christian movie reviews 2020

The Best Christian Movies of 2020 That'll Lift Your Spirits In the New Year

Faith-based movies are few and far between, but we've found a few coming out in the new year.

If faith-based movies are important to you and your family, then knowing exactly which ones are being released and when is key to not missing them when they’re in theaters. Plus, a lot of Christian movies don’t even make it to theaters, so knowing when you can stream or buy them elsewhere is equally helpful. Here are five of the biggest (and best) Christian movies coming out in 2020, with all the information about how exactly you can see them as soon as possible.

‘I Still Believe’

I Still Believe is without a doubt the biggest budget Christian movie coming out in 2020. The plot follows the life and relationship of Christian singer Jeremy Camp and his first wife Melissa, who died of ovarian cancer shortly after they were married in 2000. The title of the film is based on Camp’s memoir of the same name, which talks about the relationship and how it brought him closer to God. KJ Apa of Riverdale plays Camp and the movie will be released in theaters in March 2020.

Technically, Messiah isn’t a faith-based movie or produced from a Christian standpoint. However, the new Netflix series focuses on the idea of a modern Jesus, or a second-coming of Christ. If faith and religion, specifically Christianity, interests you, then this series will certainly leave you with a lot to think about and consider. Plus, it’s available on Netflix, making it super easy and accessible for a variety of audiences. It’s out on January 1, 2020.

'Blind Eyes Opened'

Blind Eyes Open is a Christian-based documentary that covers human sex trafficking. It’s not out until October 23, 2020, but it will highlight law enforcement, activists, and victims perspectives on sex trafficking. It will also, of course, talk about a Christian perspective on the issue.

'I Am Patrick'

This movie covers the life and faith of the person we now know as Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. I Am Patrick is a mix of Irish history and religion, and the story of Patrick will likely surprise and inspire viewers — whether they consider themselves Christian or not.

'Assassin 33 AD'

If Christian action movies are your thing, then this film is for you. Assassin 33 AD combines time travel and faith in a way that’s never been done before, with the plot centering around the idea that people have gone back in time to erase Christianity. It’s certainly a unique faith-based film, and it will be released on January 24, 2020.

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10 Most Anticipated Christian Movies of 2020

Faith is a strong motivator. It can inspire people to keep going in the face of insurmountable odds, be an anchor for them in their darkest of times, and the instigator of something good in their lives. Everyone perceives God in a different way and holds a unique idea of who God is to them. Every year, all sorts of movies are released, from the tales of superheroes to the stories of doomed romance. The number of movies that are based on faith and religion is rather scarce, forget the ones with some true substance. However, even in this rarity, there are some gems that explore the idea of faith from different angles.

If you are someone who keeps an eye out for the films whose idea is founded in faith, then look no further. Here, we have compiled a list of upcoming new Christian film releases coming out in 2020. We hope that these latest Christian movies are as good some of the recent ones.

10. Blind Eyes Opened (January 23, 2020)

Christian faith states that for every evil in the world, there are dark forces acting in the background. When finding yourself lured to such things, you have to hold on to faith. If you are already in trouble and have done bad things, there is still hope for you as with the help of faith you get out of it. It is through this lens that ‘Blind Eyes Opened’ examines the horrific truth of the sex trafficking industry in the US. Why is it practised and what demands fuel its supply, what hell the victims have to go through and how many of them have survived this and transformed their lives through their faith in Christ. Directed by Geoffrey Rogers, it shows us how everyone can be redeemed and put a stop to this mess.

9. Assassin 33 AD (January 24, 2020)

No matter what your thoughts about religion are, you have to accept that it has played an important role in history. If even one religion had not turned out the way it did, this world would have been an entirely different thing. Change one small thing in the past and the rest of the structure falls down like a domino. Written and directed by Jim Carroll, ‘Assassin 33 AD’ follows the possibility of one such act. When time travel is invented, some extremists decide to use it as the means to kill Jesus and his followers, effectively stopping the flow of Christianity. However, a group of geniuses comes to know about it. Now, they have to go back in time and stop this terrifying plot.

