Why Are Christian Films So Bad?

 Christian films are often associated with being cheesy and preachy. They aren't well received by secular audiences and even some Christians don't like them. I think that part of the problem is the expectations Christians have for Christian films. Because Christian filmmakers are trying to meet those expectations, the films suffer. To prove my point, here are some expectations that Christian filmmakers need to stop catering to if they don't want to alienate secular audiences.

The protagonist must be a believer and the antagonist must be an unbeliever
The only exception to this is if the film is about an unbeliever that becomes a believer before the film ends. This idea has led to one of the biggest criticisms that unbelievers have about Christian films, and for good reason. Meeting this expectation often causes Christian filmmakers to depict characters in an unrealistic or (in the case of the unbelieving characters) unloving manner. Yes, that's right, this is the source of the evil atheist stereotype in Christian films. Because unbelievers are almost always set up as antagonists in Christian films, they always come across as downright evil people out to silence Christians forever. However, this is not how it is in real life. There are a lot of unbelievers out there who are really nice people, they just don't believe in God. And while it's sad that they don't believe in God, that doesn't mean that they're out to get you because you believe in God. So depicting all unbelievers as really evil people on film is just wrong. Besides, there are other options for antagonists. Another believer could be the antagonist. The story could be about two Christians who are rivals for some reason. Maybe they both like the same girl or maybe they're running for office against each other. There are ways to make Christians antagonists without discrediting their Christianity. Furthermore, the hero of a Christian film can be an unbeliever who never becomes a believer in the film. Don't believe me? Look at the story of Samson in the book of Judges. An argument can be made that he was not a true believer, and yet the Bible takes the time to tell his story. Telling a story from Christian worldview about an unbeliever is not only possible, but could even make for a very interesting film. Bottom line is that the protagonist of a Christian film does not have to be a Christian and the antagonist does not have to be a non-Christian.

The film's message must be clearly stated
This is the reason Christian films often get called "preachy" or "on the nose." Because Christian filmmakers feel like they have to make their point really clear, they end up telling rather than showing their point. At this point, you might be saying, "But if Christian filmmakers don't clearly state their message, won't the movie fail to lead people to Christ?" Well, first of all, it's not the filmmaker's job to preach to the audience; that's a pastor's job. Second of all, some of the most ideologically influential films in film history did not state their point. Instead, they assumed their point when telling the story, causing them to demonstrate their point in a very natural way. Recently, I wrote an article about the X-Men film franchise and how those films have influenced the way Americans view discrimination. The X-Men movies didn't have this influence because a character explained why discrimination is bad. Instead, those films showed how discrimination is bad. Christian filmmakers need to start taking queues from movies like the X-Men movies and start being more subtle in the way they present their beliefs. If you assume your worldview when you tell a story, your audience will be forced to assume that same worldview in order to care about your characters (again, the X-Men films do this beautifully). When this happens, you can provoke change in the thinking of your audience. On the other hand, when you state your point, the people who disagree with you will immediately be alienated because they recognize that point as something they don't agree with. If Christians want their films to actually reach unbelievers, they need to stop clearly stating their point.

Christian films must be family-friendly
Now, I am not saying that it's alright for Christian filmmakers to put foul language and sexual content in their films. Doing so causes the actors to sin for the sake of other people's entertainment, which is obviously wrong. However, there are topics that Christians need to address, and many of those topics provide many story possibilities for filmmakers. Christian filmmakers should be able to tackle these stories and issues without having to water it down so that the film is appropriate for children. There are some topics that are too mature for young viewers, and when Christian filmmakers try to make films about these topics that are family-friendly, the end result is usually pretty corny. Christian filmmakers should be able to address certain topics in a way that impacts the audience, and sometimes that means releasing a movie that parents shouldn't let their kids see. And that's OK.

God and/or Jesus must be mentioned at least once in the film
I see Christians cry foul every time a Christian film doesn't mention God or Jesus once. The thing is, Christian films can glorify God without mentioning God. Just because a film calls itself a Christ honoring film doesn't mean that characters are going to talk about Jesus in the film. The Bible tells us that we honor God when we do what is pleasing to Him, and as long as a Christian film fits the standards of Philippians 4:8-9, they will honor God whether they mention Him or not. Still not convinced? Look at Jesus Himself. He told stories all the time to make his point. These stories honored God, and yet in many cases they did not make any mention of God whatsoever (see for example the parable of the Good Samaritan). If Jesus could tell stories without mentioning God, then Christian filmmakers should be granted the freedom to tell a good story that honors God without feeling pressured to mention God in their story. Now, I wholeheartedly believe that if the story legitimately calls for it, Christian filmmakers should not be afraid to talk about God in their films. However, if talking about God in their film does not contribute to the story, it's OK to not mention God at all.

These are just a few of the changes Christian filmmakers need to make in order to not alienate secular audiences, and if Christian audiences would be willing to give up these expectations, it will be a step in the right direction for the Christian film industry as a whole.