Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Heaven Is for Real Blu-ray Movie Review

Out of the mouths of babes...

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 15, 2014

Is Heaven a hope or as real as the Earth and sky?

Heaven Is for Real tells the story of a young boy who, near death while on the operating table, claims to have entered the Kingdom of Heaven, interacted with Jesus, and returned to Earth armed with a newfound courage and in possession of knowledge no boy of his age should or could know, particularly in relation to his family's recent and distant pasts. The question, then, isn't so much if Colton Burpo did or did not see Heaven -- he obviously believes he did -- but whether his account is enough to persuade people that, as the title suggests, it's a real place or whether his adventure was something triggered as a safety valve in a time of stress, a way to cope with unbelievable trauma by putting together bits and pieces of things he may have heard his father preach, his mother speak, that he read in a book, or saw on television. Certainly, the latter is not without some degree of plausibility, being a preacher's son and exposed to the Word of God on undoubtedly a daily basis and, by extension, existing closer to the Bible's teachings than a garden-variety child whose parents, say, teach school or work construction and really only hears the Word in Sunday school, if at all. On the other hand, the story says that Colton was suddenly the possessor of information he could not have possibly known, such as how a grandfather he never knew physically appeared in his youth or the existence of his mother's miscarried baby, of whom he was never told. It's a film that asks much of its audience (ditto the book), demanding it take a leap of faith and find the story's true reward, which is not so much in a description of Jesus' appearance or other Heavenly details and factoids but rather in finding the comfort that there is both a higher power looking favorably upon man and a better place to go once one's life on this Earth ends.

Come.

The Burpos, a picture-perfect small-town family hailing from the quaint Nebraska town of Imperial, are about to embark on a journey of trials and miraculous revelations. Father Todd (Greg Kinnear), a preacher, a garage door dealer, and a volunteer fireman, breaks his leg at a softball game. He follows that with a severe case of kidney stones. When recovered, the family takes a vacation to Colorado on which both of their children, Cassie (Lane Styles) and Colton (Connor Corum), become ill. Cassie recovers, but Colton remains sick. He's finally diagnosed with appendicitis. He nearly dies on the operating table but, thanks to skilled doctors and an active prayer chain begun by his mother Sonja (Kelly Reilly), recovers. Some time passes, and Colton begins hinting that he experienced something unusual while under the knife: a trip to Heaven. While there, he claims to have met Jesus and long-deceased relatives. As his story unfolds, the family and the community struggle to come to terms with the validity of Colton's amazing tale.

"Faith." It may be one of the most difficult words to fully understand, let alone to implement, in one's life. It conveys so much in so few letters: grand ideas of religion and philosophy, knowing and not knowing, seeing and believing. There's faith from actions -- the knowledge one will do well on a test because one studied for that test, ergo a "faith" that high marks will be earned -- and faith that comes purely from belief, a belief that the car will start because it always does or, on a larger scale, that life will work itself out either because there's a higher power guiding man or, well, just because. That gets to the differences between "faith" and "blind faith," the difference between "knowing" and "trusting" and "hoping" and "feeling." Colton's story is something of an anomaly, not because so few people can, or have, laid claim to experiencing God firsthand, or "in the flesh" as the case may (or may not, depending on how one views Jesus) be, but rather because his experience is one that, for those who believe him, affirms man's blind faith via faith by sight, which, in essence, removes faith from the equation altogether, at least in one aspect but opens up another avenue of faith, a faith in he who no longer has to believe because he has seen.

Colton's story is akin to Plato's Allegory of the Cave in which is described a scenario that sees people chained to a cave wall and who, via the flickering light of fire, see one thing projected on the opposite wall and believe it to be reality when it is in fact only an incomplete reflection of reality. In this case, it is man who sees the reflections, which represent Heaven, and Colton who has become free from the chains to see Heaven as it is, not as man has made it, either through Biblical analysis, fairy tales, or, yes, by faith. In essence, Colton has seen -- or claimed to have seen -- exactly that which others can only envision, and accept, through faith, that the incomplete reflections they see of it in their lives, that they feel in their guts, that is presented to them in Scripture, is real. It's no wonder that Colton's story has been met with both reverence and derision. It brings into question a number of spiritual and philosophical ideas which are frequently in combat with one another on the battlefield of ideas, and that's exactly why Heaven Is for Real is worth seeing (and reading) for everyone.

This is where Heaven Is for Real the movie supersedes -- and proves more convincing than -- the book of the same name on which it is based. The book offers a straightforward telling of Colton's story, with significantly more supporting detail and colorful anecdotes to fill in the gaps and pages, but it is more detail nonetheless. The film leaves behind some of that detail -- such as the much more chaotic reality of Colton's illness before finally being diagnosed with a ruptured appendix and undergoing the emergency surgery than is depicted in the film -- and instead offers a more emotionally balanced story of a family struggling to come to terms not only with what their son knows but how he knows it. Whereas the book offers an interesting but somewhat flat account of each new revelation, the film deals with the struggle of faith in a much more humanized narrative. It's important to note that, despite some nitty-gritty detail omissions, some small touch inclusions (such as Colton's Spider-Man action figure), and new characters and dynamics (the college psychologist), in the end, both the movie and the book share a purpose and final message. The film would not have worked without its added dramatic insight, but that actually adds to the story's emotional core and, by extension, the audience's ability to get closer to it. The filmmakers smartly understand that both seeing and experiencing the journey with the elder Burpos serves only to enhance the way they come to terms with Colton's reality which also, then, allows the film to better convey the message that "Heaven is for real."

