Left Behind: The Movie Reviews

A Christian thriller about the end of days, this picture's b-movie values probably play better on video than in theaters. GNN reporter Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron, of '80s TV series Growing Pains) finds himself in the thick of a mystery: First, while interviewing idealistic scientist Chaim Rosenzweig (Colin Fox), whose "Eden formula" makes wheat flourish in the desert, he witnesses a surprise bomber attack on Israel. To Williams' astonishment, the enemy planes explode mysteriously in mid-air and Jerusalem is untouched. Soon after, the world is rocked by mass disappearances: People vanish from aboard planes and inside their own cars, leaving behind their clothes and belongings; mothers wail over empty infant seats, dogs sit forlornly by heaps of their absent owners' garments. As worldwide anarchy erupts, martial law is declared and the UN steps in; acting Secretary General Nicolae Carpathia (Gordon Currie) promises to do everything in his power to bring about world peace. Tipped off by conspiracy buff Dirk Burton (Jack Langedijk), Buck begins investigating two international financiers (Daniel Pilon, Tony De Santis) who are plotting to corner the world's food supply. But guided by pilot Ray Steele (Brad Johnson), whose pious wife and small son — though not his rebellious teenage daughter (Janaya Stephens) — have disappeared, Buck begins to suspect the world's troubles are torn from the Biblical book of Revelation. Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins' apocalyptic Left Behind books (eight to date) are the best-selling Christian fiction of all time; they chronicle the fate of unbelievers left behind after the Rapture, when blameless souls are plucked from the Earth by God and spared the misery that will precede Christ's triumphant return. This film's strongly Christian agenda ensures that it's nowhere near as hauntingly ambivalent as Michael Tolkin's extraordinary THE RAPTURE. But until the bible-thumping begins in earnest, it's no less watchable than many other direct-to-video thrillers. In a departure from distribution norms, this movie debuted on video/DVD in October 2000 (where it did excellent business), and opened theatrically three months later.