Firstly, I'm an atheist. I was raised a devout Episcopalian but I often refer to myself as a secular humanist & non-believer but raised with culturally Christian views. Having said that, I noticed right away at the scene in the history class that nothing Melissa Hart said actually violated any hard & fast 1stAMD separation issues. She was within her rights to share those historical facts. She responded to a question in a history class about historically specific correlations between traditions in non-violent protest and passive resistance. Maybe she could have omitted the lengthy scripture quote from the Gospel---but a sound argument could be made that even that was academically relevant too. So...IMHO it was quite relevant and legal. Remember...I'm not a "believer". No school board would take this complaint seriously. I actually think that the ACLU might have defended Melissa Hart!!! It's obvious that the movie makers are trying to unfairly demonize the "freedom from religion" crowd (a rapidly growing demographic BTW) as fanatically unreasonable and angry. In fact, I've found that the exact opposite is usually true. Just research the landmark Kitzmiller vs Dover School board case. As to the ongoing portrayal of atheists and liberal religious types throughout the film, it's an inartfully constructed "straw man" set up for the express purpose of getting easily knocked down. Poor Christians! They have a Biblical persecution complex and are happiest when they can imagine being burned at the stake by the ACLU and a shouting, un-Churched mob of pagan non-believers! Wait 'til you see how they depict the ACLU lawyers as basely motivated by notoriety, power politics and publicity. Not very good...and not persuasive. I think most people can see through this bit of evangelical agitprop whether religious or non-religious.
179 Reviews
God is not dead 2 (translates to: One Leg is still twitching)
t_atzmueller2 April 2016
What drove me into this film? Well, that is hard to describe since in English there apparently doesn't exist an equivalent word for the German term "Schadenfreude". But allow me to elaborate: I am a sucker for bad movies. I love the Ed Wood and Al Adamson flicks, Italian cannibal flicks, German schnitzel-westerns, Ninja flicks from Hong Kong, Greek porn-comedies, etc. I openly admit and repent not. Yes, I do own a copy "Saving Christmas" and watch every Kirk Cameron flick (again: "Schadenfreude"). I only realized that there was a sequel to the original train-wreck when somebody pointed out that "Batman vs. Superman" is only doing so well at the box-office because there was no competition apart from a handful of bible-thumping-flicks. So I took a pilgrimage of-sort (the only cinema that showed it was about an hour's drive away) and to put it into the words of the target-audience, let me now testify to what I hath witnessed and speaketh unto thee: Long story short (remember: this story prattles on for more than two hours, though it actually feels a lot longer): Melissa Joan Hart (best – and ironically – remembered for her lead in the TV-show "Sabrina, the teenage witch"; Catchphrase "Woohoo!") plays a high school teacher, who is suddenly overcome with that ol' itch and begins to sermonize to her students about her believe – in history-class, no less. The logic consequence ensues and she's given the boot, just as a math-teacher would get canned, if he began to preach that one and one is the Holy Trinity. But, unwilling to understand that a school isn't a church, she goes to court and fights for her "god-given" right to preach to children in a class-room.
Now, imagine that scenario: your child comes home from school and, when asked what he/she had learned that day, he/she replies that the god Ganesha has an elephant head (History-class), the basics of L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics (English-Literature-Class), the basics of Alchemy (Science) and Phrenology-101 (Biology). And that the P.E.-teacher was handing out communion wafers and splashed the students with holy water. I presume that most people would be like "WTF!?" and sue the school for all it's worth. So would any fire-and-brimstone-cussing evangelist. But we're not talking any old heathen religion (Catholicism, Judaism, Hinduism, you name it), we're talking about the "real deal" – which may sound cynical to some readers, but that is exactly the stance this "movie" and its ilk takes.
Sure, we could argue that religion should be taught in school. Plenty of time for the kids to learn about all those countless deities, gods and demi-gods, from Zeus to Odin to Jehovah, and to heck with history, geometry and basic science. I can guarantee you one thing: By the end of the semester, those kids won't even be able to read and write properly, but will be convinced that people once-upon-a-time rode on dinosaurs and slew dragons.
Back to the film: of course "God is not Dead 2" tries to establish itself as some Anti-"Inherit the Wind". All the Christians are portrayed as saints and martyrs, thrown into the lion-pits of a cruel, unjust (and ungodly) world, which wants nothing more than to take away their crutch for reality. "We are the victims and everybody else is the enemy", is the prevailing message, and it makes it very clear, why many Christian fundamentals are considered the American answer to the Taliban. If this sentiment would have been around in the 1940's, surely a Nazi war-criminal would have jumped up at the Nuremberg trials, demanding that the judge "stop oppressing me!" And if you ask me about acting, editing, production-values and everything else that goes with a real movie: well, it's a two-hour-plus sermon, featuring either zealots or washed-up has-beens, happy to see the front of a camera. And sure, there'll be plenty of claqueurs, who'll clap and cheer this flick, calling it the greatest thing since Noah's flood, etc. But don't let yourself be fooled. It's trash, no matter how you look at it. Again, if you have seen "Inherit the Wind", you might remember how that film ended; hence, here goes the mandatory one point out of ten.
Now, imagine that scenario: your child comes home from school and, when asked what he/she had learned that day, he/she replies that the god Ganesha has an elephant head (History-class), the basics of L. Ron Hubbard's Dianetics (English-Literature-Class), the basics of Alchemy (Science) and Phrenology-101 (Biology). And that the P.E.-teacher was handing out communion wafers and splashed the students with holy water. I presume that most people would be like "WTF!?" and sue the school for all it's worth. So would any fire-and-brimstone-cussing evangelist. But we're not talking any old heathen religion (Catholicism, Judaism, Hinduism, you name it), we're talking about the "real deal" – which may sound cynical to some readers, but that is exactly the stance this "movie" and its ilk takes.
Sure, we could argue that religion should be taught in school. Plenty of time for the kids to learn about all those countless deities, gods and demi-gods, from Zeus to Odin to Jehovah, and to heck with history, geometry and basic science. I can guarantee you one thing: By the end of the semester, those kids won't even be able to read and write properly, but will be convinced that people once-upon-a-time rode on dinosaurs and slew dragons.
Back to the film: of course "God is not Dead 2" tries to establish itself as some Anti-"Inherit the Wind". All the Christians are portrayed as saints and martyrs, thrown into the lion-pits of a cruel, unjust (and ungodly) world, which wants nothing more than to take away their crutch for reality. "We are the victims and everybody else is the enemy", is the prevailing message, and it makes it very clear, why many Christian fundamentals are considered the American answer to the Taliban. If this sentiment would have been around in the 1940's, surely a Nazi war-criminal would have jumped up at the Nuremberg trials, demanding that the judge "stop oppressing me!" And if you ask me about acting, editing, production-values and everything else that goes with a real movie: well, it's a two-hour-plus sermon, featuring either zealots or washed-up has-beens, happy to see the front of a camera. And sure, there'll be plenty of claqueurs, who'll clap and cheer this flick, calling it the greatest thing since Noah's flood, etc. But don't let yourself be fooled. It's trash, no matter how you look at it. Again, if you have seen "Inherit the Wind", you might remember how that film ended; hence, here goes the mandatory one point out of ten.
If God isn't dead, he probably wishes he were after seeing what these filmmakers did in his name.
dave-mcclain3 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"God's Not Dead 2" (PG, 2:01) is a fantasy – and I am NOT (repeat, NOT) referring to the religious beliefs at the film's core. At the Movie Fan Community Facebook Page, we conscientiously avoid taking sides when it comes to religion, politics, or controversial social issues. We simply evaluate movies on their own individual merits. Before "God's Not Dead 2", we previously reviewed about a dozen faith-based movies since starting this page in January 2015 – and we've reviewed the majority of them positively (e.g. "The Young Messiah", "Risen" and "Do You Believe?") and, although we didn't review it, we also saw the original "God's Not Dead". This sequel stands as one of the most unrealistic faith-based films we have ever seen (and, again, we are not referring to the film's biblical message). Our staff includes a former high school history teacher and an attorney. We think you'll find this review to be an objective and well-informed critique and a fair evaluation of this particular movie's own plusses and minuses.
While certainly very much in the spirit of its predecessor, "God's Not Dead 2" features an entirely new plot, but brings back some of the same characters from the 2014 original. Reverend Dave (David A. R. White) and Reverend Jude (Benjamin Onyango) reunite at Reverend Dave's church, while Chinese college student, Martin Yip (Paul Kwo) and blogger Amy Ryan (Trisha LaFache) each continue the respective faith journeys they began when each became Christians in the first film, plus the Christian rock band "Newsboys" again has a couple scenes. Other minor cast members worthy of note include "Duck Dynasty" cast member Sadie Robertson in her first feature film and the late Fred Thompson in a scene which marks his final on-screen role. Of course, as interesting as all that is, the main point of this movie is a second attempt by Pure Flix Entertainment, their go-to writing team of Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, and returning director Harold Cronk to prove to Movie Fans that God is not dead.
