Movie Review: "Left Behind"

I was introduced to the "Left Behind" book series a few years ago. I loved it from the opening line of the first book. It is a series based on the Bible. The series is 13 books that weaves a cautionary tale of what happens when the Rapture occurs and the years following. I cannot remember exactly how long it took me to complete the books but I was totally engrossed in them. I loved the characters. I loved the Biblical references. But, what I loved the most was the two authors ability to paint a vibrant picture via words for me. Those are my favorite kind of writers. So, naturally, when I heard the first book was being made into a bug budget film, I was excited. I watched the Kirk Cameron trilogy based on the series on Netflix to get ready. I liked them a lot.

Fast forward to opening weekend for "Left Behind," I went to see it on Sunday morning. I was ready. I reread the first book and rewatched the movies to prepare. I had high hopes and big expectations. I thought it would be amazing. I. Was. So. Wrong. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. The acting was ok. The plot was awful. The first "Left Behind" book was this descriptive, ever moving work of art. It was reduced to nothingness on the big screen. The writers and producers cut almost all of the God/Biblical references out which is so out. How can you have a movie about the Rapture and dumb down the religious talk? That makes no sense. My other big issue with this movie is that it mostly takes place on the plane which isn't no where near what happened in the book. The potential to make a great movie was right there in front of the producers. They  jumped right over it to campy and silly. It was awful to me. It's been almost a week since I saw it and I STILL want my money back. I'll stick to the books for now or to Netflix for the first trilogy. I do not recommend this movie to you if you've read the books and are a fan. Save your coins. See something else. Heed my warning, folks. The Nicholas Cage-led "Left Behind" isn't the religious experience it should have been. 

#30in30: This Reader's Review: Part XI: "The Left Behind Series" (Part II My Spiritual Take)

The Left Behind series stirred up so many emotions in me. I blogged about the books here. Religion has always interested me. It's the one thing I do not believe I will ever get tired of learning about. I've found out so many answers on my quest for Biblical knowledge. The only thing I've truly taken from this series is questioning my faith. From the beginning of Book 1, I've been intrigued by the Rapture. The people who were left behind were a mixed group. There were characters who went to church all the time, who seemed to be devout Christians. The fact that they were left behind told their true stories. Their faith wasn't strong enough, their resolve not deep enough. They weren't really living a Christ filled life. They weren't truly believers. This bothered me. I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord & Savior. I have confessed with my mouth. I have been baptized. I've spent years in the church. My relationship with God is strong. I believe that he is the Alpha & the Omega, that he created everything that we know. I have no doubt about Jesus or Lucifer. I know what I believe to be the truth and my faith is solid. This series makes me question if that is enough. If my belief is enough.

The series takes the reader on an incredible journey. From disbelieve and confusion to triumph and redemption. There is never a dull moment. Each line, each paragraph builds this world for the reader. It's colorful and dark and good and evil all rolled into a 13 book series. Everything the reader thinks they know about the Bible, this series challenges, confirms and takes to task. It's just that great. To read about the rise of the Anti-Christ was appalling and insane. I cannot believe that some characters in this book still did not believe in God even after living through the Rapture, the Tribulation and the Great Appearing. To still doubt that God is the Alpha & Omega is crazy to me. But, I do realize that as long as there is good there will be Evil. 

The authors did an incredible job of creating a storyline that pulls you in. The foundation of this series comes directly from the Bible. The authors did not stray from God's word. They created the situations surrounding the Bible. Every aspect of this series is filled with so much colorful imagery that this story came alive in my head. I saw every word just the way the authors intended. I was so deeply engrossed by this series that I would dream of it. These characters became real to me. There are many times in the series that characters doubt their faith or their walk. I identify with that aspect. I have been there before and I am sure that I will be again. The characters struggled with real life doubts and moments of being unsure. This is the walk that I believe that all believers take.

If you are someone who, like me, is reading the Bible for the first time by yourself, this series is for you. It is a lengthy but quick read. Yes, it's 13 books long but the story is so captivating that reader would lose sight of that quickly. This series had me pulling out my Bible a lot. There are things that I knew before reading this series. There is even more that I did not know until reading this series. I am grateful for the authors for that. It has inspired me to read my Bible more. I think I will start with a nightly reading. The story progresses at the right rate. It's full of Bible scriptures. I was always pulling out my Bible to read more. It's interesting on a spiritual level. If you are searching for answers about what will happen when God comes back for his people, you will find them in this series. I would recommend this to all. It's a must read. It's why I'm sharing it with you. I am that invested in the series. I devoured every page of it.

#30in30: This Reader's Review: Part X: "Left Behind" Series (Part I)

A good book makes you feel good once you're finished reading. A great back makes the reader want more. I have just finished 13 great books. I've been deeply submerged in a book series. So much so that I didn't want it to end. It's a 13 book series entitled "Left Behind." The series is biblical & is based on what happens after the Rapture. As a woman who is intrigued with the Bible, this series was perfect for me. I needed to read this. I have to say thank you to HIM because he suggested I read this. We talk a lot about spirituality and religion. So he knew that this would be right up my alley. I'm grateful for that, for HIM. There is so much that takes place within these 13 books. I just want to share an overview of the books here.

These characters are so well thought out. I love the depth that each character possesses. I love all the good characters like Rayford, Chloe, Buck, Tsion, David and Mack. They represent the good in mankind. I see pieces of me in all of them. They weren't truly sold on Christianity and religion before the Rapture. But, every last one of them became believers in their own time. I loved how much each of them grew within their faith. How they never waivered on their love of the Lord. It's inspiring on so many levels. I've never had issues with my faith. My issues with religion have always centered on the pastors giving the sermon. My hunger for the word of God has never be completely quenched. My walk with God has been in my own hands for the last few years. This series has helped me realize a clearer view of where I need to be. 

The authors also did an incredible job of making me like and despise certain characters. Nicolae Carpathia is the epitome of a character you love to hate. He's sweet as pie, charismatic, well spoken and sinister to boot. He is the epitome of a wolf in sheep's clothing. From the beginning, I was wary of him. He was too smooth, too perfect. He reminded me of Adolf Hitler. He too was charismatic and people allowed him to kill at will for years. I loved watching his evolution. He slowly became everything the Bible had predicted that he would be. It was amazing to see his story unfold. I hated him, everything he was, everything he stood for. I despised him. I do not think I've ever felt so deeply about a character in a book. That shows how awesomely he was written. That takes talent. The authors truly possess that.

This series was made into movies. I will definitely check them out in the near future. If they are even half as good as the books, they will be awesome. I needed to sit with this information. It affected me that much. This series made me happy and excited. I was so into this series. I did not want it to end. I flew through the first ten books easily. Then, I started to slow down with my reading. I wanted the final books to last. I wasn't ready to be done with these characters. I was happy with the outcome. I would recommend this series to anyone I know. You guys should get into it. It's worth it.