The creators of the highly successful God's Not Dead film recently released their newest creation, Do You Believe?. This latest project is a film that urges Christians to reflect on their faith and how they live their lives.
The National Catholic Reporter deemed it as "mainstream Sunday school" rather than "mainstream entertainment" due to the movie's deeply religious content.
"Do You Believe" is a Christian movie for a Christian audience. It is not mainstream entertainment; it is mainstream Sunday school - which is fine if this is what you want to see at the movie theatre," Sr. Rose Pacatte wrote in a review. "Do You Believe will not require much from your imagination because the filmmakers bring it all together for you. It is a well-crafted story with an excellent cast and fairly believable performances."
The writer added that "the movie has fine production values that reflect a robust budget."
Do You Believe actually connects the lives of 12 individuals who are all struggling to get by in life. There are mourning parents, a troubled doctor, a homeless mother and her daughter, a persistent lawyer, a kind-hearted and devoted pastor, and so many more whose lives are somehow interlinked and changed for the better because of God.
"The story is not just about the individual and God, but about living faith in the wider community. The themes of grief, homelessness, forgiveness, the Christian meaning of life, and helping the poor are all there, tied up in a finale that inspires," the reviewer noted.
The movie Do You Believe? was actually created "for the sole purpose of changing our culture for Christ, one heart at a time."
In addition, the writer said that "it's right on the nose" because of the movie's pool of talented actors and brilliant execution of the storyline.
People who create Sunday school movies need to be very careful since their creations inevitably become "illustrations of faith." When done correctly, however, it effectively preaches good messages, engage humanity, fuel spirit and imagination, and inspire people to make their lives better for God.
Meanwhile, the Christian Post's review pointed out that the movie can be appreciated not just by Christians but those with different beliefs as well.
"It's a movie made for non-Christians and Christians alike. It forces non-Christians to ask 'do I believe?' but urges Christians to consider: I believe, but now what will I do?" wrote Michael Foust in his review.