This time around, instead of in a college classroom, issues of faith come up in a high school classroom and the main debate is not between an atheist professor and his student, but between lawyers in an Arkansas courtroom. The trouble starts when public school history student Brooke Thawley (Hayley Orrantia) asks her teacher, committed Christian Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart), a question about Jesus' teachings as they relate to the Civil Rights Movement and Grace answers Brooke by quoting a passage from the New Testament. The phrasing of the question and the answer both sound purely academic in nature, but the principal (Robin Givens) and Brooke's parents (Carey Scott and Maria Canals-Barrera) are very upset and Grace soon finds herself appearing before the local school board.
Grace refuses to apologize for the way she answered Brooke's question, so the board lets the case go to court. Brooke's parents are represented by ACLU attorney Pete Kane (Ray Wise) who professes to hate everything Grace stands for. Grace's attorney, Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalfe) is a non-Christian "low man on the totem pole" provided by Grace's teacher's union. Tom is determined to win his case and Grace's grandfather (Pat Boone), whom she cares for in her home, encourages her, but she's afraid that she'll lose everything is she loses her court case. Reverend Dave ends up on the jury, blogger Amy Ryan's interest is peaked and this situation has a big impact on Brooke's life as well. Plus, the whole nation seems to be watching to see whether the name of Jesus will be barred from the classroom. Tom has to establish that Grace's classroom discussion with Brooke was historical and, therefore, academic in nature. He decides that the best way to prove his case is to prove Jesus' existence as an actual historical figure. As part of his case, he calls witnesses who include famous real-life atheists-turned-Christian authors Lee Strobel and J. Warner Wallace. Then, this young lawyer pulls a couple late trial tricks that are shocking to see the judge (Ernie Hudson) allow and to see opposing counsel not fight against harder.
"God's Not Dead 2" is well-acted and mostly well-directed, but it buries its own message underneath a pile of implausible plot points and dialog. The script imagines a world in which the mere mention of Jesus' name in a public school classroom could get a teacher fired and her teaching certificate revoked. Although some recent court decisions have gone against the Christian perspective on certain issues, the country that this film portrays simply does not exist. Nor does a courtroom exist in which the types of legal arguments and tactics that we see in this film could be employed. This movie furthers its fantasy by filling its world with non-Christians who are always bad people – uncaring parents, angry protesters, stupid judges and evil lawyers – even casting a man who once played the devil in a TV series as the plaintiff's attorney – and having him glower in the courtroom scenes as if he really were Satan himself.
Those stereotypes represent the exception rather than the rule in real life and they're insulting – both to those who aren't Christians, and to those who are, but also have friends and acquaintances beyond the walls of their church. One-dimensional characters do this film no favors, nor does the script jumping back and forth between trying to prove that God is alive and that a teacher should be able to speak Jesus' name in an academic context, but actually proving neither. The more our staff members discussed this movie, the more we became concerned about the blood pressure of the lawyer on our staff. Furthermore, the movie ends with a post-credits scene setting up another sequel. We hope #3 improves on #2's fallacious story. "D"
While certainly very much in the spirit of its predecessor, "God's Not Dead 2" features an entirely new plot, but brings back some of the same characters from the 2014 original. Reverend Dave (David A. R. White) and Reverend Jude (Benjamin Onyango) reunite at Reverend Dave's church, while Chinese college student, Martin Yip (Paul Kwo) and blogger Amy Ryan (Trisha LaFache) each continue the respective faith journeys they began when each became Christians in the first film, plus the Christian rock band "Newsboys" again has a couple scenes. Other minor cast members worthy of note include "Duck Dynasty" cast member Sadie Robertson in her first feature film and the late Fred Thompson in a scene which marks his final on-screen role. Of course, as interesting as all that is, the main point of this movie is a second attempt by Pure Flix Entertainment, their go-to writing team of Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, and returning director Harold Cronk to prove to Movie Fans that God is not dead.
This time around, instead of in a college classroom, issues of faith come up in a high school classroom and the main debate is not between an atheist professor and his student, but between lawyers in an Arkansas courtroom. The trouble starts when public school history student Brooke Thawley (Hayley Orrantia) asks her teacher, committed Christian Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart), a question about Jesus' teachings as they relate to the Civil Rights Movement and Grace answers Brooke by quoting a passage from the New Testament. The phrasing of the question and the answer both sound purely academic in nature, but the principal (Robin Givens) and Brooke's parents (Carey Scott and Maria Canals-Barrera) are very upset and Grace soon finds herself appearing before the local school board.
Grace refuses to apologize for the way she answered Brooke's question, so the board lets the case go to court. Brooke's parents are represented by ACLU attorney Pete Kane (Ray Wise) who professes to hate everything Grace stands for. Grace's attorney, Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalfe) is a non-Christian "low man on the totem pole" provided by Grace's teacher's union. Tom is determined to win his case and Grace's grandfather (Pat Boone), whom she cares for in her home, encourages her, but she's afraid that she'll lose everything is she loses her court case. Reverend Dave ends up on the jury, blogger Amy Ryan's interest is peaked and this situation has a big impact on Brooke's life as well. Plus, the whole nation seems to be watching to see whether the name of Jesus will be barred from the classroom. Tom has to establish that Grace's classroom discussion with Brooke was historical and, therefore, academic in nature. He decides that the best way to prove his case is to prove Jesus' existence as an actual historical figure. As part of his case, he calls witnesses who include famous real-life atheists-turned-Christian authors Lee Strobel and J. Warner Wallace. Then, this young lawyer pulls a couple late trial tricks that are shocking to see the judge (Ernie Hudson) allow and to see opposing counsel not fight against harder.
"God's Not Dead 2" is well-acted and mostly well-directed, but it buries its own message underneath a pile of implausible plot points and dialog. The script imagines a world in which the mere mention of Jesus' name in a public school classroom could get a teacher fired and her teaching certificate revoked. Although some recent court decisions have gone against the Christian perspective on certain issues, the country that this film portrays simply does not exist. Nor does a courtroom exist in which the types of legal arguments and tactics that we see in this film could be employed. This movie furthers its fantasy by filling its world with non-Christians who are always bad people – uncaring parents, angry protesters, stupid judges and evil lawyers – even casting a man who once played the devil in a TV series as the plaintiff's attorney – and having him glower in the courtroom scenes as if he really were Satan himself.
Those stereotypes represent the exception rather than the rule in real life and they're insulting – both to those who aren't Christians, and to those who are, but also have friends and acquaintances beyond the walls of their church. One-dimensional characters do this film no favors, nor does the script jumping back and forth between trying to prove that God is alive and that a teacher should be able to speak Jesus' name in an academic context, but actually proving neither. The more our staff members discussed this movie, the more we became concerned about the blood pressure of the lawyer on our staff. Furthermore, the movie ends with a post-credits scene setting up another sequel. We hope #3 improves on #2's fallacious story. "D"
(Makes movie walks across town naked) Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame! (5x)
Quinoa198414 August 2017
Clarissa didn't explain it all. Or if she did, I must have missed it this time. Frankly, Clarissa's pet alligator Elvis could've made a more coherent thing.
Oh hey, c'mon, clearly these Christians in America are so persecuted! Thats why there are thousands of them at the end/at that concert yelling God's Not Dead. Makes sense, don't it? It clearly took a lot for a 2016 movie to be more offensive, idiotic, wrong-headed, and not comprehending on the most rudimentary of levels how ANYTHING WORKS than Collateral Beauty... This went the distance. God's Not Dead 2 is at best pathetic and confused about the message it wants to convey. At worst, it paints a dangerous picture about how people, who may be ignorant or not know any better, may/will perceive how things work like the *constitution of the United States* and the courts and is not at ALL how it works.
Ray Wise and Ernie Hudson, please tell me you donated your salaries to the ACLU and/or Planned Parenthood, otherwise what the in the unholy (Bleep) are you DOING in this? Does Leland Palmer have more Garmonbozia he owes to the Black Lodge??
This should anger reasonable-minded Christians as if not more than agnostics or atheists or like you know ANY SINGLE OTHER RELIGION - this makes you look like insecure maniacs. Aside from this - like the first one didn't understand how things like college works - it uses its position to constantly play the victim card. I am (NOT) sorry, but the fact that you can pull together millions of dollars (even if it's only a million, since this is so cheaply made aa these all are) to make something like a motion picture with actors and a crew is proof enough that you are not in a minority position. You just aren't.
