The Remaining

Thank you Affirm Films for sending us this movie to watch!

I have seen many Christian movies ranging from dramas, to documentaries and comedies.  The Remaining is very unique as it's the first Christian themed survival/horror movie I've seen.  It doesn't pull any punches and shows both believers and non-believers getting torn apart by prophesied abominations.  Because of the gore, this movie received a PG-13 rating.  I was surprised it didn't get an R.  The Remaining makes Left Behind look like a Disney film, and is bound to give young kids nightmares.  

The movie begins with a picture perfect wedding and the groom's friend is documenting it with his camcorder.  His footage gets really interesting at the reception when many of the guests suddenly collapse and die.  They are the lucky ones as the people left behind must deal with fire and hail raining from the sky, looting, mayhem, and demonic attacks.  

The wedding party must flee for safety, collect their wits and process what's happening to them.  Is this an alien attack or Biblical prophecy coming true?  Many characters realize that they have missed the rapture and solidify their faith in God.  It's not an easy decision as it comes with consequences as demons are attracted to and attack new believers.  Is the quick death worth the risk?  Is it the right choice?

Not everyone embraces faith though.  People on both side of the fence die in this film.  I was surprised to see how some characters were given the option to die despite Revelation 9:6 stating that death would not come to those wounded.  

Despite the religious liberties and rapture backdrop, I found The Remaining to be quite thrilling and it succeeded in startling me on several occasions.  Some of the footage is done via camcorder or phone camera, but the rest looks decent with passable special effects.   This movie does not have a triple A budget and while I did not recognize the actors, some of them have other shows and films in their IMDb profile.  

The acting was good and the characters were likable.  The story held my interest and the scares kept me at the edge of my seat.  If you enjoy Christian themed movies and thrillers, check out The Remaining.