8. Free Burma Rangers (February 24, 2020)

Directed by Brent Gudgel and Chris Sinclair, ‘Free Burma Rangers’ follows the story of an exceptional family. Dave Eubank is a former U.S Special Forces soldier. He has seen combat and knows first-hand how it uproots the lives of the locals and what hell they have to go through while living in the war zone. Turned into a missionary, he decided to dedicate his life to saving these families and was joined by his family in this good cause. For the past twenty years, the Eubanks have been living in war zones, just to help the people who would otherwise remain nothing more than collateral damage of the war to the rest of the world. This documentary takes a look at their work and how important it is to have faith when you are living in such horrific circumstances.

7. I Still Believe (March 13, 2020)

Jeremy Camp is a beloved Christian music singer and songwriter. His life looks great now, but he has had his fair share of loss and challenges in the past. It was during these tough times that his faith helped him survive. ‘I Still Believe’, which is also the title of one of his most famous songs, tells the story of one such phase in his life. He had fallen in love with Melissa and his career in music was taking off. But then, Melissa got diagnosed with a terminal disease. With doom already waiting on the horizon for their love story, Camp refused to give in. Directed by Erwin Brothers, this film stars KJ Apa (‘ Riverdale ’) in the role of Camp, while Britt Robertson (‘Under the Dome’) plays the role of Melissa.

6. I Am Patrick: The Patron Saint of Ireland (March 17, 2020)

Known as the “Apostle of Ireland”, Saint Patrick is credited with bringing Christianity to Ireland. Over the course of many centuries, a number of stories and legends regarding him and his work have surfaced. This docudrama focuses on what made Saint Patrick such a notable figure. It aims to solidify the claim of certain truths that otherwise seem unbelievable while debunking other myths that are the result of people’s imagination. Through re-enactments, it charts out the entire life of the saint, based on the accounts of the historians and experts, as well as his own writings. The film is written and directed by Jarrod Anderson, who has previously worked on ‘Pocahontas: Dove of Peace’ and ‘Changing Jane’. John Rhys-Davies, Sean T. O Meallaigh and Robert McCormack play the role of Patrick in different ages.

5. Rise (April 10, 2020)

Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan and starring Sterling K. Brown (‘ This is Us ’, ‘ Waves ’) in the lead role, ‘Rise’ is a sports drama that follows the true story of Willie Davis. In today’s world, where success means everything, it is easy to give up on something that seems too hard to accomplish. This film is set in a high school where a failing basketball program leads the authority to decide to put a stop to it altogether. However, Willie Davis, the school janitor, rises up to the occasion and offers to coach the team. With the mantra of prioritising “the Lord, books and basketball”, he helps the players in changing the game and eventually winning the state championship.

4. Jesus (April 2020)

Sight and Sound Theatres in Lancaster are known for producing the plays of biblical proportions. Their latest to wrap up in 2019 was ‘Jesus’, which ran for two years. Filmed in front of the live audience, it made use of some exceptional special effects and production design to tell the story of Jesus through the perspective of the people whose lives he touched. With the story of such a scale, it is unfair to not show it to the rest of the world. Sight and Sound are aware of that, which is why they have decided to release it in limited theatres in April. They have done this before with the production of ‘Jonah’, ‘Moses’ and ‘Noah’.

3. Home Sweet Home (May 1, 2020)

In a world that has become affable to quick dating and short-term relationships, it is easy to become tired of trying to find the right one for you. ‘Home Sweet Home’ follows the story of two such people. The first one is Victoria Tremont. A social butterfly, she has met a lot of men, but no one turned into that special someone she could imagine settling down with. And then one day, the man of her dreams, Jason Holman, walks into the café. She jumps at the opportunity to flirt with him, but to her surprise, doesn’t get the usual response. Soon, she discovers exactly what she needs to do in order to get his attention. She has faked to like sports and other stuff before. This time, she has to fake her faith. Directed by Juan Mas, the film stars Natasha Bure and Ben Elliott in the lead roles.

2. Laugh. Love. Karaoke (2020)

Christian comedian Chonda Pierce has written and stars in the comedy ‘Laugh. Love. Karaoke’. The film follows the story of a woman who works at a restaurant who has to face a difficult situation when her house is threatened, along with her job. Struggling to make ends meet, she has to find a way to protect her house from foreclosure. This is when the Cheatam County Fair presents itself. If she can win this competition, all her problems will be solved. But it won’t be as easy as it looks.