Bleep times a hundred. Even the production quality makes made-for- Hallmark pap look like Alfonso Cuaron. I don't have the energy to write a longer review for now...
Wait, I'm not done, one last thing - I'm an English teacher at a community college where the student populous is largely if not all Christian. I've taught Letter From a Birmingham Jail many times. Shame on this bland hunk of nightmare fuel for bringing that into this propo.
Oh hey, c'mon, clearly these Christians in America are so persecuted! Thats why there are thousands of them at the end/at that concert yelling God's Not Dead. Makes sense, don't it? It clearly took a lot for a 2016 movie to be more offensive, idiotic, wrong-headed, and not comprehending on the most rudimentary of levels how ANYTHING WORKS than Collateral Beauty... This went the distance. God's Not Dead 2 is at best pathetic and confused about the message it wants to convey. At worst, it paints a dangerous picture about how people, who may be ignorant or not know any better, may/will perceive how things work like the *constitution of the United States* and the courts and is not at ALL how it works.
Ray Wise and Ernie Hudson, please tell me you donated your salaries to the ACLU and/or Planned Parenthood, otherwise what the in the unholy (Bleep) are you DOING in this? Does Leland Palmer have more Garmonbozia he owes to the Black Lodge??
This should anger reasonable-minded Christians as if not more than agnostics or atheists or like you know ANY SINGLE OTHER RELIGION - this makes you look like insecure maniacs. Aside from this - like the first one didn't understand how things like college works - it uses its position to constantly play the victim card. I am (NOT) sorry, but the fact that you can pull together millions of dollars (even if it's only a million, since this is so cheaply made aa these all are) to make something like a motion picture with actors and a crew is proof enough that you are not in a minority position. You just aren't.
Bleep times a hundred. Even the production quality makes made-for- Hallmark pap look like Alfonso Cuaron. I don't have the energy to write a longer review for now...
Wait, I'm not done, one last thing - I'm an English teacher at a community college where the student populous is largely if not all Christian. I've taught Letter From a Birmingham Jail many times. Shame on this bland hunk of nightmare fuel for bringing that into this propo.
A truly simplistic world
bkoganbing1 April 2016
The life of the Creator/Deity of the infinite universe of time, space, and matter gets a second go round in God's Not Dead 2. In this film, Advanced Placement History teacher Melissa Joan Hart is suspended when she quotes from the Gospel of Matthew in answer to a student's question concerning Jesus, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King. Somebody tapes the lesson and Hart's hauled up before the school board and then put on trial. For what I'm still not sure as this is not a criminal matter. Now what John Thomas Scopes was put on trial for teaching evolution back in the 20s, that was a criminal matter. All that should be happening here is a legal appeal of an administrative ruling and certainly that is civil.
I remember many years ago in New York City in the Bronx I believe there was a teacher fired for bringing up Jesus as her evangelical faith tells her she has to. She was told that she could not be talking about religion. With all seriousness and ingenuousness she replied she wasn't talking about religion to her students, she was talking about Jesus. That got her deservedly canned. Poor woman had not a clue.
The school board retains the biggest villain in the evangelical modern world, the American Civil Liberties Union. Ray Wise is a properly smarmy lawyer whom if he wore a handlebar mustache would be twirling it. Hart's lawyer is Jesse Metcalfe late of the revived TV Dallas and he's the hero of the piece saving Hart's job and right to her beliefs.
I brought up the Scopes Trial and those of us who've seen any version of Inherit The Wind remember that the judge ruled out scientific expert testimony about evolution. That's not what happens here as Jesse Metcalfe is allowed to bring in religious 'expert' testimony from some real folk playing themselves. I guess different rules apply in Judge Ernie Hudson's court. Mike Huckabee is playing himself as Fox New commentator and he's probably cursing the fact that God's Not Dead 2 was released after he called a halt to his presidential campaign.
The original God's Not Dead was a Christian propaganda piece, but in terms of the film the story was interestingly presented. This one played like a long episode story from the 700 Club. I'm sure it will play heavily on the Christian film circuit and will be rented a lot by youth pastors all over the Bible Belt once it goes to DVD.
It's a truly simplistic world these folks live in. They're right, the Bible is the word of God not to be questioned or given alternative interpretation. And those who don't believe are either sinners beyond redemption or a fertile evangelical field to be plowed.
Seeing the united front the kids give Melissa Joan Hart in support you know this is a Bible Belt community she's from. I wonder if there are any kids openly saying that she was wrong. God help them, the gay kids must be very deep in the closet there.
I remember many years ago in New York City in the Bronx I believe there was a teacher fired for bringing up Jesus as her evangelical faith tells her she has to. She was told that she could not be talking about religion. With all seriousness and ingenuousness she replied she wasn't talking about religion to her students, she was talking about Jesus. That got her deservedly canned. Poor woman had not a clue.
The school board retains the biggest villain in the evangelical modern world, the American Civil Liberties Union. Ray Wise is a properly smarmy lawyer whom if he wore a handlebar mustache would be twirling it. Hart's lawyer is Jesse Metcalfe late of the revived TV Dallas and he's the hero of the piece saving Hart's job and right to her beliefs.
I brought up the Scopes Trial and those of us who've seen any version of Inherit The Wind remember that the judge ruled out scientific expert testimony about evolution. That's not what happens here as Jesse Metcalfe is allowed to bring in religious 'expert' testimony from some real folk playing themselves. I guess different rules apply in Judge Ernie Hudson's court. Mike Huckabee is playing himself as Fox New commentator and he's probably cursing the fact that God's Not Dead 2 was released after he called a halt to his presidential campaign.
The original God's Not Dead was a Christian propaganda piece, but in terms of the film the story was interestingly presented. This one played like a long episode story from the 700 Club. I'm sure it will play heavily on the Christian film circuit and will be rented a lot by youth pastors all over the Bible Belt once it goes to DVD.
It's a truly simplistic world these folks live in. They're right, the Bible is the word of God not to be questioned or given alternative interpretation. And those who don't believe are either sinners beyond redemption or a fertile evangelical field to be plowed.
Seeing the united front the kids give Melissa Joan Hart in support you know this is a Bible Belt community she's from. I wonder if there are any kids openly saying that she was wrong. God help them, the gay kids must be very deep in the closet there.
Like the first one wasn't bad enough...
Java_Joe4 October 2017
You know what's worse than a preachy movie that preaches to the already converted? A preachy movie that deliberately paints the opposition in a bad light to sell their narrative.
The first God's Not Dead was a stupid movie about a atheist strawman disguised as a philosophy professor. There was nothing there of merit and it was only there as an echo chamber for those that believed as the movie makers did. This one however takes the persecution a step further into an America that never actually existed.
Melissa Joan Hart plays a teacher who one day mentions Jesus in a historical context while in class. For this she's sanctioned, everybody loses their minds and the evil ACLU steps in to prosecute her. The fact that they got Ray Wise to play the lead prosecutor and had him play it as devilishly as possible I'm sure was just a stylistic choice and not a way of trying to paint the ACLU as a bunch of satanists. If you've actually checked the facts you'd see that the ACLU has actually defended Christians when their rights were trampled upon. But that's not good story telling for these people so they leave that out and hope you don't check.
What follows is a standard courtroom drama which should never have gone as far as it did in the first place. There's no statute or law that states that you can't mention the name of Jesus in a classroom. What you can't do is read from a bible or teach Christianity unless the class calls for it like in a comparative religion class.
There's also a subplot where Pastor Dave from the previous movie is on the jury and later on is taken into custody for not providing the transcripts for his sermons. This is the plot for the upcoming "God's Not Dead 3". Again this isn't a bad thing as it's there to make sure churches don't lose their tax exempt status by promoting a political candidate which they're not supposed to do.
In the end it's a predictable movie with a predictable ending that will have the Christians feeling good and everybody else wondering why they wasted money on this.
The first God's Not Dead was a stupid movie about a atheist strawman disguised as a philosophy professor. There was nothing there of merit and it was only there as an echo chamber for those that believed as the movie makers did. This one however takes the persecution a step further into an America that never actually existed.
Melissa Joan Hart plays a teacher who one day mentions Jesus in a historical context while in class. For this she's sanctioned, everybody loses their minds and the evil ACLU steps in to prosecute her. The fact that they got Ray Wise to play the lead prosecutor and had him play it as devilishly as possible I'm sure was just a stylistic choice and not a way of trying to paint the ACLU as a bunch of satanists. If you've actually checked the facts you'd see that the ACLU has actually defended Christians when their rights were trampled upon. But that's not good story telling for these people so they leave that out and hope you don't check.
