The Moment After (a J!-ENT DVD Review)

December 28, 2009 by Dennis Amith 

A Christian film about the rapture, “The Moment After” is an enlightening film with a powerful message.

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TITLE: The Moment After

DURATION: 89 Minutes

DVD INFORMATION: Anamorphic Widescreen (1:78:1), English and Portuguese Stereo, Subtitles: English, English SDH, Portuguese

COMPANY: Affirm Films/Sony Pictures Classics

RELEASED: January 12, 2010

Directed by Wes Llewellyn

Written by Kevin Downes, Amanda Llewellyn, Wes Llewellyn

Producer: Kevin Downes, Brad Heller, Wes Llewellyn, David A.R. White

Co-Producer: Bobby Downes

Associate Producer: Lory Bennetts, Amanda Llewellyn

Music by Marc Fantini

Cinematography by Philip Hurn

Edited by Wes Llewellyn

Starring:

David A.R. White as Adam Riley

Kevin Downes as Charles Baker

Brad Heller as Jacob Krause

Monte Perlin as Global Alliance Commander Fredericks

D. David Morin as Special Agent Thomas

John Gilbert as Peter McCollum

Manney Beldaire as Dr. Claire Holt

Gregg Alex as Dr. Jason Hersch

Paul R. Jones as Dr. Edward Wilkins

Amanda Llewellyn as Mrs. Fulton

Mike Wilson as Mr. Fulton

Don Parker Decker as President of the United States

With impending global chaos, two F.B.I. agents are assigned to investigate the sudden disappearance of millions worldwide. The agents soon realize that a dissenter could hold the key to their pursuit of the truth. Believing there is a government conspiracy, this mysterious man leads his unconventional group to instead uncover a truth they never imagined, and a faith they never knew they had. The powerful cast of Mercy Streets and Six: The Mark Unleashed – David A.R. White, Kevin Downes and Brad Heller – reunites in this compelling thriller about conspiracy, leadership and the desire to believe.

The storyline or biblical prophecy about the miraculous event known as “the rapture”, a day when God believing people who have given their lives to God disappearing all over the world as it is featured in the Bible under the Book of Revelations and those left behind having to wonder where are their love ones and according to revelations, the years that follow under Satan’s rule until God comes for his believers one last time for those left behind, those who have given their lives to God and taking them to the promise land.

There have been a number of interpretations of the rapture and in 1995, Christians have taken the events of the rapture to heart, and courtesy of the best selling novel and series “Left Behind”, many have changed their lives.

But the rapture has also inspired many other books written about it and also in film.  In 1999, the film known as “The Moment After” written and directed by Christian filmmaker Wes Llewellyn (“It’s Supernatural”, “Up in the Air”, “Unbound”) and also written by Amanda Llewellyn and actor Kevin Downes was a popular film that would inspire many people.

A low budget Christian film created with a $250,000 budget, the film was quite successful as it was a best seller among Christian film audiences and was also a Crown Award winner of the “Best Evangelistic Film and Best Drama Film” and inspired a direct-to-video sequel “The Moment After 2: The Awakening” in 2006.

“The Moment After” is about the rapture and how millions of people worldwide have disappeared and how those left behind have been affected.  The storyline focuses on two F.B.I. agents, Adam Riley (played by David A.R. White) and his partner Charles Baker (played by Kevin Downes).  The two go on to find clues on the disappearances of the people, for Adam…his good friend in the force has disappeared with his family and parts of him believes it may be the rapture but is not convinced.  Meanwhile, Charles doesn’t understand because he looks at himself and his wife as good people and she asks him why were they left behind? Why was her sister taken and what about them? For Charles, he has no answers to why this is all happening.

Meanwhile, a man named Jacob Krause, who was a Jewish rabi, begins helping people and introducing God into their lives and knows that what has been taken place is the rapture.

Four months later, things have changed in the world with the world now going into a One World currency and people must have a B-chip installed (which supposedly acts as a credit card).  For Jacob, he has been telling people to not take the chip and thus is targeted as a dangerous criminal by the Global Alliance, a military led by Commander Fredericks (played by Monte Perlin) who goes after Christians (that have been deemed as going against the Global Alliance and the mandatory B-chip).

As Adam and Charles go further into their investigation and also to go after Jacob Krause, they meet a good friend who is wanted by the Global Alliance and tells them about the rapture.  Will Adam and Charles listen and give their life to God?  Or are will they assist the Global Alliance and capture Christians?

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“The Moment After” is featured in Anamorphic Widescreen (1:78:1).  The film is ten years old but doesn’t look too dated.  The film has a fine layer of grain and has occasional dust but for the most part, picture quality is fine.

Audio is presented in Dolby Digital and is front channel driven.  Dialogue is clear and understandable.  For those with modern home theater receivers can set their audio for “Stereo” on all channels for a more immersive soundtrack.  The film is not action-driven but for the most part, dialogue is clear.  Audio is in English and Portuguese Stereo.

Subtitles are in English, English SDH and Portuguese.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“The Moment After” features two special features:

• Audio Commentary by Director Wes Llewellyn and Co-Writer Amanda Llewellyn – A more technical commentary about the camera shots and the screenplay and what both wanted to see in the scenes and also discussion of set design/construction and more.
• Cast Commentary by David A.R. White and Kevin Downes – Pretty entertaining and informative commentary by both main talent who talk about mistakes and other behind-the-scenes information on the talent and the certain scene.

Overall, “The Moment After” was an enjoyable Christian suspenseful drama.  Personally, I found it quite refreshing to watch many years after I finished up the “Left Behind” series which was more about the family and the global growing of Christians against the anti-christ, “The Moment After” is similar but very different that the storyline is not too focused on a certain family but how two FBI Agents are dealing with the events that have transpired after the rapture.

For the character of Adam, he would have conversations with his good friend about the bible and he was at least a listener, while his partner Charles Baker looked at being a law abiding citizen for the fight of good (as an FBI Agent) as being good people.  But what drives the film is not more of the war against some anti-christ or the Global Alliance but people searching for answers.

Why was Adam’s best friend’s family taken but his wife was left behind and this film does a good job of showing that all Christians who believe in God are taken away.  It’s more than that and that includes giving yourself to God.  And with the character of Jacob, with his words of “There are worse things more than just dying” and for any Christian, God believing person…that sentence alone rings true.

“The Moment After” was an enlightening Christian film with an honest storyline with a strong and powerful message.  It’s not a film where you’re going to find major CG work or special effects, nor are you going to find any major sign of Hollywood’s involvement with this film either.  The DVD contains two solid audio commentary tracks which were both insightful and entertaining.

For those who enjoyed the film before or people who have any curiosity towards the rapture and a person who is open to watching Christian films, “The Moment After” is film worth watching.  You may actually be inspired after watching it.