Why are Christian Movies So Bad?

Big Hollywood ^ | 29 Arpil 2009 | Dallas Jenkins

[AreaMan]

Why are Christian Movies So Bad?

Posted By Dallas Jenkins On April 29, 2009 @ 5:03 am In Entertainment, Story, Religion |

As I mentioned in [1] my last article, Hollywood is more interested in Christian, or “faith-based,” films than ever. The mind-blowing success of “The Passion” got it started, but then it waned as studios couldn’t quite figure out how to match that success. It heated up again recently with the success of the micro-budget, church-produced “Fireproof,” which was the highest grossing indie of 2008.

[2]

These trends beg a few questions. What took Hollywood so long to discover the Christian market? Why can’t they replicate even half the success of “The Passion?” And when Christians make up over half the population, why are faith-based films still relegated to the low-budget, straight to DVD world? The seemingly obvious answer would be that there are few Christians in Hollywood, both at the studio and creative level, but even that would raise the question of why.

I think I know the reason(s), although it’s a bit embarrassing because I happen to be a Christian evangelical. But we must face the truth, and as Dr. Phil so eloquently and charmingly puts it, “You can’t change what you don’t acknowledge.” The fact is, Christian movies have been pretty bad for a few decades. Yes, Hollywood had largely ignored the Christian market, but it’s not like there have been good examples for Hollywood to learn from. And now that Hollywood is actively seeking faith-based material, there’s still a lack of quality scripts and filmmakers available, with a few exceptions, and among the films that are being made in this genre, there are still more crappy ones than good ones.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Chariots of Fire is probably my all time favorite movie>

[SJSAMPLE]

I thought "The Omen" and "The Exorcist" were pretty good.

Oh, you meant those "Christian" movies.
Meh.

[PC99]

Pretty much all “message” films fall short in the quality department, and religious films are the ulitmate message movies.

[shadeaud]

Simple answer is that the premise is wrong.

[Anti-Bubba182]

It is good to have Christian Movies so we can be entertained as the county goes straight to hell.

69,456,897

[PurpleMan]

“Why are Christian Movies So Bad?”

Because they are interested in overtly preaching or vangelizing and not being artists

“The problem is that everyone knows good art should always put story and character above message. Message films are rarely exciting. So by their very nature, most Christian films aren’t going to be very good because they have to fall within certain message-based parameters. And because the Christian audience is so glad to get a “safe, redeeming, faith-based message,” even at the expense of great art, they don’t demand higher artistic standards. So aspiring filmmakers who are Christians have little need to perfect their craft, and Christian investors have little need to spend a lot of money because the message is going to be most important anyway. Add in the fact that the average heartland Christian couldn’t care less what a critic thinks–if anything, they assume they’ll feel the opposite of a movie critic–and you’ve got even less incentive for Christian filmmakers to be obsessed with quality.

[steve-b]

there are still more crappy ones than good ones

"90% of everything is crap"
--Sturgeon's Law

[AreaMan]

The Ninth Configuration

Best movie EVER! In my humble subjective opinion of course. It is a theological debate/drama hiding inside a black comedy.

Who could argue with a film that has stills like this:

[ConfusedAndLovingIt]

... among the films that are being made in this genre, there are still more crappy ones than good ones.

Isn't this the case for all genres?

[Blue Highway]

I guess he is talking about Kirk Cameron and those Left Behind movies that were the rage during the 90’s in Christian circles. One wonders how the films were as bad as the author states. Wasn’t Kirk Cameron considered one of the most popular stars of 80s sitcoms back when he was secular on Growing Pains?

[Arguendo]

A popular sitcom star does not necessarily make a good film.

[frossca]

You mean like “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”?

[Calusa]

Think about it.... Christian.....Hollywood..

[thefrankbaum]

The Narnia movies are pretty good, IMHO. The real problem is that people have lost the art of storytelling, and no amount of whiz-bang special effects can bring that back.

[ican'tbelieveit]

That is what I was thinking. No subtlety.

[latina4dubya]

why are faith-based films still relegated to the low-budget, straight to DVD world?

because what you have are Christians who try to make "Christian" movies... what we need are Christians who simply make GOOD Movies... or who simply write GOOD books... for the most part, when Christians try to make a "Christian" movie, it ends up "schloky," such as that "Left Behind" movie...

[Blue Highway]

I know that but were they expecting adding (at the time one of the hottest Hollywood actors) him to their movies would convert half of America to Christianity?

[HungarianGypsy]

You hit on it well. I never cared for Christian children’s shows because they just seemed way too preachy. Then, along came Veggie Tales that sent the lessons, but was fun to watch. If Christian movies followed this model (minus the talking vegetables) they might get a hit. People go to a movie for entertainment, not a sermon.

[HospiceNurse]

The acting in “Fireproof” stunk.

I never watched “The Passion”.