What follows is a standard courtroom drama which should never have gone as far as it did in the first place. There's no statute or law that states that you can't mention the name of Jesus in a classroom. What you can't do is read from a bible or teach Christianity unless the class calls for it like in a comparative religion class.
There's also a subplot where Pastor Dave from the previous movie is on the jury and later on is taken into custody for not providing the transcripts for his sermons. This is the plot for the upcoming "God's Not Dead 3". Again this isn't a bad thing as it's there to make sure churches don't lose their tax exempt status by promoting a political candidate which they're not supposed to do.
In the end it's a predictable movie with a predictable ending that will have the Christians feeling good and everybody else wondering why they wasted money on this.
Remarkable Movie
spencerkberry28 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
A fascinating sci-fi alternate reality thriller with a fundamental reality twist that would put Hitchcock and the writers of the Twilight Zone to shame. Imagine a world where Christians were victims of oppression and persecution in the United States. As hard as it may have been to conceive of such an outlandish alternate reality (much less make a film about it), the team behind GND2 were Kubrickian in making this film. The idea itself is worth 10/10 stars on its own, all the way to its conclusion of an ordinary schoolteacher besting an Orwellian justice system. It puts everything in perspective, as the oppressors become oppresses (the shoe is on the other foot, so to speak). The film carefully parallels the persecution of non-Christians by seemingly earnest (but deceptive) believers, and completely switches it around! There were some faults, of course. Some of the legal jargon was misused (as it depicts a civil suit, yet the heroine is warned of criminal liability), and the presence of some expert opinions didn't really seem to be relevant to the case. Also, the dialogue did seem, well, unrealistic (but such is to be expected of Sci-Fi films). Overall, however, I felt transported to another dimension at the film's onset, one where Christianity was routinely shunned in the US. I felt as if I were really there. The one thing that stuck out, though was the audience: It didn't seem like a sci-fi prone audience, although the other viewers seemed even more convinced of this truth of this alternate universe than I was. I give it 8/10 stars.
Welp, at Least It's Better Than the Last One
bkrauser-81-3110642 April 2016
God's Not Dead 2 follows an ensemble cast (some old, some new), all flung into the sticky tendrils of a flimsy courtroom drama surrounding a history teacher and her answer to a contentious classroom question. Because Ms. Wesley (Hart) had the temerity, the gall, nay the malicious, impudent daring to draw parallels to Martin Luther King Jr. and Jesus Christ, the public school, teachers union, local government, and the ACLU are all out for blood. Will Ms. Wesley be able to continue professing her faith? Will she lose her job? Will Reverend Dave (White) finally be able to start his car? And did Tituba really see Goodie Proctor with the devil?
Okay let's dissect this bloated corpse of a movie by first highlighting the good parts. Director Harold Cronk has sure learned a lot since 2014 though some of the elevated crane shots and glossy establishing scenes may have something to do with a bigger budget. His ability to manipulate his audience to well up in a flurry of sanctimonious pride and self-adulation is not to be underestimated. Thankfully, God's Not Dead 2 doesn't outright vilify atheists and doubters like it's prequel; in-fact one of our heroes, scrappy attorney Tom Endler (Metcalfe) is an agnostic who doesn't become a convert by the end credits. Also as far as acting goes, returning cast member Paul Kwo is given much more to do than be a walking Asian stereotype. He exhibits a sincerity we never saw before and one can't help but think if the movie were about him, it'd be a hundred times better. Then there's Melissa Joan Hart who truth be told is a much better central figure than Shane Harper, who's pious college freshman was more weaselly than anything.
Yet what the movie gets wrong, it gets very wrong; starting with it's representation of a legal system gone rogue. While confusing and conflating basic legal concepts like "precedent" and "discovery" and "defendant", the film nevertheless aims its sights on drumming up accusations of religious persecution while playing to the very tired culture war clichés we've gotten sick of twenty years ago. Much like the film's predecessor, God's Not Dead 2 isn't based on any specific case of religious persecution. It's more cobbled together out of a few lower court cases taken out of context and those dubious Facebook posts your angry Uncle from Omaha wishes were true but aren't. In a side story, returning character, actual producer and Keystone Kops impersonator David A.R. White has to turn in three years worth of notes on his sermons to the government because of...reasons. While doing so he confronts a grotesque bureaucratic flunky who warns him in an exchange so over-the-top you'd swear the movie was hinting at a vast Atheistic conspiracy.
In response to the film being called an example of "fake persecution" by an Atheist blogger, White stated, "It's an interesting thing, because, if it wasn't real, why do they get so offended by it...I don't think it would annoy people if it wasn't true." Of course if we followed that logic every teething toddler at a Dennys would be considered a sage. Religious persecution is a big deal worldwide as explicitly stated when Reverend Jude (Onyango) warns Martin of his plan to preach the gospel in Communist China. Despite Christianity being the largest religious doctrine in the world, Christians are harassed, discriminated against and oppressed in many places all over the world. And yes it does sometimes happen in the good 'ol US of A though despite some limitations you can still express your religion at home, school, work, church, billboards, park benches, television, radio, magazines and newspapers. Why cheapen a very real problem with a false conceit? Especially one even committed Atheists and the ACLU would side with the plaintiff.
Thankfully the main takeaway in God's Not Dead 2 is something most people can get behind; we shouldn't stifle religion nor any exchange of ideas or perspectives, even in something as revered (or in this case vilified) as the hallowed halls of a public school. That message is certainly a cut above God's Not Dead's (2014) all Atheists are whining children who never got what they wanted for Christmas. With a door wide open for yet another sequel to this drivel, I honestly would rather hear the rabble in Inherit the Wind (1960) sing "Give Me That Old Time Religion" in a loop for two hours.
Okay let's dissect this bloated corpse of a movie by first highlighting the good parts. Director Harold Cronk has sure learned a lot since 2014 though some of the elevated crane shots and glossy establishing scenes may have something to do with a bigger budget. His ability to manipulate his audience to well up in a flurry of sanctimonious pride and self-adulation is not to be underestimated. Thankfully, God's Not Dead 2 doesn't outright vilify atheists and doubters like it's prequel; in-fact one of our heroes, scrappy attorney Tom Endler (Metcalfe) is an agnostic who doesn't become a convert by the end credits. Also as far as acting goes, returning cast member Paul Kwo is given much more to do than be a walking Asian stereotype. He exhibits a sincerity we never saw before and one can't help but think if the movie were about him, it'd be a hundred times better. Then there's Melissa Joan Hart who truth be told is a much better central figure than Shane Harper, who's pious college freshman was more weaselly than anything.
Yet what the movie gets wrong, it gets very wrong; starting with it's representation of a legal system gone rogue. While confusing and conflating basic legal concepts like "precedent" and "discovery" and "defendant", the film nevertheless aims its sights on drumming up accusations of religious persecution while playing to the very tired culture war clichés we've gotten sick of twenty years ago. Much like the film's predecessor, God's Not Dead 2 isn't based on any specific case of religious persecution. It's more cobbled together out of a few lower court cases taken out of context and those dubious Facebook posts your angry Uncle from Omaha wishes were true but aren't. In a side story, returning character, actual producer and Keystone Kops impersonator David A.R. White has to turn in three years worth of notes on his sermons to the government because of...reasons. While doing so he confronts a grotesque bureaucratic flunky who warns him in an exchange so over-the-top you'd swear the movie was hinting at a vast Atheistic conspiracy.
In response to the film being called an example of "fake persecution" by an Atheist blogger, White stated, "It's an interesting thing, because, if it wasn't real, why do they get so offended by it...I don't think it would annoy people if it wasn't true." Of course if we followed that logic every teething toddler at a Dennys would be considered a sage. Religious persecution is a big deal worldwide as explicitly stated when Reverend Jude (Onyango) warns Martin of his plan to preach the gospel in Communist China. Despite Christianity being the largest religious doctrine in the world, Christians are harassed, discriminated against and oppressed in many places all over the world. And yes it does sometimes happen in the good 'ol US of A though despite some limitations you can still express your religion at home, school, work, church, billboards, park benches, television, radio, magazines and newspapers. Why cheapen a very real problem with a false conceit? Especially one even committed Atheists and the ACLU would side with the plaintiff.
Thankfully the main takeaway in God's Not Dead 2 is something most people can get behind; we shouldn't stifle religion nor any exchange of ideas or perspectives, even in something as revered (or in this case vilified) as the hallowed halls of a public school. That message is certainly a cut above God's Not Dead's (2014) all Atheists are whining children who never got what they wanted for Christmas. With a door wide open for yet another sequel to this drivel, I honestly would rather hear the rabble in Inherit the Wind (1960) sing "Give Me That Old Time Religion" in a loop for two hours.
