The Moment After

Who can stop this seemingly unstoppable end times merchandise bonanza? Bestselling books, comics, board games, movies, those tracts you find in bus station toilets, etc. It seems to be everywhere. And "The Moment After" is no exception. The film is about the "rapture" where all the Big Guy's followers get whisked off into the clouds and all non-followers are condemned to suffer. Sound like fun?

Despite what the film is advertising, the film is about as uplifting as a weekend with leprosy. The visuals are somewhat interesting too. The New World Order general acts like he has a 2x4 rammed up his rear end, gritting his teeth, with veins popping in his forehead. It's pretty enchanting. And torn out of the classic soul-searching textbook, the film ends in a cookie cutter el fin complete with arms outstretched in prison and praising the Big J. Cue the Bible verses.

No this film is not my cup of tea. And probably never will be. If I want to be preached at, I'll put up with one of those pesky Jehovah's Wittness' a-knocking at my door.

This is an independent film based on Biblical teachings. Some may rave against it, but hey, they don't like anything that is Christian. So why do you watch it and then gripe? David A.R. White does a very good job of acting in this film portraying an FBI agent that has to make his mind up for himself about what has happened following the disappearance of thousands of people. Brad Heller is a talented actor often overlooked. In this film he is a 'messenger' who leads God's children.

In the sequel to this you see that it is the first film they made on their own. I feel they did a very good job. Way to go Downes, White, Heller and all the cast & crew.

For all that criticise this move here, they've at least seen the movie in its entirety at that must tell you something about the movie. It's fairly well scripted and acted, but if you compare it to the best Hollywood movies you'll, of course find it lacking, but then so would most other movie be lacking IF you compare them to the best. Compare it to the median and you'll be pleasantly surprised. It's cool.

No, what the movie does it portray a serious Biblical truth in a lively, relevant and most appealing way. It's not preachy, there's no cringe factor. Whatever it does, it'll get you thinking. And if only because of that, it is well worth seeing. But it does more.

In a moment of time hundreds of thousands of people across America disappear in a flash . Scientists are baffled by this phenomenon but Christians believe the rapture has happened . Two FBI agents Baker and Riley try and make sense of the mass disappearance . Weeks after the event the increasing repressive American state is becoming more interested in a Rabbi who is now seen as a fugitive

There's the bare bones of a good film in here somewhere . A flash and hundreds of thousands of Americans have ceased to exist . This calls for an investigation led by Mulder and Scully which would make a mighty fine episode of THE X FILES . Unfortunately any naughty thoughts about Dana Scully will have to be curtailed as will any type of critical thinking because this is a Christian movie . I don't mean it has a Christian subtext I mean it literally has Christian explanation for the events shown which sinks the film . Nigel Kneale used a very similar borrowing from the rapture in his 1979 QUATERMASS story but while that was about science versus faith with science winning in the end here faith wins out because ... well because .

It'd be very easy to stick the boot in to THE MOMENT AFTER such as a character pulling out a bible and claiming " Everything in it is true " true that is except for God creating the Earth in seven days and the talking snake and Adam and Eve and everything else . Seeing as the hunted fugitive Jacob is a former Rabbi I'm a bit confused why he keeps referring to Christianity in such a knowledgeable manner since he's so recently converted . Yes Christianity is an off shoot of the Judiac religion as is Islam but that doesn't mean Jews view Jesus in the same way Christians do . They see Jesus as a mere prophet rather than the Son of God . I also wondered why Jacob needed to point out off camera and say " See this fir trees . They can't survive without God's love " .No they can't survive without photosynthesis . Try getting your nose out of the Bible or Talmud and read a book on basic plant biology Jacob

Oh dearie me I starting to get a bit grumpy something I didn't mean to do but this sums up everything wrong about Christian films that leave no room at the Inn for either agnostics or atheists or even Deists . Nearly every scene revolves around the very real concept of God's existence which is a great pity because some of the ideas put forward are rather intriguing such as the American government putting micro-chips in people and the rise of an oppressive militia which would have somethingof an appeal to a mainstream secular audience . As it stands THE MOMENT AFTER only exists to spread the word to the converted

Unless you're a devout Christian and want your beliefs confirmed, avoid this like the plague. The dialogue makes the old Dragnet TV show seem lively and realistic, people have the most unbelievable reactions to incredible events and even within the Christian viewpoint, the movie simply makes no factual sense. In the "damning with faint praise" department, I guess it takes a talent of some kind to make a movie about a supernatural event like "the rapture" and manage to wring all tension, wonder and drama out of it.

Truly awful movie that my wife rented thinking it was an actual sci-fi movie, rather than the di-fi (divinity fiction) it so clearly I and wanted to be.