Read More: Upcoming Horror Movies

1. The Passion of the Christ: Resurrection (2021)

The 2004 film, ‘The Passion of the Christ’, directed by Mel Gibson and starring Jim Caviezel, focuses on the final twelve hours of Jesus’s life. The film received multiple Academy Award nominations and was a huge box-office success. Now, Gibson is ready to repeat this feat with a sequel to the story. The talks of the film have been floating around for the past couple of years, and hopefully, by 2021, it all comes to fruition. Caviezel reprises his role as Jesus, and he has even claimed it to be the “biggest film in history”. Not many details about the plot have been let out, but Gibson has confirmed that the film “will not be a straightforward chronological telling of Christ’s resurrection.” It is to explore the spiritual realm, focusing on the three days Jesus spent between the crucifixion and resurrection. Joining Gibson in the process of scriptwriting is Randall Wallace, who has previously collaborated with the actor-director on ‘ Braveheart ’.

Read More: Upcoming Thriller Movies

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Faith Based

2020, Comedy, 1h 32m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Faith Ba$ed affectionately skewers faith-based filmmaking while offering a surprisingly nuanced look at friendship and belief. Read critic reviews

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Faith based videos, faith based   photos.

FAITH BASED focuses on two slacker friends who come to the realization that every low budget Christian movie starring 90's TV actors makes millions of dollars. They soon set out on a mission to make "A Prayer in Space", the story of the first prayer ever to be prayed... in space.

Genre: Comedy

Original Language: English

Director: Vincent Masciale

Producer: Luke Barnett , Giles Daoust , Timothy Kerigan , Vincent Masciale , Tanner Thomason

Writer: Luke Barnett

Release Date (Theaters): Oct 9, 2020  limited

Release Date (Streaming): Oct 9, 2020

Runtime: 1h 32m

Distributor: Gravitas Ventures

Production Co: Lone Suspect, Title Media

Cast & Crew

Luke Barnett

Tanner Thomason

Margaret Cho

Jason Alexander

Nicky Steele

Lance Reddick

Pastor Mike

David Koechner

Butch Savage

Christoph Sanders

Carly Craig

Vincent Masciale

Screenwriter

Giles Daoust

Timothy Kerigan

Executive Producer

Catherine Dumonceaux

Matthew Emerson

James Andrew Felts

Cinematographer

J. Patrick Southern

Film Editing

Dustin Morgan

Original Music

Production Design

Maggie Clapis

Costume Design

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• DVD & Streaming
• Animation , Comedy , Drama , Kids , Music , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• January 12, 2024
• Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner; Tina Fey as 22; Questlove as Curly; Phylicia Rashad as Libba Gardner; Daveed Diggs as Paul; Angela Bassett as Dorothea Williams; Graham Norton as Moonwind; Rachel House as Terry; Richard Ayoade, Alice Braga, Wes Studi, Fortune Feimster and Zenobia Shroff as Jerry

Home Release Date

• December 25, 2020
• Pete Docter

Distributor

Movie review.

Life begins … when?

You look at your newsfeed any day of the week, and you know what an explosive question that is, even superficially. But dig deeper, and the answer grows even more complex. To live is not the same as to have a life . Did our life begin with conception? Our first conscious thoughts? Our first memories? Did it begin in kindergarten? In middle school? When we fell in love? Had children? Found our purpose?

Joe Gardner is a grown man with a job, a New York City apartment and a mustache. He’s alive. But he’s still waiting for life to begin.

And then, one day, it does.

The day was no different than most, at first. Joe, a talented jazz pianist working as a middle school music teacher, is teaching a bevy of students how to carry a tune—or, at least, to find the tune’s zip code. But then Curly, an old student of his, calls and asks if he’d like to sit in on a session with Dorthea Williams, the legendary jazz musician.

Would he?! Joe races to the club where Dorthea is to play. She’s skeptical at first: “So,” she says. “We’re down to middle school band teachers now.” But when his fingers touch the ivory, her doubts drain away. She tells him the show starts at nine. Be there at seven.

