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.

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

The Moment After is once again a Christian conception of what will happen here on earth when the believer types are suddenly whisked out of this plain of existence to another dimension. As there is as much speculation about these prophetic events and some out there hold that the Rapture is not even going to happen, the writer's imagination can run wild with possibilities.

I don't think all that much imagination was put to use here though. The film focuses on two FBI agents, David A.R. White and Kevin Downes who are among the many checking out and filing all the missing person cases that have mushroomed all over the globe.

Pretty soon though Downes and White are put on the trail of a messianic Jew played by Brad Heller who when the Rapture does occur suddenly decides he's the guy looking to convert his people. The New Testament does say that before the Second Coming all the Jews in the world will be converted.

That makes him one dangerous fellow, especially to the forces of the world government who are not liking people like Heller. In fact Christians who didn't make the Rapture cut are following this guy as well.

The Moment After is a sincere, but rather flat attempt offer a future vision of persecution of Christians for spreading the word. The people behind the film are evangelicals, down to the players who are veterans of the Christian film genre. It all gets done so often. In fact as evangelical tools they can be suspect because the speculation varies so that if they are continually shown at churches, Sunday Schools and such venues, I wonder if it doesn't confuse more than uplift.

I have loved this movie from the moment I watched it the first time. It is an awesome witness for how things will be once we are out of here. The movie is thought provoking and well done. David White, Kevin Downes and Brad Heller are favorites--have seen other Christian movies they have been in.