was because of the low budget and time constraints.
I remember when Kirk Cameron was fired up about doing the movie after reading the book.
if you want to convert people to Christianity with a film like this, at least make it a quality one!
God Awful Movie Based On A God Awful Book about a God Awful God. Left behind is based on the first book of the popular bestselling series about the end of the world as told in the bible.
evil and Anti-Christ my first thought were of books and films like the Omen or The stand by Steven King.
The film is not much different from my experiences with the book.The story stars Kirk Cameron (The kid from growing pains) as "tough" guy reporter Buck Williams and Brand Johnson as polite Rayford Steel who cheating on his overly Christian wife.
In the film they betray it as the family is having a hard time accepting what she has to preach (Believe me, there will be preaching in this film) but in real life it would more likely be along the lines that people cant stand having some one ells trying to enforce religion down our Throats.She throwing there son a Christian themed birthday party, Poor kid, but that no good sinning non-believing father of there has to go to work and fly a plane.
Non-right winged Christian Characters go on to be betrayed like this in the books and the films.
In one night all born again evangelical Christian who believed the bible is the literal truth and Jesus is the only way to heaven disappear along with all children under 12 years old.
As the story moves on our "heroes" discover that people were rapture in to heaven and now it's up to those who were left behind to convert the rest of the world to Christianity and battle the Anti-Christ.Okay.
One thing I usually cant stand in movies is when I am being preached at and Left behind the most preachy film I have ever seen in my life.
Leave it to fundamentalist Christians to screw up there own end of the world movie.That why I give this holy message a 1 out of 10.
The music, effects, acting and scripting are all about as bland as barley water, and the actors are almost exclusively C-list 80s and 90s TV actors(like Kirk Cameron, its STAR) who obviously can't even get jobs in porn--and I guess this kind of thing is what you do after even porn won't have your has-been butt anymore.
I saw the movie a second time and liked it better than I did the first time.I hope anyone who sees it who doesn't 'get it' or who feels that only fundamentalist christians can really understand it will just open their bibles.
You wouldn't attempt to pass the bar exam by talking to friends about their opinions and watching "The Practice."  But people who believe in God don't read His book.
"Left Behind", on the other hand, is.In comparison to those previously mentioned "other Christian movies", "Left Behind" is a great effort to present the story of Revelation seriously and realistically.
I have never had a chance to read any of the "Left Behind" books, which I have really wanted to do, so I cannot compare the movie to them.
I have read all the bad comments, that the books are better than the movie etc.
I mean I have read all the books of the LOTR trilogy, in those books there are a lot of accounts that are not in reflected in the movies as well but those are still very good movies.You see, some people have to write those bad reviews in order to hide from the biblical truth.
I have searched the biblical passages in my English bible (english is not my native language) mentioned in the movie and they are accurate.And I admire Kirk Cameron and his wife for responding to the call of God instead of the call of fame and riches of this world.
Stern warnings are given all through the book of Daniel, Revelation, etc.As Christians we should be less judge-mental and more supportive to what the film makers are trying to do.
How sad it would have been to have those who have not yet read the books to discover them through this movie.Unfortunately, I am not a student of movie making so I am not quite sure how this adaptation was so terribly de-railed, but I suspect that what may have happened is that the production house assumed that because they had a hit series in book form, that any rendition of the movie would be a success, not taking the time to develop an art form that would stand on it's own.I do not believe that the lack of believable special effects is a key in this movie's ills.
Not to mention this is based on the first book in a series, so you're left hanging at the end and therefore the last scene is a little lame.Go see it.
If this is Kirk Cameron's view, then he is certainly not one of my idols, and the people who wrote the "Left Behind" books belong in a zoo..
Left Behind is the kind of "we know what we know cause we know it" movie that Christians (and most any other naive person) needs to help them feel like what they "THINK" and "BELIEVE" (not "KNOW") is right.
To all the fans of the books and movie, think about this:     How many times have you seen a straight-to-video movie muscle its way into the theaters?
To think this was a best-selling novel is incredible, but to pull it off as a movie you really need good acting and a script that delivers.
In this case, all the good actors have gone to heaven and we're left with Kirk Cameron as a CNN-type journalist(!) trying to discover why a lot of people have simply disappeared.
I read the books and the movie didn't live up to my expectations but..
Granted that the book was way better, and observing that they had a time limit, I would have to say that the movie was really good.
I have read almost all of the books in the adult series in left behind and this movie is as great as the first book.
Anyone can learn alot from this movie and the books about the end times.
I hope everyone will see this great movie and read all the books in the series..
Only if your idea of star power is scraping the barrels of 80's sitcom characters and watching Kirk Cameron trade his TeenBeat smirk for 95 minutes of furrowed brows (if he registered any emotion other than oh-so-earnest concern, I missed it; perhaps he was earnestly wondering why wardrobe couldn't find him a suit that didn't make him look like a little boy in Daddy's dress up).Of course, when the Christians claim that "it's a good movie" what they really mean is "it's a good Christian movie", which is like saying the Yugo is the best Yugoslavian car ever made.
