Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 13, 2018

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness is a continuation of God's Not Dead 2, notably a post-credits scene in which Pastor Dave (David A. R. White) is arrested for refusing to submit a court-ordered collection of his recent sermons. Turns out that disobeying that order was the least of his worries. Not only does he lose his church building in the aftermath, he loses a friend and may even lose his faith. The pastor is put to an enormous test in the film that challenges him to not just know the word he preaches but to put it into action in his own life, to realize what it truly means to be a servant of God outside the church building walls, not just in the bubble inside of them.

Pastor Dave has been released from prison when city officials realized their demand for his sermons was unconstitutional. But his story brings light to another issue: his church is located on a public university’s grounds. Because it's now in the spotlight, protests erupt outside and the University's board, including its dean and Dave's longtime friend Thomas Ellsworth (Ted McGinley), argues in favor of the church being bulldozed so a new student union can be built in its place. Pastor Dave assures his congregation that the church isn’t going anywhere, but one night the unthinkable happens: a disgruntled young man named Adam Richertson (Mike C. Manning), fresh off an argument with his religiously wayward girlfriend Keaton (Samantha Boscarino), vandalizes the church's welcome sign and throws a brick through a window. Through a series of related circumstances, an explosion erupts in the church's basement and Pastor Dave’s best friend and associate Pastor, Jude (Benjamin Onyango), is killed in the explosion. Rather than walk away in light of the tragedy, Pastor Dave chooses to fight the school to keep the church on school grounds and brings in his reluctant, spiritually empty older brother Pearce (John Corbett), a Chicago social justice lawyer, to represent him. As the two reconcile past differences, the fight for the soul of the community rages while Adam wrestles with guilt.

This is the most deliberately paced and slow to develop of the God's Not Dead movies. It's not until much later in the film that the larger purpose becomes clear, unlike the first two when the battle to prove God's existence and the battle for religious freedom were resoundingly obvious from the outset. This is certainly the most intimate and personal of the films, even as it aims to explore a much larger issue. In the film, both sides throw bricks through a window. The church is vandalized and so too is Dean Ellsworth's home. The Biblical passage about "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" seems an obvious parallel, even if it goes directly unmentioned in the film. It's certainly relevant, though. At its heart, A Light in the Darkness explores the concept that Christians are imperfect, that even those who live in faith struggle with responses to the world. Even Pastor Dave allows his emotions -- frustration, doubt, even anger -- to get the best of him throughout the movie. “We cannot respond to hate with more hate,” a friend and fellow pastor tells him at a key moment later in the film. It's a tough lesson he's going to have to learn if he and the community, those on both sides of the argument, are to heal and find closure. Ultimately, Pastor Dave realizes that a church building is just a building. It’s not the bricks and pews and altar that make the church but rather the people who come to it, and the people who remain outside of it, too.

The film offers a blend of new and old characters. Disappointingly absent is Martin Yip, a young man who came to faith in the previous film and, based on the timelines, should have been prominently featured in this picture. Taking his place is Shane Harper, reprising his role as Josh Wheaton from the first film. The film also misses the upbeat and wise Jude, played by Benjamin Onyango. Though his character's death propels much of the story, his spirit, established notably in the second film, hangs over it as the ever-present source of spiritual certainty and trust that helps guide Pastor Dave through both his character's personal arc and the larger story that unfolds within his community. Pastor Dave's arc is certainly the highlight, and the most interesting, exploring how even a man of faith, who is charged with leading others through struggles of faith and towards God, as he did with Martin in the second film, can find himself on the other side, his spiritual compass leading him astray until he can recalibrate it towards what he knows in his heart to be the one true path through life. White is certainly up to the task, expertly handling the broad spectrum of emotional responses, including shock and anger and ultimately finding the greater plans and purpose in tragedy and trial.

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

This film's 1080p transfer delivers a flawed, but generally quality, viewing experience. Noise is a bit more prominent than is ideal, occasionally giving the movie a lightly chunky appearance, even in well lit scenes. Detailing is good, but not great. Basic complexities are accounted for, with various clothing textures and core facial and hair features nicely presented but hardly of any quality fit for the record books. Same goes for color; it's an agreeably neutral palette that handles both bright natural greens and darkened ashes inside the burnt-out church with equal distinction and accuracy. Black levels don't stray too far from ideal and flesh tones likewise appear true.

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The track is fairly unassuming on all fronts, technically proficient but not doing much to engage or stretch. It rarely extends into the rears. Very slight reverb pokes through during a dialogue scene in a nearly empty church in chapter 16 and the surrounds pick up a little bit of protesting crowd din in chapter 18 near film's end, but such examples of obvious back-end activity are scarce. Front elements are largely fine, presenting adequately clear and wide music. Dialogue is the sonic propellant and it is handled without flaw from a front-center position beyond a few examples noted above.

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness contains a modest supplemental package highlighted by a few deleted scenes. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. The release ships with an embossed slipcover.

• The Heart of God's Not Dead (1080p, 22:01): Amidst a number of behind-the-scenes video clips, this piece features numerous cast and crew interviews that examine characters, plot details, the movie's purpose, and more.
• Rice Broocks Discusses the Film and Book (1080p, 4:58): The author discusses the number of young people losing their Christian faith when they make the transition from high school to college. He also covers his books and the transition from page to screen.
• Newsboys United (1080p, 2:17): Members of the band, from over the years, come together for a new tour.
• Music Videos (1080p): Included are "Rebound" by Abigail Duhon (3:05), "Alive in Us" by Joel Vaughn (3:43), "Yours Forever" by New Hope Oahu (3:54), and "Collide" by Landry Cantrell (3:48).
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Included are Dave Prays (0:57), Meg's Story (2:35), Keaton and Adam in Jail (1:26), Dave & Josh Prep for Protest (0:44), and Dave Apologizes to Meg (1:14).

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness explores a personal journey of a man struggling with his faith when much of what he has and holds dear -- his church building, his best friend -- is taken from him. The film explores Pastor Dave's spiritual journey through the valley in which he's tested and return to the top of the hill when he rekindles his understanding of faith and learns from the experience. It's a good film, slow to really take off but a well-meaning exploration of spiritual doubt and hardship in the modern age. Universal's Blu-ray delivers good picture and fair audio. A handful of extras are included. Recommended.