Religion vs State
metaick5 January 2021
Another excellent example of the State vs. Church/Religion/God based faith. I have always been spiritual myself, believer of God and Jesus Christ. I have recently whole heartedly devoted myself to Christianity and the persecution prophesied by Jesus Christ for being his follower is all too real. The 40 years I have been alive I have seen the ever growing seperation of State and God occuring in the U.S. I am a patriot and decorated combat veteran, and this seperation has me sickened. This movie is an excellent sequel that outlines this issue, and restores hope and faith to those in the darkness. It also strengthens hope in faith in those who follow Jesus Christ. I thought it was very well delivered and if it seems directionally in favor of Jesus Christ, that's because it is and rightfully so. After all, that is the basis and theme of the movie and it's predecessor.
Wouldn't ever happen in real life
smooth_op_8515 April 2018
So, I stumbled upon a video talking about why Christian movies suck or at least are bad and it mentioned this film.
I literally watched this and thought to myself: This would never have happened, just a warning to be careful about the way you use words because people can misconstrue what you say
Grace is a HS teacher who answers a question from a student about God while they're learning about MLK, Gandhi and nonviolent struggle. THAT IS IT, that is the WHOLE PREMISE OF THE FILM!
So, I hated this film mostly because of the fact that this film is not realistic. I couldn't find one single instance of the events of the film ever happening in real life. Also, the cases it cites at the end of the film like the first, have NO APPLICABLE CASES to the movie
I saw this before I watched Part 1 but I'm going to watch IT and 3. Personally I feel if you need a movie to prove God's Not Dead then you need to ask yourself a few questions.
I literally watched this and thought to myself: This would never have happened, just a warning to be careful about the way you use words because people can misconstrue what you say
Grace is a HS teacher who answers a question from a student about God while they're learning about MLK, Gandhi and nonviolent struggle. THAT IS IT, that is the WHOLE PREMISE OF THE FILM!
So, I hated this film mostly because of the fact that this film is not realistic. I couldn't find one single instance of the events of the film ever happening in real life. Also, the cases it cites at the end of the film like the first, have NO APPLICABLE CASES to the movie
I saw this before I watched Part 1 but I'm going to watch IT and 3. Personally I feel if you need a movie to prove God's Not Dead then you need to ask yourself a few questions.
Killing Jesus Is A Victimless Crime
Theo Robertson2 April 2017
Before I start I'd just like to say that despite being a rabid anti-theist I have met Christians who are decent people. I've also met a lot of vile atheists . I should also point out that as a traveller abroad I am treated like a king in Indo-Aryan lands in general and Islamic Indo-Aryan lands in particular with the hospitality of both the Kashmiris and the Kurds something that will linger in my memory forever . What I'm trying to say is that if someone is a thoroughly good person this has nothing to do with a belief in a creator while someone who is a bad person and has no belief the two things are completely unconnected. That said if someone crashes an airliner into a crowded building on purpose a belief system involving an afterlife might very well be the prime motive. Regardless the vast majority of believers are not violent terrorists . I feel the need to point this out because GND 2 doesn't feel the need to be objective. Nor does feel the need to be factual in anyway
!!!! SUGGESTIVE SPOILERS !!!!
Teacher Grace Wesley answers a question in class about and because the American constitution separates church and state she finds herself in bother. Actually separation of church and state is one of the very few things the film gets right because America was the first country to do this and is based on the philosophy of Thomas Paine. What is unlikely if not entirely impossible is Grace finding herself in a court of law facing trial . Did witch trials not die out over two hundred years ago ? Yes apart from the McCarthy trials which were directed against suspected communists but the film makes clear it's not communists or any other type of atheist being prosecuted here
The chief villain is the prosecuting attorney who is called Kane which indicates he's of Irish descent but might this not be Europeanised from the name "Cain" ? I think you know what's being implied here and it's not helped by Kane's main motive apart from deicide is making money. I know the film needs a motive for bringing a protagonist to court but couldn't it have been more sensible without appearing racist in anyway?
This is what becomes somewhat unpalatable. The first film has an antagonist trying to effectively "Kill God". In the sequel the antagonist is trying to effectively "Kill Jesus". I don't have to point out that for the last two thousand years the cult of Christianity has pointed the finger very firmly at a certain race who they feel is responsible for this mythical act against a mythical figure. Millions were murdered because of it and many millions more persecuted because of it. Unlike Biblical myth this is established historical fact
What the main argument of the film rests on is "Was Jesus Christ a real person ?" Christian apologist Lee Strobel playing himself is called to the witness stand and states amongst others "Gerd Ludemann ... an atheist has written many historical accounts proving there was a Jesus" Yes Ludemann is an atheist but he became an atheist after realising so called Biblical facts involving Jesus meant he could no longer believe in the concept of Christianity. His harassment by the established Protestant churches in Germany probably didn't help in his faith either. The second witness is Jim Warner Wallace another real life Christian apologist plays himself and his testimony is taken as Gospel (Geddit ?)because he used to be an atheist but became a Christian because his experience of cold case homicide cases led him to believe there was a real life person called Jesus Let me get this straight ? If there was a person called Jesus Christ living in Bronze Age Palestine that means there is a God ? And if the claim is made by atheists that makes it even more overwhelming as a fact ? Strange how Professor Richard Dawkins often talks of Jesus Christ as though he was a real life person but he still remains the world's most prominent anti-theist . That's because even if he did exist Jesus Christ could be anything from a charlatan who had set up his own fan club that got out of hand to someone suffering from acute psychotic delusion. Being the Son of God is the least likely scenario . Oh and since we're supposed to take the word of atheists who used to believe in God quite strongly why not quote Josef Stalin who trained to be an Orthodox priest ?
As you can imagine this movie has a happy ending as Kane/Cain stumbles out of court with his understudies bitter recriminations echoing that "At least you proved the existence of Jesus". One can imagine the defendants at the Nuremberg war crimes trial wishing this guy had prosecuted them
!!!! SUGGESTIVE SPOILERS !!!!
Teacher Grace Wesley answers a question in class about and because the American constitution separates church and state she finds herself in bother. Actually separation of church and state is one of the very few things the film gets right because America was the first country to do this and is based on the philosophy of Thomas Paine. What is unlikely if not entirely impossible is Grace finding herself in a court of law facing trial . Did witch trials not die out over two hundred years ago ? Yes apart from the McCarthy trials which were directed against suspected communists but the film makes clear it's not communists or any other type of atheist being prosecuted here
The chief villain is the prosecuting attorney who is called Kane which indicates he's of Irish descent but might this not be Europeanised from the name "Cain" ? I think you know what's being implied here and it's not helped by Kane's main motive apart from deicide is making money. I know the film needs a motive for bringing a protagonist to court but couldn't it have been more sensible without appearing racist in anyway?
This is what becomes somewhat unpalatable. The first film has an antagonist trying to effectively "Kill God". In the sequel the antagonist is trying to effectively "Kill Jesus". I don't have to point out that for the last two thousand years the cult of Christianity has pointed the finger very firmly at a certain race who they feel is responsible for this mythical act against a mythical figure. Millions were murdered because of it and many millions more persecuted because of it. Unlike Biblical myth this is established historical fact
What the main argument of the film rests on is "Was Jesus Christ a real person ?" Christian apologist Lee Strobel playing himself is called to the witness stand and states amongst others "Gerd Ludemann ... an atheist has written many historical accounts proving there was a Jesus" Yes Ludemann is an atheist but he became an atheist after realising so called Biblical facts involving Jesus meant he could no longer believe in the concept of Christianity. His harassment by the established Protestant churches in Germany probably didn't help in his faith either. The second witness is Jim Warner Wallace another real life Christian apologist plays himself and his testimony is taken as Gospel (Geddit ?)because he used to be an atheist but became a Christian because his experience of cold case homicide cases led him to believe there was a real life person called Jesus Let me get this straight ? If there was a person called Jesus Christ living in Bronze Age Palestine that means there is a God ? And if the claim is made by atheists that makes it even more overwhelming as a fact ? Strange how Professor Richard Dawkins often talks of Jesus Christ as though he was a real life person but he still remains the world's most prominent anti-theist . That's because even if he did exist Jesus Christ could be anything from a charlatan who had set up his own fan club that got out of hand to someone suffering from acute psychotic delusion. Being the Son of God is the least likely scenario . Oh and since we're supposed to take the word of atheists who used to believe in God quite strongly why not quote Josef Stalin who trained to be an Orthodox priest ?
As you can imagine this movie has a happy ending as Kane/Cain stumbles out of court with his understudies bitter recriminations echoing that "At least you proved the existence of Jesus". One can imagine the defendants at the Nuremberg war crimes trial wishing this guy had prosecuted them
Different From the First One, But Still Great Movie!
btkb17 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It is different, but the debate is still going on between Christian's faith and, I guess, society. A debate between a lady talking about her faith or her answer to one of the student's question about Jesus, which caused her to be sent to court because it violated the separation of church and state. Luckily, her lawyer, was able to prove that what she did was not a violation. You will see why.