The next movie (Tribulation Force) actually is a LOT better than this movie.The writers of the book did a wonderful job with the story, which tells a fictionalized account of the only part of scripture that has yet to be fulfilled.
It is an entertaining movie, though...like I said, try the book.
It's these kind of movies that continue to give Christian film-making a bad name, meaning sub-par acting, poor special-effects and just an overall "B" film feeling to the whole project.The reason, is course, is money.
I thought I was a watching a 1950s low-budget sci-fi show.Yes, kudos for someone at least trying to make an earnest effort to re-create the suspense based on the best-selling "Left Behind" books, but this is not the answer.
It made me want to go read the books and look for the other movies.
It is like the filmmakers wanted to make a film about the end of the world but had no story so they decided to rip off as much material as possible from other movies.
They should have ripped off even more because the best parts of "Left Behind: The Movie" are recycled straight from other productions; any original ideas the film has on its own are agonizingly routine and wreak of desperation.
We just got it and well, I gave it a 10/10, but not because the special effects were incredible, or because the acting was oscar winning, no...I thought for the little resources they had, this was the best movie I have seen.
Terrible script, terrible dialogue, mediocre filming, horrible acting.It was like a movie made by aliens, made by someone who had no actual experience of real life.
I've read several of the coments about how the movie is bad, while not the best movie, The book is better.
Think of their anguish as they saw their $914.86 investment go up in smoke.Someone asked why Christian movies are so bad - perhaps the Xian film-makers need to look at GOOD movies and attempt to copy some of the things that make them so good.
I've read every book to date in the left behind series, and the movie hardly does any of them justice.
The script was a horrible adaptation of the book, and it felt like the actors were reading their lines, instead of actually saying them.
It had to have been the most cheesy, film student-like ending I've ever seen in a movie.
But nonetheless, decided to watch it with an open mind -- mainly because I wanted to see Kirk Cameron and what he had become in his years since "Growing Pains".It started out pretty badly, the bit about Israel and yadda yadda yadda has been a bit overused, and really gave this movie a *very* cheesy beginning.
I honestly could not even guess at what that message was, what it was the movie was trying to tell the audience.All in all, I really expected more from this film.
Clarence Gilyard Jr. and Brad Johnson's scenes when they came to grips with their unbelief, and therefore the reason they were "Left Behind", were also very powerful moments in the movie.And Kirk Cameron is great as Buck Williams, trying to find the answer's as to why all these people just suddenly disappeared!The screenplay was well written, and it followed Biblical Eschatology very closely.
Mind you, the books in and of themselves were pretty shocking, but this movie takes it to a whole new level.While I have, in the past, found the whole pre-millenialism theology to be interesting, and for a while even believed it, I would like to think that I have grown out of that stage of my life and returned to the amillenialism traditions of my parents, and though while people are entitled to believe what they believe, I find this whole fear mongering over the identity of the anti-Christ and the conspiratory theories behind the creation of the European Union to be just a little overboard.
Did Our Lord not specifically admonish that "It is not for you to know the hour"?This is a bad movie, based on bad source material, but it does not fall under the banner of a "conservative Christian" film by any standard, and the people clinging to its disastrous theology have little recognisable share of the magnificent 2,000 year legacy of this Faith.
I find it sad that Christians (and I am one) feel that we must make movies like "Left Behind." We have much better stories to tell that don't have to be so preachy.
Coming across as somewhat of a friendly salesman and the anti-Christ, Kirk Cameron treated the film as a giant platform to get the movie Left Behind scene in the movie theaters nationwide.
I would recommend this movie to someone who has never read the book but if you're a die hard fan like myself, you'll hate it..
Read Book After Watching Movie..
The books were pretty good, but this movie was *horrible*.
In any case, you don't have to believe in the Bible whatsoever to enter into the story of the characters and enjoy the movie for what it is – a "What if the Rapture really happened" mystery/thriller.
I'm not a religious, so I couldn't care less really but film-making does some like a good tool to reach a new audience for churches and getting people more interested and curious in reading the bible for instance.
Not a bad attempt for a Christian movie.
Great Christian Movie (Based from the Bible).
Although having a screenplay a little confused and being boring in some parts, 'Left Behind' is a good movie, and has an intelligent story.
Of course, you're going to get preached at a little, but I thought it was done very tastefully, and if you really don't want to hear Christian things, you probably shouldn't see this movie.
That is the point of both the books and the movie--to teach people about what will happen.
Looks like the Rapture is upon us and all true believers have been taken to Heaven, leaving the sinners behind with the Anti-Christ (Gordon Currie with a laughable accent).Obviously a movie that will alienate some based on its concept.
Left Behind is a very cool christian movie.
My mom was reading the books, and I got to watch the movie.
My wife read the books and begged me to watch the movie.
I understand that a lot of new Christians are watching this movie to get a better understanding of what's going on, but my opinion is that the book is a lot better.
If you're going to watch the movie, I suggest you read the book, too..