Joe feels as though his life is finally beginning. He floats out of the club, as happy as he’s ever been.

And he promptly falls through an open manhole.

Next thing he knows, Joe’s riding an escalator to the Great Beyond, a massive, white-bright something , where the souls of the newly departed go.

But Joe isn’t ready for the Great Beyond. “I’m not going to die the very day I got my shot!” he protests. As the escalator slowly moves upward, Joe bounds down, down, down until finally—

Pop! He finds himself in a strange place filled with adorable new souls and caretakers named Jerry. It’s not the Great Beyond , but the Great Before , where souls are prepared for their lives on earth. (Actually, it’s now called a “youth seminar,” Jerry explains. “Rebranding.”)

There Joe finds soul No. 22, who wants to be born just about as much as Joe wants to be dead. That is, not at all.

When does life begin? Seems like neither Joe nor 22 have a clue. But here, at the end/beginning of all things, perhaps they’ll find out.

Positive Elements

Joe’s given an opportunity to look back on his life, and he’s appalled with how little he did with his. “My life was meaningless,” he says.

But that’s not quite true.

The movie delicately suggests that he made a huge difference on some of the people he came in contact with: Curly says he never would’ve gone into music had it not been for Joe’s teaching. Another student, thinking about quitting, goes to Joe’s apartment in the hopes that he’ll talk her out of it. For Joe, teaching has always been something he’s had to do. But moviegoers see the impact he’s made on others. And even when he’s technically dead, he still makes a difference in 22’s pre-existent life, too.

That’s one of Soul’s overarching themes, in fact. In our celebrity-bedazzled world, we imagine that the only lives that matter are those that make a huge, splashy impact. Soul suggests there’s nothing wrong with wanting or having that sort of impact. But it also reminds us that those of us who live pretty normal lives can have an oversized impact on those around us, as well. And even when we fall into lives we never expected, there’s a joy and nobility in that, too.

For instance: We meet Dez, Joe’s barber, and learn that he never wanted to be a barber at all. He was hoping to be a veterinarian. But when his daughter got sick, he fell into the business. Joe feels sorry for him at first, but Dez rejects that pity out of hand. “I’m as happy as a clam, my man.” He sees his work as a way to change and improve lives. He says he makes his clients happy. “And make them handsome,” he adds.

Spiritual Elements

Let’s start with the movie’s name: Soul . That metaphysical concept is integral to what the movie’s about. We’ll need to spend some time here.

Joe spends much of the time in the movie as a soul, uncoupled from his own body. As such, Soul tells us that we’re more than just our physical constructs—more than just bone and blood and a little bit of brain matter.

There’s an inherent spirituality at work here, further emphasized by the Great Beyond, the Great Before and some metaphysical planes we see. The movie never takes us into the Great Beyond, so we don’t know what lies on the other side of that brilliant white light. But clearly plenty of souls (who aren’t Joe) are quite happy to be headed there.

The Great Before is more ticklish to deal with.

The idea that a soul exists before the body’s creation isn’t new: Lots of religions embrace that concept, and the Great Before feels a little like the Jewish concept of the Guf , or “treasury of souls,” which serves as a bit of a holding house for souls waiting to be born.

In contrast, most orthodox expressions of Christian theology have rejected the notion that the soul’s existence predates conception. Thus, the ideas about the afterlife and beforelife we see in Soul share little common ground with the most traditional forms of Christian teaching.

So what do we see in this story? All of the souls in this story are paired with a “tutor” before heading down to Earth, and soul No. 22 has been paired with plenty of teachers already—including the Catholic Mother Teresa, the Hindu Mahatma Gandhi and the religiously adventurous psychologist Carl Jung. And while you could interpret the caretakers of the Great Before as angels of a sort, they come across here more like incredibly compassionate daycare workers. (There’s also a soul accountant named Terry, through whom we learn that the afterlife’s tabulation system isn’t always spot on.)

Joe and 22 also come across some spiritual planes where only the souls of the living can go. One is “the Zone,” the place where people go when they’re particularly inspired or transfixed by what they’re doing; another is a vast wasteland where the obsessed roam endlessly and sadly. Some living visitors to these planes—practitioners of various Eastern and New Age meditative disciplines who call themselves “mystics without borders”—explain that one state can lead to another. The things that we love (and that send us to the Zone) can become obsessions themselves.