Some might say it is ridiculous, or just not enough, like evidence, but it is enough. This is still a good movie! I recommend watching this and the previous movie as well!
Thought-provoking for some, disappointing for me
lukecon-6343631 October 2020
God's Not Dead 2 is a sequel to the first, which wasn't well-received by critics for its preachy tone and others calling it unrealistic. This one is certainly a disappointment-at least, it was for me. The film starts off pretty entertaining at first, but then gets more boring as it goes on.
Several of the courtroom discussion scenes didn't grasp my attention like I wanted them to. I have been riveted by movies where people just talk and that's it (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, 12 Angry Men, Witness for the Prosecution) and this movie still lost my attention.
Even the second time I watched it, I was prepared for the scenes, but again, I lost interest in the discussions. Therefore, the film fails to deliver its message effectively to the audience because it ends up boring the audience, which weakens the impact of the audience.
Now, this film is certainly thoughtful in terms of its themes, and I understand how the themes could provoke some discussion after watching the film, but otherwise, God's Not Dead 2 isn't really worth your time.
a great disservice to Christians everywhere
hhcosmin16 October 2016
first i want to mention i'm an orthodox and that i could not bear to see the movie more than 30 minutes.
the good guys in this move have a very puritanical presence. they seem so very calm and also seem a bit retarded. dialogues are very limited, predictable. they want to sound deep but end up laughable.
i believe this movie does a great disservice to Christians. the dialogues sound like members of a sect are talking. it makes faith look very shallow and almost weird. it makes the believers look very dumb and narrow minded.
lee me distill it a bit further. if i would not be a Christian i would think that Christians are a dubious sect, a little slow in the head and would look at it with doubt.
the good guys in this move have a very puritanical presence. they seem so very calm and also seem a bit retarded. dialogues are very limited, predictable. they want to sound deep but end up laughable.
i believe this movie does a great disservice to Christians. the dialogues sound like members of a sect are talking. it makes faith look very shallow and almost weird. it makes the believers look very dumb and narrow minded.
lee me distill it a bit further. if i would not be a Christian i would think that Christians are a dubious sect, a little slow in the head and would look at it with doubt.
He's Not Dead and Don't Call Me Shirley
thesar-228 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
About half way through another propaganda film, we're told about a subpoena "demanding that (only Christian Churches, of course) submit copies of our sermons for the last three months." This enrages most of the top church leads basically saying the WAR AGAINST CHRISTIANS is ON! and their own laziness will cause the fall of the only true faith.
One of the actual civil-minded members tells the other conspiracy theorists not to "overreact." I'm with him. For the love of, uh, Pete?, who cares if the government wants copies of their sermons? Because:
1> What do you have to hide?
2> Are your church sermons in private? Meaning, are they held in secret so any member of the government wouldn't have been to any of the sermons initially?
3> Isn't the message of preaching to get the word out? Isn't this the main definition of that?
It almost sounds like this movie is using the same fear-mongering the politicians and media uses to get them on their side. For just this scene, if not many more, this movie is dangerous.
Where the first movie flip-flopped on who was right and ending on any non-Christian is scum, this movie blatantly tells you: "YOU ARE WRONG IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US. IN FACT, WE ARE HYPOCRITES WHEN IT COMES TO PREACHING, NOT TEACHING, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER: REMEMBER, WE'RE RIGHT." God, it does sound like the politicians.
Plus, this over-long Sunday School vid is so incessantly predictable, there is only one conclusion possible here .so why waste two hours on how you know this will exactly play out?
In this over-dramatic, commercial-filled, Bible-quoting, ego-blasting and court-comedic soap opera, a history teacher answers a question in class involving Jesus and is immediately disciplined. After her refusal to apologize and retract her statements, a foreseen verdict is given at the end of both the movie and her trial.
At first, I sided with the teacher. The answer was relevant and I believed non-preachy. But, after the rules of the school district were clearly stated, I sided with the governing board. It's like this at any job. For instance, as the 2016 Presidential candidates got more and more controversial earlier in the year, my employment sent out a strict NO TALKING POLITICS while at work mandate. Sure, we can have opinions, I certainly do, but we will be disciplined if we discuss them.
I can see clearly why that rule is in place, as I can see it here in this case too. I know these Christians in this movie are trying to say they're being prosecuted and judged more than anyone else in the world but there is a reason for separating Church and State. What if the always-mopey teacher, Melissa Joan Hart, had kids and their teacher had extreme faith in Judaism, the Muslim teachings or even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? Would she want her children influenced by those teachers they admire by their true opposite-of-your faith?
This entire movie makes Christians look REALLY bad. The whole woe-is-me, damnation on Earth because of differences of their own is sickening with real problems of the world.
Look. Listen. There is a time and a place for everything. Even the Bible preaches that. Using government time, or any employer's work hours, ISN'T one of them. Especially when you're specifically told not to. You don't get to be the victim or martyr if you break the rules and look depressed all the time for uncalled for redemption.
This reminds me of Barry Bonds of the 2000s. Yes, I am a Christian. I was raised and believe in Christ. But, when I saw his cross earring while he batted for the San Francisco Giants, and then saw him do terrible things off the field, I thought: What a dreadful message he's giving to all Christians. This movie, or "statement," is the Barry Bonds of cinema.
Our depressed looking teacher was so blinded by what she thought was right, she never stopped to think: WWJD? Per her own commitment to the school she works at, she was wrong. But, noooo since this movie and its/her message is so one-sided, she has to be right.
I digress. There are zero reasons to see this movie. Admittedly, it wasn't badly shot, executed, contained a few "okay, that was sweet" moments and Jesse Metcalfe is still stunningly hot, but as a whole, it's a terrible message to lie to people. Any true Christian should look at this and wonder if this dealt with another faith, would they still back it?
***
Final thoughts: Dang it. This is going to make me pop in my favorite courtroom film, which also lands in my top five best movies of all-time list: A Few Good Men. I definitely need to cleanse myself of such wrongful court proceedings on film.
One of the actual civil-minded members tells the other conspiracy theorists not to "overreact." I'm with him. For the love of, uh, Pete?, who cares if the government wants copies of their sermons? Because:
1> What do you have to hide?
2> Are your church sermons in private? Meaning, are they held in secret so any member of the government wouldn't have been to any of the sermons initially?
3> Isn't the message of preaching to get the word out? Isn't this the main definition of that?
It almost sounds like this movie is using the same fear-mongering the politicians and media uses to get them on their side. For just this scene, if not many more, this movie is dangerous.
Where the first movie flip-flopped on who was right and ending on any non-Christian is scum, this movie blatantly tells you: "YOU ARE WRONG IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE US. IN FACT, WE ARE HYPOCRITES WHEN IT COMES TO PREACHING, NOT TEACHING, BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER: REMEMBER, WE'RE RIGHT." God, it does sound like the politicians.
Plus, this over-long Sunday School vid is so incessantly predictable, there is only one conclusion possible here .so why waste two hours on how you know this will exactly play out?
In this over-dramatic, commercial-filled, Bible-quoting, ego-blasting and court-comedic soap opera, a history teacher answers a question in class involving Jesus and is immediately disciplined. After her refusal to apologize and retract her statements, a foreseen verdict is given at the end of both the movie and her trial.
At first, I sided with the teacher. The answer was relevant and I believed non-preachy. But, after the rules of the school district were clearly stated, I sided with the governing board. It's like this at any job. For instance, as the 2016 Presidential candidates got more and more controversial earlier in the year, my employment sent out a strict NO TALKING POLITICS while at work mandate. Sure, we can have opinions, I certainly do, but we will be disciplined if we discuss them.
I can see clearly why that rule is in place, as I can see it here in this case too. I know these Christians in this movie are trying to say they're being prosecuted and judged more than anyone else in the world but there is a reason for separating Church and State. What if the always-mopey teacher, Melissa Joan Hart, had kids and their teacher had extreme faith in Judaism, the Muslim teachings or even The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints? Would she want her children influenced by those teachers they admire by their true opposite-of-your faith?
This entire movie makes Christians look REALLY bad. The whole woe-is-me, damnation on Earth because of differences of their own is sickening with real problems of the world.
Look. Listen. There is a time and a place for everything. Even the Bible preaches that. Using government time, or any employer's work hours, ISN'T one of them. Especially when you're specifically told not to. You don't get to be the victim or martyr if you break the rules and look depressed all the time for uncalled for redemption.
