The third chapter of Pure Flix' "checkmate atheists" saga has sent its blessing. Rejoice as it delivers even more accidental farce in the form of wanting to propound a serious message while insisting to remain obtuse about atheism, society, and science - or otherwise believe demonstrably incorrect things (or "knowing the truth" as PF would say, mainly to themselves if they've been sleeping poorly).
God's Not Dead 3 is here and this time he REALLY isn't dead, nor an ancient product of make-believe just as likely to exist as the thousands of other deities that feature in religions both modern and defunct. This time, the marginalization of religious groups in Trump's America is the focus, the victims of which are, naturally, white conservative Christians. Again, they're big on "the truth", these guys.
Most unfortunate about Pure Flix is the fact that their movies are technically getting better and better. The lighting and cinematography are improving, and the characters are starting to vaguely resemble real human beings - as opposed to mouth-pieces of The Enlightened versus caricatures of the Bad People; the ones who take history, archaeology and astronomy more seriously than the "talking animal" book about an omniscient sky entity who loves all except third world countr... Oops, sorry, I mean DA BOOK OF TROOF DAT IS TRUE BECAUZ GOD, THE REAL ONE, WRITED IT!!!! (I'd say we're even now, Pure Flix)
All that being said, it looks as if the company is running out of actors dumb enough to say yes to this stuff. One of the main stars of God's Not Dead 3, or God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness to be precise, is Pure Flix co-founder David A.R. White (who featured in the last film). Actors like Jennifer Taylor don't seem to have too much to their name (as far as I can tell) but they did manage to get John Corbett and the world's youngest Oscar-winner Tatum O'Neal. The character of Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper) also reappears, possibly for the final time.
I'm sure you guys could have gotten James Woods too, is all I'm saying. Poor sap could use the illusion of a "gotcha" after Call Me By Your Name won Best Adapted Screenplay.
As for White, he plays the reverend whose church is vandalized and, like the faith of the locals, needs to be restored. Much like Veronica, this film is surely based on true events, as is the upcoming fourth film where the Christians are deported, forcefully stripped of their niqabs, and blamed for "running the banks". I am joking, obviously; I don't think there is a sequel.
I often try to separate the art from its message, since a film can very well still be great even if it espouses something you disagree with. There is, however, a limit. When the film is propaganda and the message is so obviously wrong and rooted in misconceptions so remedial it seems like self-parody, you actually do wind up with a damaged movie. Hint: people who think that dinosaur fossils are faked yet believe in unicorns tend to fall into this trap curiously often. This particular movie is, admittedly, not quite as guilty of this as A Matter of Faith or even the first two God's Not Dead films, so I suppose that's a plus.
That's part of the problem, though. This movie may not be as tolerable as A Case for Christ but it isn't as unintentionally laughable and delightfully oblivious as, say, A Matter of Faith, Heaven is for Real, or God's Not Dead 2. I want people who believe the things that Christians believe to tell me that it is somehow atheism that's rooted in zero evidence, while substituting their own "evidence" with sanctimonious preaching and sappy music to show that they're totes the good guys. Serviceable filmmaking is boring as Hell. Which exists.
But whatever. For the fans, this would be a success even if it had been as bad as Birdemic. These are the people who piss themselves crying when the "traditional family" is threatened, because people who choose to do even the SLIGHTEST thing different from you in life has to be in on a conspiracy to destroy the future. You know what? Fine. That can be true if you want. And I only say this because I don't want you to start throwing your dinner plate around and vomit all over your bib while whining that it is lefties who are spoon-fed opinions and can't operate freely (and also whine too much). Just take your nap already.