All of these metaphysical layers are meant to convey some important thoughts on what it means to live in our very tangible world, by the way—not serve as a roadmap for theological truth. Still, it’s good to be prepared for some potentially robust spiritual discussions as you unpack this story’s ideas and symbolism.

Elsewhere, we see that souls can switch bodies—comically possessing them, as it were—another idea that orthodox Christian teaching rejects, by the way. A cat is shown to have a soul, too.

Joe wonders whether he’s in heaven. When a Jerry tells him that he’s not, strictly speaking, he then asks if he’s in the other place. We hear references to chakras, chanting and meditation.

Sexual Content

Joe’s mind, we learn, is mainly filled with thoughts about jazz. But at least a corner of it is devoted to someone named Lisa. And when he and 22 find themselves back on earth in earthly bodies, 22 encourages him to rekindle what seems to be a long-dormant relationship. (Joe insists he doesn’t have the time.)

Joe rips the back of his trousers, revealing underwear.

Violent Content

Joe dies, of course—falling through that an open manhole after unintentionally escaping a great many situations (falling bricks, speeding cars) that could’ve spelled an even more premature doom. We just see the guy’s body vanish through the hole, though later we do see his body—barely hanging on—in a hospital bed.

New, disembodied souls resemble squishy little balls, and they’re sometimes thrown or smashed. But the souls, not having any bodies (much less nerve-endings to tweak), find it all rather fun.

A monstrous thing swallows a soul whole. A metaphysical ship sinks. We see some pratfalls and physical humor here and there. There’s a suggestion that 22 just might become a pyromaniac.

Crude or Profane Language

When Joe first arrives at the Great Before, he asks if he’s landed in “H-E-double hockey sticks?” The unborn souls around him, though, apparently know how to spell: They bounce around, repeating the word “hell” as a Jerry tries to explain to Joe where he is.  Someone describes earth as a “hellish planet.” Besides that, we just hear a couple of uses of the word “butt.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Jazz clubs are typically drinking establishments, and I assume that’s true of the one that Dorthea Williams and her band are playing. We don’t see anyone drink, though.

Other Negative Elements

Immortal souls have no bodies, which means that food does them little good. Joe and 22 demonstrate this by each devouring a piece of pizza and having it eject—still fully formed—from their other end.

Joe lies, and both he and 22 try to game the system to get what they want. A joke alludes to body odor. Joe takes a shower, and someone mentions his rear.

I’ll just say it: A bad Pixar movie is about as common as a Latin-speaking lemming.

It’s not just the studio’s craftsmanship: It’s the storytellers’ ambition . Not content with doling out beautiful ruminations about grief and love and responsibility, Pixar dove directly into the world of emotion and feeling itself with Inside Out back in 2015. (Was it really that long ago?) Now, the animation pioneers have moved on from the heart and into the Soul .

But while the movie does indeed paint its story using many a spiritual and metaphysical brush, Soul isn’t aiming to save anyone’s. It’s far more concerned with this world than the next one, delving into one big question: What makes us tick? Or maybe more fairly, What makes us feel alive?

Neither Joe nor 22 really understand what “life” is, or what it should be. Joe has spent most of his waiting for one big moment, letting so many little ones slip by. No. 22 has never lived at all, and she can’t figure out why she’d even want to. Both characters have, in their own ways, locked themselves into a closet of secure sameness . They need to learn from each other how to use the key.

Certainly, Christian families will want to be aware of the movie’s spiritual elements before deciding to watch; and you should be prepared to talk about the story’s provocative ideas afterward. As noted, the story’s spiritual conceits here have little connection to traditional Christian understandings of these important questions.

Still, Soul strives to help us remember that life itself is a blessing, even when it doesn’t go as we planned. It tells us that lives of service can be just as rewarding as lives on stage. It encourages us to look at the world’s humblest things, be it a maple seed or a hunk of pizza crust, as something amazing—perhaps even miraculous in its own right.