This reminds me of Barry Bonds of the 2000s. Yes, I am a Christian. I was raised and believe in Christ. But, when I saw his cross earring while he batted for the San Francisco Giants, and then saw him do terrible things off the field, I thought: What a dreadful message he's giving to all Christians. This movie, or "statement," is the Barry Bonds of cinema.
Our depressed looking teacher was so blinded by what she thought was right, she never stopped to think: WWJD? Per her own commitment to the school she works at, she was wrong. But, noooo since this movie and its/her message is so one-sided, she has to be right.
I digress. There are zero reasons to see this movie. Admittedly, it wasn't badly shot, executed, contained a few "okay, that was sweet" moments and Jesse Metcalfe is still stunningly hot, but as a whole, it's a terrible message to lie to people. Any true Christian should look at this and wonder if this dealt with another faith, would they still back it?
***
Final thoughts: Dang it. This is going to make me pop in my favorite courtroom film, which also lands in my top five best movies of all-time list: A Few Good Men. I definitely need to cleanse myself of such wrongful court proceedings on film.
A study in victim complex delusion...
ethal-106114 July 2019
Like so many other Christian films, this one is staggeringly clueless of how the real world works. The filmmakers display zero understanding of things like non-religious education and courtroom procedures. As always, the dialogue penned by Christian writers for "atheist" characters is unintentionally hilarious. It's painfully obvious that no one involved has ever spoken to an actual atheist. The film also cites cases in which Christians faced repercussions for trying to force their beliefs onto others in ways that blatantly violated the law as "Christian persecution." The whole mess suggests a complete disconnection from reality.
Unreal depiction
vapidaphid1 April 2016
The entire premise of this movie is when melissa joan heart's character mentions Jesus as an example in class the resulting backlash lands her in court. The reality of the situation is that since she was not leading children in prayer or proselytizing, she is allowed to make references to the bible or it's characters in the classroom as long as it is from a literature-based point of view. Then the school might receive a letter fro the freedom from religion foundation or similar body reminding the that a teacher may not preach or lead students in prayer. She might be punished fro the school board, but it would only be the equivalent to a slap on the wrist, if it even came to that.
A rare example of a sequel being on the same level as the first movie
goodorbad1 April 2016
Sequels are the Achilles heel of most movie lovers. Sure the viewer gets to experience the same feeling they had when they watched the first movie, but it almost always never lives up to the potential. God's Not Dead 2 never has that problem because you simply can't get any worse than its first film God's Not Dead. GND2 takes everything that was hated in it from the first film and puts it right back in a second time around. Atheists are viewed as rude, demanding, and willing to go to great links to take away Christians religious freedoms. Christians are seen as innocent, content, and victims of the violent belief that is Atheism. Odds are if you are going into this movie you either wanted to see this train wreck of a film for yourself or being forced to go with your parents/overly-religious friends. If the later is this case try very hard to fight the urge to scream at the movie and run out of the theater because, trust me, it will happen. Overall the plot is incoherent, the characters bland and lifeless, and the overall theme of the movie is a slap right in the face to anyone who doesn't believe in god. You've been warned 1/10
Practically Rolled the Eyes Out of My Head
baileycrawly19 March 2021
PureFlix strikes again in this... inspirational sequel to God's Not Dead. Once again basing an entire film around a single mediocre song from a band that's about as memorable as Trapt (remember they did that one song? Nobody cares about the rest), God's Not Dead 2 showcases the finest case of victim complex that has perhaps ever been committed to the big screen. From the brilliant mind that brought you God's Not Dead comes this story of a teacher who dared to mention religion in her class... and was taken to court over it!
Sure, we live in a divided time when religion isn't (and probably shouldn't be) typically brought into a professional or classroom setting. However, for the amount of religion the teacher gives her class, it's hardly justifiable to assume that there would be a court case. But, yet again, this is the Christian attempt to show how persecuted they are in the world today, when in reality the most punishment they would've gotten is a call or two to the principal to complain. It's not that deep, Karen.
Yet this film, just like its predecessor, tries so damn hard to make it that deep. The characters are, once again, purely one-dimensional, the plot is nonsensical from a real-world perspective as well as a legal one, and the execution is an absolute mess. It's like trying to eat a crumbly cookie that is falling apart in your hands before you even have a chance to digest it. It's pure propaganda for the Christians, and it gives them yet another reason to point and say how hard they have it in life, while they actively cause harm and hardship for legitimate minorities with their propaganda.
Once again, the all-too-forgettable Newsboys come in with their song, and we get the single biggest joke in the Christian entertainment industry. Just like the first film, this one ends with a calling to text everyone in your contact list to let them know that "God's Not Dead." So, for the uninitiated at the time, not only did you get a ridiculous text at the end of the first movie to let you know that your friends and family support one-sided, biased propaganda pieces... but you got it a second time to let them know that they paid to see the same sort of situaiton transpire a second time! Again, we get a massive misrepresentation of everyone who is not Christian, painting them as unintelligent idiots, yet again furthering the divide between the faithful and the atheists. This is just an hour and a half of "poor me" group therapy. Oh, those poor Christians have it so hard.
Yet, they still had the opportunity to give this film a theatrical release. And it came out a year before the Disney Beauty and the Beast remake, which drew controversy because of a gay undertone between two characters. Tell me again how "hard" Christians have it? The most unfortunate part of this whole thing is that they don't see anything wrong with these movies, and so they continue to fund the industry and we have to watch as mediocre film after mediocre film make their way out into the world. When is enough enough? When will they realize they're being pandered to like toddlers, wake up and demand quality product?
This film is a joke, just like the predecessor and, much like the rhetoritc from which it's supposedly based, it falls apart before it ever has a chance to come together. Hard pass on this "franchise."
Once again, the all-too-forgettable Newsboys come in with their song, and we get the single biggest joke in the Christian entertainment industry. Just like the first film, this one ends with a calling to text everyone in your contact list to let them know that "God's Not Dead." So, for the uninitiated at the time, not only did you get a ridiculous text at the end of the first movie to let you know that your friends and family support one-sided, biased propaganda pieces... but you got it a second time to let them know that they paid to see the same sort of situaiton transpire a second time! Again, we get a massive misrepresentation of everyone who is not Christian, painting them as unintelligent idiots, yet again furthering the divide between the faithful and the atheists. This is just an hour and a half of "poor me" group therapy. Oh, those poor Christians have it so hard.
Yet, they still had the opportunity to give this film a theatrical release. And it came out a year before the Disney Beauty and the Beast remake, which drew controversy because of a gay undertone between two characters. Tell me again how "hard" Christians have it? The most unfortunate part of this whole thing is that they don't see anything wrong with these movies, and so they continue to fund the industry and we have to watch as mediocre film after mediocre film make their way out into the world. When is enough enough? When will they realize they're being pandered to like toddlers, wake up and demand quality product?
This film is a joke, just like the predecessor and, much like the rhetoritc from which it's supposedly based, it falls apart before it ever has a chance to come together. Hard pass on this "franchise."
Fantastic and moving film - even better than the first one!!
MoviesRT11 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
I knew when I saw the low rating that I absolutely had to see this movie to find out the truth.
I went in with low expectations. I liked the first one a lot because it showed how history and science support the Bible and indeed the creation of this universe, but I had no idea this one would be even better. If you have a tender or emotional bone in your body, it will bring tears to your eyes. Don't listen to the haters, this movie is incredibly well done. And very moving.
The sheer volume of hatred towards the movie shows how effective it is in getting its message across. I doubt all the negative ratings are coming from anyone who actually saw the movie, but maybe they fear it for its effectiveness. Who knows?
Very realistic and timely, hitting on all the topics that are currently affecting this country and the world.
The persecution of Christians is not just happening overseas. We see the attacks every day in the news here in the US, especially in our schools.
It was great to see Pat Boone and Fred Thompson. The latter just died last year. Glad he was able to be part of this before he passed.
And having the famous author, Lee Strobel, confirming the authenticity of the Bible and J. Warner Wallace confirming scientifically the existence of Jesus was an added bonus.
The reviewers who said this was all fabricated either live under a rock or are denying reality. How could people not know what's going on?
Sad that they pan a great movie because of their hatred for truth.
Maybe we need more brave souls to stand up and let others know about how great this movie is. I'll start...
Bottom line: Best movie I've seen in the last few years - by far!!
I went in with low expectations. I liked the first one a lot because it showed how history and science support the Bible and indeed the creation of this universe, but I had no idea this one would be even better. If you have a tender or emotional bone in your body, it will bring tears to your eyes. Don't listen to the haters, this movie is incredibly well done. And very moving.
The sheer volume of hatred towards the movie shows how effective it is in getting its message across. I doubt all the negative ratings are coming from anyone who actually saw the movie, but maybe they fear it for its effectiveness. Who knows?
