The Other Side of Heaven 2: Fire of Faith

If Ned Flanders were real and making movies this is the kind of sanctimonious, self-satisfied, culturally tone-deaf drivel he'd be churning out. Verily I say unto you, it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a thinking person to endure more than five minutes of this dross.

I wasn't sure what to expect, especially since it's been years since I saw the first movie and can't really remember much of it's story. But we really loved this movie. It was full of adventure, funny, and very heart touching. My family members that aren't LDS welled up and really loved it too. It's a great story for everyone, beautifully shot and very professionally done. I highly recommend it.

I am a Tongan member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have served a mission and have been a member my whole life. Heck, I have met John Groberg, and my uncle is named dropped in the movie. I should be the very target demographic for this film. Keep all that in mind when I say, this is not a good movie. So even the choir you're preaching to, wants you to tone it Down

Before starting on the main problem of the movie, I will say the positive. Towards the end the film does have legitimately sweet and sentimental moments that really work. The actor playing Thomas S. Monson is having a fun time portraying one of the coolest guys ever born. And honestly, the acting throughout isn't that bad.

The biggest problem in this movie is how heavy handed the message is hammered in. The movie villainizes the Christian preacher, Viliami 'Sione' Paletu'a, to such an over the top degree, it is pretty insulting. When LDS members give him a pig as a gift, he tells his son to throw the pig into the ocean and drown it. When his son doesn't, he buries him neck deep in the sand where he nearly drowns. Every time they cut to this preacher in the story all he is doing is yelling about his son is dead to him and telling his followers that the missionaries are of the devil. We are not given any backstory of WHY he has such a prejudice against the church, we just know that he hates everything about it. He is a one-note straw man set up to show how good the members are compared to this hate filled Christian preacher.

It comes across as a very "woe is me" type of story. Saying that we've done nothing wrong and people come and attack us for no reason. There are people who will come unprovoked and beat up missionaries. The missionaries will just stand there and say that they love and forgive them. It is told in such a black and white, right and wrong way a Fairy Tale gives more depth to a Big Bad Wolf. It is distracting to think how church members are directing a story showing all members as good noble people and all the rest as heartless jerks.

Beyond that, the movie really drags. It has serious pacing issues and just seems to end when they run out of film.

If you want to know more about the church, talk to some missionaries. Yea verily, it came to pass that this film dwindled in mediocrity, and there was much sorrow.

Though I'm not LDS, I really enjoyed the first movie and would have felt the same about this one were it not for so many *very disturbing* moments. This is not for kids, nor is it a family movie. I would honestly feel very awkward watching this with my family...

I also felt there were wasted opportunities to show the real struggles, in more depth, of what the characters went through emotionally and their heartfelt prayers toward God in trusting Him no matter what. It felt like their faith got shaky only to be restored when things went well.

Having said that, I enjoyed the beautiful scenery, both of the island and the architecture, the actors, and of course, the way they showed love and forgiveness, and the power of praying to Jesus.

Even if you haven't seen the original Other Side of Heaven, I recommend this sequel. It's much better and doesn't rely on the first movie for its success. I found myself riveted to the highs and lows experienced by Elder Groberg and his family as they served in Tonga for 3 years. Their challenges, paralleled with a Tongan family's struggles, eventually intersect in a tear-inducing way. Faith, love, charity and focusing on religious similarities more than differences really are the keys to overcoming hardships. Go see it. You will be uplifted!