‘God’s Not Dead’ is a faith-based film that does what ‘Son of God’ doesn’t: it offers an element in its story that Christians and non-Christians can apply to real life. An atheist philosophy professor (Kevin Sorbo) challenges a Christian student (Shane Harper) to prove God’s existence.
Dismissing arguments that poke at either party’s intelligence, Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper) brings points to the surface that would require much research and aren’t solely built on speculation or hearsay. Wheaton addresses the very scientists and philosophers (i.e., Friedrich Nietzsche, Sir Isaac Newton, and Stephen Hawking) that his professor introduces to his students in the first class. Regardless whether or not certain quotes were taken out of context, the actual debate is intriguing and invites some scientific and religious questions to the table for all to take in and consider in their own personal philosophies.
While the debate remains the strongest attribute of the film, all of its other factors seem to fall by the wayside. In any debate, there aren’t villains, but merely two people or two groups trying to convince their audience of the validity behind their arguments. However, in ‘God’s Not Dead’, screenwriters Chuck Konzelman and Cory Solomon make the atheist philosophy professor not just an antagonist, but an irrational bully. At some points, Radisson even threatens Wheaton’s outside of class (which could be breaking some university policies). This decision in characterization, to be fair, may’ve been an effort to add more drama, but with there being multiple subplots, this was unnecessary. If the professor had been approachable or calm in presenting his side of the argument before the class, then the film would’ve been a bit more insightful instead of misleading (relative to characteristics of Christians and Atheists).
As for the subplots, which provide filler for a movie that would just be better suited as a short and/or documentary (hello, History Channel), most of them don’t add anything to the driving force behind the plot other than bad acting (i.e., Wheaton’s girlfriend and a woman diagnosed with cancer) and an excuse to include Newsboys, a Christian band whose current hit is a song that shares its name with the movie title. Dean Cain, a successful businessman, also has a role that’s almost be pointless until a scene—involving his mentally ill mother—towards the end gives us another look at why it seems as though bad things happen to good people. It is one of the more refreshing parts of the film as it reiterates the purpose of the film.
‘God’s Not Dead’, with the script being unbalanced, is worth a viewing for the arguments alone and brings to light some of the very questions at the very basis of the God vs. no God debate.
Jim’s Rating: 5.75/10
