Revelation

...this one will petrify you. When you watch films such as The Shining... Scream... all volumes of Freddy Kruger, etc., etc., you are scared, obviously, but it really doesn't affect your inner soul. You have sort of a security blanket in your mind, because you know this is not true; it never happened.

Revelation, although, literally makes you tremble because of its sheer, true-to-life impact. It WILL happen; it's not a matter of 'if'...but 'when.' It's not a wholly bad thing, either, it forces you to look over your spiritual life and ask yourself if you're really putting what is necessary into your faith life; your relationship with God. Go rent it, feel yourself quiver.

A fine film on every front. Strong characters played by impressive actors. A suspenseful storyline that maximized the tension as the ending drew nearer. BUT... the biblical message was lost along the way. Two passages sprang to mind as I watched:

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. "

Acts 4:10,12 "Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead .... Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved."

Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ and in him alone. But "Jesus" was rarely mentioned. Believe in "God" was the repeated message. "God the Father" is one thing, but "God" is a generic term that anyone watching could make fit their preconceived ideas, whether or not biblically based. I was disappointed in the Lalondes and in both Jack Van Impe and John Hagee for allowing the film to go to release without a clear salvation message. Is this a "Christian" film or just a family-friendly action movie with a thin veneer of biblical eschatology as a plot point?

I recently re-enjoyed the original End Times tetralogy of films beginning with "A Thief in the Night" and running through "The Prodigal Planet," produced between 1972 and 1983. They were overtly evangelistic films that ensured nobody got through a film without hearing the good news of salvation through Christ clearly detailed. In "Revelation," the closest we got was the scene of Helen reacting to Thorold's shouted objections to God's perceived injustices--his mother dying of cancer, his family vanishing. Believe in God, have faith, was the milquetoast response Helen mustered. Nothing was said of Christ's redemptive death and of the free gift of salvation by grace through faith. The film fumbled the ball on this key play!

"Revelation" also made little attempt to inform the audience about the eschatological events unfolding on their screens. Those "Thief in the Night" movies set the bar high with lengthy exposition and with wall-sized charts and tribulation maps that provided the audience a crash course in premillennial dispensationalism. I understand not wanting to slow the movie's momentum to detail the seven seal judgments, but the most the Lalondes' film did was outsource the job to a couple Van Impe and Hagee clips that served more to set up the next scene than to educate the audience on End Times.

All that said, and setting aside expectations, I really enjoyed the movie, even if I would at best call it Christian-lite. Jeff Fahey was a compelling leading man, looking like a younger Mel Gibson coupled with the raspy voice of Clint Eastwood (with whom he co-starred in "White Hunter, Black Heart" a decade earlier). Fahey's a talented guy, one who can present himself as impenetrably tough, but then quickly drop the facade and reveal his vulnerability.

"I need your help. And my gun's real." I especially enjoyed the winning chemistry between Jeff Fahey and Tony Nappo, who played smart-aleck computer whiz Willie, confined to a wheelchair (which stirred memories of a similar character on the 1980's "War of the Worlds" series). Willie's John Wayne impression and having a dog named Elvis won me over to him immediately.

With that New Yawk accent who'da guessed Nappo's a Canuck? He fooled this former Long Islander into believing he was my homeboy! He even snuck in a Yogi Berra line about taking the fork in the road. And what a player, too. The flirtation between Willie and blind babe Cindy came across so authentic and I was really enjoying their budding romance until...! Let's just say guys who don't learn from the history of Adam and Eve and Samson and Delilah are bound to repeat it.

Leigh Lewis as Helen Hannah took a diminished role in this second film, but she nonetheless proved a pivotal player. Len Parker having her wanted poster on his desk was a nice touch, as was how the front-desk guard referred to her as a "big fish," implying her once being a newscaster made her an "influencer" long before that term entered the vernacular. (That same idea was effectively employed in "The Omega Man" back in '71 with a former newscaster elevated to leadership of the mutants).