Very realistic and timely, hitting on all the topics that are currently affecting this country and the world.
The persecution of Christians is not just happening overseas. We see the attacks every day in the news here in the US, especially in our schools.
It was great to see Pat Boone and Fred Thompson. The latter just died last year. Glad he was able to be part of this before he passed.
And having the famous author, Lee Strobel, confirming the authenticity of the Bible and J. Warner Wallace confirming scientifically the existence of Jesus was an added bonus.
The reviewers who said this was all fabricated either live under a rock or are denying reality. How could people not know what's going on?
Sad that they pan a great movie because of their hatred for truth.
Maybe we need more brave souls to stand up and let others know about how great this movie is. I'll start...
Bottom line: Best movie I've seen in the last few years - by far!!
A timely message
irvinetustin13 April 2016
I really enjoyed God's Not Dead 2. I enjoyed the first "God's Not Dead" film as well. The God's Not Dead films are similar in that they deal with how God and the Bible are received in the modern academic environment. God's Not Dead 1 dealt with the issue from the perspective of a Christian college student with a professor that is hostile to his faith. God's Not Dead 2 deals with a Christian high school teacher that has to deal with an angry school administration. The acting in both films is good and the story lines are very insightful and creative. I'm very thankful that many different Christian films are making it to the theaters. Other Christian films like War Room, Mom's Night Out and Risen have done well and have shown some diversity in styles of films that are being released in the Christian genre. I hope more films like them are released in the future to continue offering moviegoers more options for what they can see on the big screen.
This movie has something good in it. Too bad the writers didn't care enough to explore it!
tylervirtual3 April 2016
I saw this movie after contemplating between this and Meet the blacks. I picked this cause everyone fights over these types of films and I just wanted to watch it as a normal film. It has many flaws mostly in how messy the script is with about 4 subplots. The movie also hates on nearly everyone but Christians. The plot is so messy though, characters mostly bad except for the teacher and the lawyer, also the script tries to overdramatize everything, and even though there's a small amount of good chemistry and a good idea somewhere in this film it never shines.
I elaborate more on this movie in my Video Movie Review on my Youtube Channel here's a link if you want too or are willing to check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Eq8dcMjUhLWxzlp4cOARA
I am going to try to make this into a hobby and any feedback is appreciated as well :) If you don't want to watch it that is also fine. I know this is basically self promotion but at the same time you've got to get yourself out there somehow.
I elaborate more on this movie in my Video Movie Review on my Youtube Channel here's a link if you want too or are willing to check it out.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9Eq8dcMjUhLWxzlp4cOARA
I am going to try to make this into a hobby and any feedback is appreciated as well :) If you don't want to watch it that is also fine. I know this is basically self promotion but at the same time you've got to get yourself out there somehow.
A well-told story
xlars6 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
To tell a story like this is not easy, and though there are elements in the storytelling and the movie itself that could be bettered and expounded upon, let's say in a Director's Cut or and Extended Version, it still has good qualities - based on Vladimir Propps examples on how to tell a good story.
But first. Let me point to the negative points.
The repartee was at times awkward. A few of the quotations from the film could have been rewritten and done better. That would of course increased the cost of the production, but not as much as most people would believe.
Some loose threads were left hanging, and the most notable one is: What happened to Martin? We know he states to pastor Dave that he wants to become a minister and a pastor in his own homeland (probably China), but a tiny few seconds added to the story, about what happened further; could lift the film up a notch or two and make it much, much better, and even potentially give room for the hook for a new film.
When considering all this, I was thinking that I'd give this film a 6. However, an unexpected twist lifted it two notches up to an 8. And I am not thinking about the almost final scene in the courtroom, where Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalf) badgers Grace Wesley (his own client).
What really twisted the film up a notch or more is the scene when the defendant is sitting at home at night, and the door bell chimes. This trick was as unexpected as it could have been, How great it was that her students pours out on her lawn singing HOW GREAT THOU ART!? This fabulous song fits like a glove to the story, even though there is no dramaturgical tracks of it even mentioned earlier in the story. It was fantastic.
And yes: There were to quotes that are absolutely worth praising. The first one is the quote from lawyer Pete Kane (Ray Wise), who states:
–We are going to prove once and for all that God is dead.
And the second one is from the end of the movie where his assistant states:
–Not to mention he proved the existence of Jesus Christ.
I'm going to watch this film over again, and probably once more after that. It's worth my time.
But first. Let me point to the negative points.
The repartee was at times awkward. A few of the quotations from the film could have been rewritten and done better. That would of course increased the cost of the production, but not as much as most people would believe.
Some loose threads were left hanging, and the most notable one is: What happened to Martin? We know he states to pastor Dave that he wants to become a minister and a pastor in his own homeland (probably China), but a tiny few seconds added to the story, about what happened further; could lift the film up a notch or two and make it much, much better, and even potentially give room for the hook for a new film.
When considering all this, I was thinking that I'd give this film a 6. However, an unexpected twist lifted it two notches up to an 8. And I am not thinking about the almost final scene in the courtroom, where Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalf) badgers Grace Wesley (his own client).
What really twisted the film up a notch or more is the scene when the defendant is sitting at home at night, and the door bell chimes. This trick was as unexpected as it could have been, How great it was that her students pours out on her lawn singing HOW GREAT THOU ART!? This fabulous song fits like a glove to the story, even though there is no dramaturgical tracks of it even mentioned earlier in the story. It was fantastic.
And yes: There were to quotes that are absolutely worth praising. The first one is the quote from lawyer Pete Kane (Ray Wise), who states:
–We are going to prove once and for all that God is dead.
And the second one is from the end of the movie where his assistant states:
–Not to mention he proved the existence of Jesus Christ.
I'm going to watch this film over again, and probably once more after that. It's worth my time.
HE surely lives. God is real!
michaelRokeefe13 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
There are movies and then there are movies you care enough to talk about for a while. GOD'S NOT DEAD 2 doesn't require you seeing the first one. This faith based movie is directed by Harold Cronk and may take a little time to hook you; or on the other hand release you.
Christian Grace Wesley(Melissa Joan Hart) teaches high school history in the small conservative town of Hope Springs. She finds herself being grilled by the school board after answering a question from a troubled teen, Brooke Thawley (Hayley Orrantia). The question seemed innocent enough at the time; Miss Wesley compared Jesus to historical figures Gahndi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Before long she is fighting to keep her job and her First Amendment rights.
Her case is reluctantly taken by a public defender, Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalfe), who really doesn't believe with her thinking. His research and courtroom savvy will get the attention of a news reporter, Amy Ryan (Trisha LaFache), who was a religious skeptic until her own fight with cancer was won.
Some will find this film hackneyed, while others will feel inspiration. Take into consideration that more and more faith-based movies are being made. Hart plays her role with noticeable conviction. And Miss Orrantia is also notable. Others in the cast: Ernie Hudson, Robin Givens, Maria Canals-Barrera, Benjamin A. Onyango and Pat Boone.
Christian Grace Wesley(Melissa Joan Hart) teaches high school history in the small conservative town of Hope Springs. She finds herself being grilled by the school board after answering a question from a troubled teen, Brooke Thawley (Hayley Orrantia). The question seemed innocent enough at the time; Miss Wesley compared Jesus to historical figures Gahndi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Before long she is fighting to keep her job and her First Amendment rights.
Her case is reluctantly taken by a public defender, Tom Endler (Jesse Metcalfe), who really doesn't believe with her thinking. His research and courtroom savvy will get the attention of a news reporter, Amy Ryan (Trisha LaFache), who was a religious skeptic until her own fight with cancer was won.
Some will find this film hackneyed, while others will feel inspiration. Take into consideration that more and more faith-based movies are being made. Hart plays her role with noticeable conviction. And Miss Orrantia is also notable. Others in the cast: Ernie Hudson, Robin Givens, Maria Canals-Barrera, Benjamin A. Onyango and Pat Boone.
Propagada
flashmana2 April 2016
Some propaganda movies are valid pieces of cinema in spite of their propaganda due to groundbreaking advances in the art of cinema. That is why I can watch battleship Potemkin without sharpening my pitchfork and setting fire to the master copy. This movie... does not have any groundbreaking advancements of cinema, a story based on falsies and so much political baggage weighing it down so that if it jumped it would level Huston. Do yourself a favor and avoid at all costs, and if you see the DVD release... do the shop-keep a favor and snap the disk in half, as the movie in any watchable format would technically make the disk a defective product. If anything, if you know this movie is worthless, it could get a cult status as the room of propaganda movies. Probably not what the filmmakers thought but at least we would get a textbook on NOT to tell a story out of it.
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