Left Behind (I) (2014)
7/10
This one shouldn't be on the list.
21 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I saw "Left Behind" because I have a strange hobby...to watch as many of the films as I can from IMDB's infamous Bottom 100 list. This list consists of the 100 lowest rated mainstream releases. So, obviously this is for horrible films, and I assumed the movie was horrible. The problem is...it's not a bad movie at all! So why is it on the list? I have three theories. First, it's become very fashionable lately to hate Nicholas Cage. Two of his films (this one and the remake of "Wicker Man") are on this list...yet neither is a bad film....but folk love to talk about how rotten an actor he is. He was just fine in "Left Behind". Second, the film has a super-narrow appeal...to Evangelical Christians...in particular folks like Baptists, Church of God and other such denominations. Why? Because these churches tend to preach about the end times and the Rapture. Other denominations, such as Methodists, Lutherans and Catholics do not generally hold this doctrine. So, if folks who aren't brought up hearing about the Rapture see the film, they are probably more likely to dislike the plot. Finally, my other thought is perhaps some group of folks have flooded IMDB with scores of 1 (such as how 4chan has attacked a few films en masse). All I know is technically speaking, it's a decent production...not nearly earning the abysmal score of 3.1 it currently has.

The story centers on a particular family. The father (Cage) and daughter are not thrilled that the mother (Lea Thompson) has become a Bible-thumping Christian. However, they are shocked when Mom, other believing Christians and all the children instantly vanish....sending the world into total chaos. It's really bad for Cage, as he's piloting an airliner over the Atlantic when all this occurs.

Generally, the film kept me interested and was decent. A few things I didn't like were the ending where the plane made an emergency landing....you just have to see it to believe, I mean NOT believe it. Second, I thought the tiny man was a bit overplayed. Who is THAT hostile?? But apart from all that, a decent film....with decent production values and acting.
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