Breaking news from WNN: Parker Lewis can't lose, but Len Parker sure can. Talk about not learning from history, right? His replay of the incendiary events of Daniel 3 made for a fantastic scene and a fitting end, though I admit I will miss his distinct brand of deviltry. Yeah, he was a little over the top, but he effectively ensured nobody would mistake him for a good guy. "Evil incarnate" is an overused term but an apt one here. Shooting down a dad in front of his wife and child? Slapping senseless the grieving widow while threatening her young child? That puts the evil in devil.

Evil of a more subtle and persuasive kind was employed by Nick Mancuso as Antichrist Franco Macalousso. A different actor than the one who played the role in the first picture, but a stronger and more convincing one. He reminded me of Sebastian Cabot's character in the "Twilight Zone" episode "A Nice Place to Visit." So charming a fellow, "a man of wealth and taste," as the Rolling Stones phrased it. Satan will deceive many with his smooth words and empty promises, and I admit I choked up when witnessing whom he deceived and at what horrors a person can inflict upon the innocent when his capacity to love is stripped away.

"Revelation" proved to be a taut and intense thriller, especially in its closing quarter, though there really wasn't a dull moment after the opening home movies end. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to slide the third film "Tribulation" into the DVD player tomorrow. The caveat is that "Revelation" is NOT an evangelistic film and is regretfully soft n' squishy on the necessity of Christ in salvation. But taken for what it is, it shines as a professionally polished action flick free from the profanity, nudity, and gore plaguing most modern films of that genre. Enjoy, but do keep an eye out for O. N. E. Agents crawling through windows and for those pesky providentially toppled blue plastic cups!

"Thoroid Stone" (Jeff Fahey) is a police officer who is totally devastated because he has lost his wife and child to the supernatural phenomenon known as "the Rapture" which was covered in the previous movie "Apocalypse". While absorbed in his thoughts he gets a call that a school bus has been bombed and he races to the scene to investigate. Once there he is informed that the people responsible for the bombing is a group called "the Haters" who oppose the new world dictator, "Franco Macalousso" (Nick Mancuso). But Detective Stone is not necessarily convinced that this group was responsible and the deeper he probes the more evidence he uncovers that they are being framed. Additionally, he also discovers a connection to a top-secret event called "the Day of Wonders" which Franco Macalousso is set to unveil in the next few days. Anyway, rather than disclose any more details and possibly spoil the movie for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a very imaginative film. It was also a bit better than its predecessor due in large part to some notable additions which included Tony Nappo (as "Willie Spino"), Carol Alt ("Cindy Bolton") and the aforementioned Jeff Fahey. Likewise, Nick Nancuso replaced Sam Bornstein in the role of Franco Macalousso. These additions, along with retaining Leigh Lewis ("Helen Hannah"), were definite improvements. On the flip-side though I must admit that the overall plot which involved "virtual reality on steroids" did seem a bit far-fetched. Still, it was an entertaining film for the most part and because of that I rate it as slightly above average.

This movie is horrible. Aside from the plot gaffes, of which there are many, the movie itself is very weak. For those of you who are not Christians, you are seriously going to be left out, since I am a deeply devout Christian, and this movie had me reeling! Many non-Christians believe that simply because it is a Christian movie, we all like it. Trust me, it's not true. I have reviewed thousands of movies. In fact, 5,698 to date (not here. I have a website.) The plotlines are sketchy, the acting is stiff and cardboard, and the incredible cheese that flows from this movie is just palpable. Peter & Paul LaLonde need to sit down and find out how a real movie is made. They need to quit watching Mighty Morphin Power Rangers for plot insight too. This has to stop. Christian movies are among the lowest rated movies in the world. Now, in the older days, we had Ben Hur & Ten Commandments, The Robe, etc. Extremely high quality huge epic productions. Ten Commandments alone had the largest cast & set at the time it was made. Now with Revelation, of course, pathetic CG effects make it sub-par.

Trust me, if you are interested in studying Christianity and Christian movies, don't use this one. Or the next one, or the one before this one.

Revelation is a movie that all Christians should see. It is set in modern times, with computer technology as a major part of the story line. Jeff Fahey is one of the non-believers left behind after the Rapture...his wife and child are gone, and he is unable to comprehend what has really happened.

Nick Mancuso gives a gripping portrayal as the Anti-Christ.