Left Behind (2000)

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Movie
German title did not show up
Original title Left Behind
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 2000
length 96 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Vic Sarin ,
Peter Lalonde ,
Paul Lalonde ,
Bobby Neutz ,
Ron Booth
script Alan B. McElroy ,
Paul Lalonde ,
Joe Goodman
production Peter Lalonde ,
Paul Lalonde ,
Joe Goodman ,
Bobby Neutz
music James Covell
camera George Tirl
cut Michael Pacek
occupation
chronology

Successor  →
Left Behind II: Tribulation Force

Left Behind is the first part of the US bestseller series of the same name by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins ; published in Germany under the title Finale - The Last Days of the Earth . It represents the rapture that will take place in the future in the faith of certain Christian groups . This is a specific interpretation of 1 Thessalonians. 4:17 after the disappearance of the living Christians from the earth and their encounter with Jesus Christ in heaven is foretold. These processes are told in the film as happenings in the near future. On the basis of this theological perspective, a vision is developed of what life could look like for those who would not take part in such a rapture.

The film never appeared in Germany. In the United States, the film was produced for the video market. 2014 staged Vic Armstrong with Left Behind a remake. In contrast to the previous films, it is a cinema production. Nicolas Cage can be seen here in the role of Rayford Steele .

The content

The film begins with the attack by the Syrian army on modern Israel - during an interview by American reporter Buck Williams with Israeli scientist Chaim Rosenzweig. He has developed a formula that allows everything to grow on any soil. In the middle of the desert, a grain field is ripe for harvest.

The attack comes completely unexpected. The Israeli planes cannot even take off because of technical problems. But the attacking machines explode without the Israeli army firing a single shot. Buck Williams reports on the events live via satellite. Even during the transmission, a seemingly prophetic apparition approaches and proclaims a seven-year alliance and war.

In Chicago , the second main character - Rayford Steele, a pilot at PanCon - begins his service. That night he is supposed to fly to London.

Buck is sitting in Rayford Steele's plane, being looked after by the chief stewardess Hattie Durham, whom he knows from before when suddenly dozens of passengers have suddenly disappeared: all children and many adults. Clothes and shoes are left behind. Panic breaks out on board.

Ray struggles to calm the passengers down and learns that the same thing has happened everywhere and that most airports are closed. He returns to Chicago, where the runways are still open.

Ray takes Buck home with him - otherwise he has no chance of getting anywhere in the mess. His wife and son have disappeared, and their pajamas are still in the empty beds.

The next morning, Ray's daughter Chloe comes home. She discovers Buck sleeping on her living room couch and drives him to a private airport, where he chartered the pilot Ken Ritz with his plane for 48 hours. This is where the reporter begins gathering information for his article on the rapture. The pilot gives him some theories that he has heard on various occasions. Each individual has to process the events for himself.

Ray drives to his wife's church and meets the assistant pastor Bruce Barnes. He sees how he realizes that his life was a lie. Both start with Jesus . Together they watch a video left by the main pastor of the congregation.

The reasons for the "mass disappearances" are now officially stated on television: scientifically formulated, but far from the truth.

Meanwhile, Buck continues to gather information. He finds out that there are already plans to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, but doesn't think they will ever be implemented. Two of his friends and informants are murdered in quick succession, and he himself only barely escapes death. Horrified, he flees to Ray and Chloe - the only people in Chicago whom he still trusts.

Bruce shows him the video and explains that it was made three years ago. Buck can't believe it. But here he sees that all of these things are foretold in the Bible . Ten "kingdoms" are to rule the world for the next seven years, and the " Antichrist " is to be above all . Still, he cannot imagine that such things could happen. Bruce and Ray warn him that if he does not put his trust in God, he will be deceived.

In this moment of general confusion and uncertainty, Nicolai Carpathia is appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations , and Buck and Chaim decide to warn him that it should only be used to bring absolute world domination into the hands of two bankers. After Carpathia takes measures to prevent the bankers from coming to power, Buck discovers the plans for the Jewish temple on the table. Chaim explains to him that everything has already been prepared for construction and that it will start soon.

Buck apologizes and goes to the bathroom to deal with this new turn of events. Here he draws the conclusions from what has happened and gives his life to Jesus Christ. This is followed by a meeting at which the bankers' plans to take over power are to be uncovered. This session ends in disaster. Carpathia murders his opponents and hypnotizes all participants, who henceforth swear to have seen a murder followed by suicide. Buck is the only one who knows the truth.

Buck leaves the UN building and announces that the biblical prophecies are now coming true. Therefore he put his trust in God. He travels back to Chicago, where all four - Bruce Barnes, Rayford Steele, Buck Williams, and Chloe Steele, team up to fight the enemy. The " Tribulation Force " ( " Tribulation Force " from tribulatio magna ( Latin ), the "Great Tribulation" of the final battle described in the Bible) is born.

Sequels

There were two sequels, both again with Kirk Cameron and Brad Johnson in leading roles:

reception

Left Behind received mostly negative reviews from film reviews. The two film review collections Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic found only 12% and 22% positive ratings, respectively. Washington Post -Filmkritiker Desson Howe described the film as a " hard awkward embarrassments " ( " a blundering cringefest ") thanks to " unintentionally ridiculous dialogues abgedroschenem script and uninspired direction ." Howe goes on to say that the harder the film tries, the worse it gets. The seriousness of the film would make it a target for ridicule (" bulging bull's-eye for rotten-tomato throwers ").

Awards

The film was nominated for the DVD Exclusive Award (Video Premiere Award) in 2001 in three categories, including directing and special effects.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rotten Tomatoes: Left Behind . Retrieved July 13, 2009.
  2. ^ Metacritc: Left Behind . Retrieved July 13, 2009.
  3. ^ Desson Howe: Left Behind: Heaven Help Us . In: Washington Post , February 2, 2001 ( online )

Web links