Soul tells us that life isn’t just a matter of a beating heart, of drawing breath, of shuffling through each second as if we had an eternity of them. Our lives are a gift. And Christians watching this film can take it a step farther: Our lives are a gift from God.

How appropriate that his movie should be released on Disney+ on Christmas Day. It tells us that very moment, after all, is a present—and one we should open with glee.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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40: The Temptation of Christ

Jesus Christ, The Son of God, embarks on a 40 day self-imposed exile to prepare for His earthly mission to save humanity by dying on the cross to atone for the sins of the world. Satan tempt... Read all Jesus Christ, The Son of God, embarks on a 40 day self-imposed exile to prepare for His earthly mission to save humanity by dying on the cross to atone for the sins of the world. Satan tempts Christ to sin and abandon His mission. Jesus Christ, The Son of God, embarks on a 40 day self-imposed exile to prepare for His earthly mission to save humanity by dying on the cross to atone for the sins of the world. Satan tempts Christ to sin and abandon His mission.

• Douglas James Vail
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• Shayan Ardalan
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• Trivia Every line of dialogue spoken by the character of Jesus comes directly from Bible verses, either from the Old Testament that Jesus is quoting or something he would say later in the New Testament. The only exceptions are when he says "I know who you are." and later "I am that rider."

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Human wishes, desires and instant gratification can lead to terrible ramifications

Materialism and self-gratification— In the film, Max Lord says, “Welcome to the future. Life is good! But it can be better. And why shouldn't it be? All you need is to want it. Think about finally having everything you always wanted.”

The ways that power often corrupts people

Love and compassion

Sinful men who prey on women

Women’s rage against toxic masculinity

Women in the Bible

Biblical women with admirable character, include: Mrs. Noah , Mary (mother of Jesus) , Esther , Deborah , and Milcah, daugher of Zelophehad

What are goodness and righteousness ?

Prequel: “ Wonder Woman ” (2017)

T he cons of being immortal are pretty interesting. Diana Prince (played by Gal Gadot ) has lived 65 years on Earth, but has remained her youthful self through it all. That of course leads to challenging obstacles, including the decision to never love again. But at the same time, Diana also made this decision after her true love , Steve Trevor ( Chris Pine ) sacrificed himself at the end of the first movie to help defeat the Greek War God, Ares.

Now, it’s 1984, and Diana (a.k.a. Wonder Woman) has gotten used to living a double life. She works at the Smithsonian and spends her spare time being a hero in the shadows. One day, an intelligent but insecure archaeologist/gemologist named Barbara Minerva ( Kristen Wiig ) starts working alongside Diana in helping analyze some suspicious gems, including one known as a “Wishing Stone.” Not knowing that it is for real, Diana and Barbara make wishes for their heart’s desires.

Meanwhile, a struggling businessman named Max Lord ( Pedro Pascal ) desperately wants to make his son proud after divorcing his wife . Upon hearing about the wishing stone, he plots to take it for himself to get everything he wants. And to make things worse, the wishes surprisingly come true. Barbara wishes to be like Diana, and becomes someone different. And Steve Trevor mysteriously comes back and finds Diana, which leads to even more questions.

Entertainment Quality

With its 20-million dollar budget, “Wonder Woman 1984” has a lot working in its favor. One is the performances, which are terrific across the board. Gadot brings more emotional layers to Diana here in comparison to the last go round. Pine gets the chance to be a “fish out of water” as his astonishment at how America has advanced provides plenty of interesting moments. Pine and Gadot carry some strong chemistry as well. Pascal makes for an effective villain, with more complex, sophisticated and emotional layers than one might expect. And Wiig successfully steps up to the plate (especially in the third act) as supervillain Cheetah—though she and Gadot have a couple of strong friendship scenes in the first act also.

Second is the throwback vibe, which sadly does get a little lost in the second act. Director Patty Jenkins and her filmmaking crew create a film that feels like it’s right out of 1984. From practical effects, the costuming and production design, to throwback music, many will find it fun to watch.

Finally, the film succeeds in taking bold risks that (mostly) pay off. The action scenes, while impressive, are a bit more restrained in favor of character development and emotional gravitas. Meanwhile (doing my best to avoid spoilers here), the ending climax does not go the usual superhero movie route. Instead, it ends with an emotional payoff that does hit its intended target. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised that the film went the route that it did.

