So, I was browsing through YouTube the other night, clicking, as one will, on random things that pop up as recommendations. And if No Greater Love actually is, as advertised, the Christian Movie Event of the Year, all I can say is that Christians deserve better written, better acted, better-produced, and more deeply-felt movies than this:
I enjoyed Saved, but I understand how people would have found it facile and disrespectful when it comes to matters of religion. And there is a big market, really, I should say, big markets of moviegoers in America who would like to see movies that take their faith traditions seriously, and don't treat religion as an anachronism, relic, or idiotic barrier to a good time. But the way to show respect for that audience, and for their values, is not to serve them junk. And what kind of serious faith-oriented movie suggests that a guy has a conversion just to get the girl, anyway? What else in his life needs healing? Why is he where he is today? Ask some serious questions, pose them in serious ways, and raise some serious budget for them to prove that Mel Gibson isn't the only one who can do it. Sincere faith deserves a sincere and quality approach to filmmaking.