The Case for Christ

This is a decent movie. It's well directed and well acted. It looks great and it's intense and suspenseful and interesting. I'm an atheist and I find the film surprising

Firstly, it's very hard to independently review this film. Aethiests tell me it's rubbish, Christians tell me it's brilliant and no-one else care. So trying to watch it with an open mind was difficult, given my Catholic upbringing.

I found it interesting, well acted and thought provoking, but not overly convincing. I haven't read the book by Strobel but I'd want more detail than he discovers from the film and at times he seems to apply the logic of Faith, rather than reason and doubt, to his findings but the parts seem well cast, Mike Vogel and Erika Christensen are convincing as husband and wife and the supporting cast are solid.

Strobels character in particular is interesting, with his normal investigative journalism running alongside his need to understand his wife's Faith, which at the time he neither shares nor understands.

It's watchable, interesting and thought provoking but I don't feel it will remove either the believers or the atheists from their entrenched positions.

One of the best Christian films for a very long time! I used to be an atheist too, so the spiritual struggle he went through is way too familiar to me. Personally it touched me very deeply. My advice to skeptics: guys, open your hearts then you will be able to see some wonderful things "hidden" from you for now. Many thanks to Mike Vogel, well done, brother!

Prepare yourself for this shock: This is a Christian movie, and it is ACTUALLY GOOD! I expected this movie to be like other Christian movies, with cookie-cutter black-and-white characters which portray atheists as awful and heartless people and the hero as someone who can do no wrong. This movie was not that way. The characters are real and the roles are acted really well. There are also no cheesy conversions like in a lot of Christian movies. Everything seemed authentic. This is actually a good movie. I'm not saying it was good for a Christian movie, it was actually a good movie as far as all movies are concerned.

"Christian" movies have a reputation of being artificial, unprofessional, and only appealing to those who are already indoctrinated. "The Case for Christ" breaks these stereotypes, delivering the best piece of Christian filmography that I've seen, as well as a good biographical drama by more general standards.

As mentioned, "The Case" avoids the pitfalls that the majority of Christian films fall into. It does not vilify atheists, make Christians appear impossibly pious, stuff the script with corny and unnatural dialogue (or significantly lack any other production quality), or contrive situations in order to "prove" Christianity (this is a biography, after all).

While the primary character, Lee Strobel, isn't a very nice person for most of the movie, he is no more flawed than most protagonists, and these flaws are never blamed on atheism, per se. Mike Vogel's portrayal of a man doing what he feels is best for his family and dealing with life's stresses, especially those that come from having one's worldview challenged, is genuine and moving.

I don't think many folks will come into the movie theater as skeptics and walk out as Christians, but I think the movie's producers were mature enough that that's not what they were intending or expecting. The movie likely won't answer all of a skeptic's questions (though the questions they do address are relevant, not straw men), but it answers enough of them that they should realize that (some) people do indeed have reasons for their beliefs.

Altogether, Christians and non-Christians alike should walk away from this movie with the desire to learn more, and they'll have experienced a good piece of cinema in the process.