However, this leads to quite a few problems as well. First, the tone and feel are disjointed. The first act works as a fun throwback. But the second act drags its feet, with a little too much time spent on exposition as well as a couple of modern throw-ins that don’t gel (it’s 2 and a half hours long). The third act brings things back into focus, though it does push things over-the-top dramatically. Finally, a mid end-credits scene brings a surprise that I won’t spoil.

Also, while no fault of the actress, I felt that Cheetah was missing one or two scenes to help really solidify her “fall from grace.” She turns quite suddenly on Diana, and her reasoning for becoming villainous could have used a bit more development. 10 or 15 minutes of the second act could have been edited, re-written and replaced with a moment or two of personal reflection on Barbara’s part to help us better understand her thinking. It would have helped tighten the film’s overall investigations as well.

Finally, I thought the opening flashback scene on Themyscira was largely unnecessary. It’s an impressive scene with outstanding stunts and visuals. But, aside from a comment from Antiope ( Robin Wright ) on a theme that plays a big part of the film, there’s nothing here that connects to the film’s overall purpose. I think a quick flashback to a conversation with Antiope and Diana’s mother ( Connie Nielsen ) would have worked a lot better mid-way through the film to reinforce the theme.

Positive Messages

The strong themes of love and sacrifice continue in “Wonder Woman 1984,” but with more focus on the emotional struggles that come with it. The Wishing Stone comes with a warning that in order to get what you wish, you must give up something. I found this to be an interesting parallel to how life is not fair for any of us, and that sometimes selfless sacrifice is needed for the greater good of everyone. Diana models this by willingly sacrificing and renouncing her desires to save the world (while Barbara models the opposite). And Jesus ultimately modeled this to save sinners like us. This reminded me of Philippians 2 , which illustrates how looking out for others over ourselves carries a greater impact.

“Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” —Phillippians 2:4

There’s also a strong message about the importance of truth . After taking a shortcut in the opening competition, Antiope tells a young Diana, “No true hero is born from lies .” Diana also warns Max later on that, “The truth is important, and it’s beautiful.” Lies are shown to be dangerous and deceiving to at least a couple of characters as well. The journey of Max’s character and Diana’s advice reminds me of how freeing truth is, an echo of John 8 .

“And you will know the truth , and the truth will set you free.” —John 8:32

Diana and Steve willingly risk their lives to save others. Max’s ambitions are shown to not be totally out of villainous intentions, but simply to be the greatest he can be for his son (though he later learns that being honest and full of integrity carries far more worth than power).

Many times in this movie, I thought about the Spider-Man quote (I know, Marvel quotes in a DC movie might sound a little off), “With great power comes great responsibility.” The Wishing Stone gives various characters the power to control their future, which leads to the temptation to want and gain more. In many ways, we are warned about the dangers of greed and how sinful humanity will almost always misuse power given to them. And, at the same time, the film often shows that a simpler, humbler way of living ultimately brings greater reward. Through characters’ decisions and motivations (including Barbara sharing a meal with a homeless friend toward the beginning of the film), I was reminded of the importance of having a humble heart and spirit. Jesus mentioned the importance of “storing our treasures in Heaven,” while the book of Ecclesiastes warns of the dangers of having our hearts in the wrong place.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also .” —Matthew 6:19-21

“He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity.” —Ecclesiastes 5:10

“Better a handful with quietness. Than both hands full, together with toil and grasping for the wind.” —Ecclesiastes 4:6

Negative Content

Language: We hear one use each of the s-word, “b*tch” and “h*ll,” along with three interjections of God’s name. Elsewhere, we only hear “oh my gosh” and “Shoot.”

Adult Content: There are a handful of moments that will give some families pause. First, Steve and Diana clearly sleep together upon reuniting. We see them wake up the next morning embracing and kissing in bed (he’s shirtless, she’s wearing a low-cut pajama shirt). In another scene, Max and Barbara kiss passionately and fondle each other in her office privately (but it’s clear that Max is really there to steal the Wishing Stone).