Early in the film, in a moment shared between Colton and his father and well before anything of note happens, Todd receives a message that he is needed at the hospital to pray over someone who has precious little time left to live. He offers to bring his son and tells him it may be "scary" to be in the presence of death. Colton replies, "if I'm with you, I won't be afraid." That sets the stage for everything to come, identifying most every young boy's comfort with and the safety in the presence of a father figure, which, of course, has its own Biblical parallels. In Isaiah 41:10, God says, "so do not fear, for I am with you" (NIV). It's an interesting movie line considering its reflection of what is one of the more paramount verses of scripture, particularly considering that it could be used to either support or deny Colton's claims. On one hand, the line is a perfect example of one kind of faith, the blind faith Colton has in his earthly father to care for him, to not expose him to anything dangerous. It also sets the scene for his openness to the message he receives later on from Jesus when he is guaranteed his safety in Heaven which in turn reaffirms his pleasure in experiencing it and willingness to share its glories with people on Earth. On the other hand, it could be interpreted as a little wink-and-a-nod that clandestinely supports the notion that everything Colton says is built on things he has heard his father preach or watched his father do, in essence projecting a godly image upon his own father, which is a cornerstone of the Christian faith that says the Heavenly Father cares for and loves his children (man) as would an earthly father. No doubt the filmmakers were going for the former, but of the entire movie it's the one line that could easily persuade one to believe or disbelieve everything that follows, perhaps more so than Colton's revelations of everything from his grandfather's appearance to identifying the image of Christ in a picture painted by another individual who claimed to have seen Him via a similar experience.

On a less thought-provoking front, Heaven Is for Real is the beneficiary of strong all-around technical construction. Director Randall Wallace (Writer, Braveheart, Director, Secretariat) handles the film with a technical grace, creating an obvious but unobtrusive sweeping flow, using a combination of space, light, and both distant and close-up photography to convey a wide range of emotional foundations and details alike throughout the film. The picture makes excellent use of the sumptuous Nebraska plains which themselves convey a very real feeling of tranquility or, even, Heaven (and that's not the first time the Midwest has been thought of as "Heaven" in film). Likewise, the cast is fantastic. Connor Corum is strong as Colton, obviously giving a performance of limited range but certainly conveying the necessary information with a charm and simplicity that the part demands. Thomas Haden Church and Margo Martindale are terrific as two of Todd's friends and parishioners who help guide him through the process and experience the ebbs and flows of the story in their own ways, while Kelly Reilly captures a mother's and wife's reactions with effortless grace. It's Greg Kinnear who truly makes the movie. He's so good that, were he so inclined, he would have no problem making the transition from the stage to the pulpit in real life. He's wonderfully convincing as both a preacher and a father, and the seriousness he gives the role, not to mention his portrayal of a man complicated by the challenges presented in his life and confused about how to integrate them into his life, make the performance one of the standouts of a storied career and arguably one of the best efforts from across the cinema landscape from the first half of 2014.

Heaven Is for Real Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Heaven Is for Real's 1080p transfer is, well, heavenly, not only literally in the film's few glimpses of Colton's vision of Heaven but in Sony's masterwork Blu-ray presentation. The digital production nearly passes for film. It's gorgeously detailed and colored, and consistently so, for the duration. Details are complex and accurate. Everything from church pews to skin, from grasses to clothes, are striking. Clarity of image is faultless, and the picture is constantly, and naturally, sharp for the duration. Colors are bold and satisfying and produce a wide range of hues from green fields to fire engine red vehicles. Red and yellow softball jerseys nicely stand out against the brown dirt on the bottom and blue skies on top as seen during a game early in the film. Black levels are accurate, and flesh tones, likewise, never betray normal. There's at least one instance of aliasing, seen on a small grate over the kitchen stove around the 1:02:00 mark, but it's so insignificant that it doesn't warrant a downward adjustment in score. Noise, blockiness, and banding are all nowhere to be found. In short, this is a marvelous transfer from Sony.

Heaven Is for Real Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Heaven Is for Real features a well-defined DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Smooth, accurate music is the order of the day. It's well spaced and naturally immersive in every applicable scene. It's supported by a balanced low end, and nowhere is that more evident than it is during a choral presentation heard in chapter seven. There's additionally a quality rumble heard and lightly felt during a brief scene that takes place inside a fire truck, with wailing sirens heard outside. Light country atmospherics help shape several outdoor scenes, while church interior scenes are defined by a naturally light reverberation around the stage. General dialogue delivery is accurate and presented in a straightforward, lifelike manner from the center channel.

Heaven Is for Real Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Heaven Is for Real contains several bonus features. In addition, DVD and UV digital copies are included in the case.

• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 8:23): Rather than provided titles that convey the meaning, purpose, or action of the scene, they are here presented with titles such as "Scene 10-11" and "Scene "A71."
• The Making of Heaven Is for Real (1080p, 13:08): A well-spoken piece that looks at the film project's origins, the questions the films asks, the deeper themes that run through the movie, shooting in Canada, depicting Heaven, casting and characters, the film's inspirational notes, and more.
• Colton Goes to Heaven (1080p, 4:17): The Burpo family recounts the story and share why they believe it.
• Creating Heaven (1080p, 4:24): As the title implies, the filmmakers discuss the challenges of creating Heaven for the film.
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Heaven Is for Real Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Heaven Is for Real asks a lot of questions and presents its audience with its own answers, and it does so convincingly, much more so than the book on which it is based. It's not an easy film, and it challenges those who give it a chance. It leaves its audience thinking and with plenty of juicy spiritual and philosophical ideas on which to chew, and with a movie like this, that's the absolute best-case scenario. The film is touching and very well made. It's beautifully shot, believably acted, and it's a pleasure to view, either alone with one's own thoughts or within a conversational family setting. Sony's Blu-ray release of Heaven Is for Real features remarkable video, great audio, and a few supplements. Very highly recommended.