A homeless (and drunk ) stranger attempts to accost a helpless Barbara early on. We hear about a televangelist who wants a scandalous sex tape to disappear. Barbara and Diana wear low-cut or curve-hugging outfits at times. At a party, they are both ogled by various men. In one other aside, older men are shown staring at women bending over in tight exercise clothes. Women in bikinis are shown in a TV commercial.

Violence: There are some action scenes that are too intense for younger viewers, but don’t necessarily push the envelope for superhero films. Early on, people in a mall are threatened by robbers with guns, and a little girl is held over a balcony threateningly. In another scene, Diana hurls a tank in the air and causes a couple of intense crashes. We see her shot in the shoulder a couple of times, leaving a bloody gash. Other punches and gunfire play a part here. We see a flashback to a warrior holding off several men attacking her.

A battle scene in the White House involves gunfire and hand-to-hand combat, and leaves Wonder Woman and Steve badly injured. We see images of nuclear warheads launched, along with images of worldwide panic as a result of selfish wishes being granted. Wonder Woman and Cheetah engage intense combat, leading to Cheetah being nearly being drowned to death.

A couple of potentially disturbing scenes might prove difficult for some. One involves Barbara getting revenge on her assaulter, which involves her brutally-kicking him repeatedly, leaving his bloodied body in the middle of a street. Another involves a look at Max’s past, which reveals verbal and physical abuse by his father. And speaking of Max, his granted magical abilities take a visible toll on his body, occasionally bleeding from his eye and mouth.

Drugs/Alcohol: Diana and Barbara sip on drinks at a meal together. A character is clearly drunk as he harasses Barbara. Other alcoholic beverages are seen a few times, too.

Other: Spiritually, the Wishing Stone has a Mayan/polytheistic relationship. We don’t see much in terms of magic on display, but it is implied there is an occultic history. Diana discusses how the stone was created by the “god of lies” and was used to destroy various ancient civilizations. The stone’s use always comes with a price. For every wish given the participant must give something significant in return.

Meanwhile, the effects of the Wishing Stone drives characters in selfish and evil directions. Some characters manipulate and lie to get what they want.

The original “ Wonder Woman ” was quite a (well) wonder when it came out in 2017. It was one of those movies that had a lot to think about. Not only was it a terrific origin story, it had something to say at the end that was meaningful and redemptive. That being said, it was interesting to hear that the ending of the film wasn’t the one director … Patty Jenkins had in mind (the studio and producers exercised more control on how the film ended).

Giving Jenkins free reign and more control over this project, in comparison, carried positive and negative consequences. Her vision carried some very interesting risks for a superhero film. Risks that created a divided and occasionally polarizing response on social media and with critics. For me, I think her vision worked pretty well at times. But the final film itself, while ambitious, isn’t quite as enthralling as its predecessor. While the characters and emotional gravitas are strong, the overall plot, pacing, and tone are too all-over-the place to really work as a cohesive whole. And the 2½ hour runtime felt a bit like a drag, especially in the second act.

1984 is about the same as the original in terms of problematic content. There’s a bit of language (notably less than most superhero films go) and a handful of pretty violent situations. The only bit of content that stands to differ from its superhero movie brethren are a couple of suggestive scenes that will probably give parents with tweens some pause.

Ultimately, WW84 is a solid, imperfect, messy film. Where it works, it practically soars. Where it stumbles, it does so noticeably. At the same time; where it inspires with its fairly Biblical messaging, it merits applause. Yet, where it has an out-of-place content issue, it encourages caution as well.

For adults and teens who can navigate the content issues, the film may be of interest. Just don’t expect a classic like the first film. The content is not appropriate for youngsters and will likely lose their attention.

• Violence: Very Heavy (some blood, but not gory)
• Vulgar/Crude language: Moderate
• Profane language: Moderate
• Nudity: Mild to Moderate— • women in bikinis • woman in provocatively high-slit dress • women in leotards • cleavage
• Sex: Mild to Moderate— • mention of a televangelist’s incriminating sex tape • couple in bed • couple beginning to make out in office • kisses
• Drugs/Alcohol: Mild
• Occult: Mild— • Greek mythology about their gods and their powers

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers .

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.