The film industry has seen a great influx of stories based on Biblical accounts, and while this is great for general publicity of the Christian faith, it might not be as helpful in terms of giving a clear and accurate picture of what Christianity is and who God is.
Hollywood has created some beautiful, cinematic and visually stunning movies based on the Bible, but without disrespect to the directors and makers, the stories have been twisted to a point where they are no longer a Bible story per se, but an adaptation. Here are some examples of recent Bible-based films taken completely out of context.
Noah. This film is the story of a clueless drunkard who sees visions from an mysterious and cryptic "Creator" who builds an arc with the help of rock-beings who were once angels. Other inaccurate details are the age of his sons, the lack of wives and the battle between Tubal-Cain and Noah on the ark.
Exodus: Gods and Kings. While this one is pretty close, there are still some things that have been left out in Ridley Scott's version of the story of Moses. Some details that are wrongly portrayed are the lack of stammer in Moses' speech (which removes the fact that he was an unqualified leader qualified by God), the presence of God shown as a boy and not a burning bush, a band of Jewish militia and the survival of Pharaoh.
Left Behind (2014). Whatever your belief is on Escatology, the latest version of "Left Behind" is not a good way to understand the End TImes. It is however a good message to those with relational problems with their fathers.
So what are we to do with such films that do not portray the Bible in an accurate way? What you would like to do with the film is completely your prerogative, whether you choose to boycott, put down or just try it out. However, one thing we are not to do is to take it too seriously. These are great pieces of media art, but not reliable sources of biblical information.
If anything, what these movies should encourage us and everyone else to do is to pick up a Bible, which is just as accessible as these films, and seek the truth for ourselves through proper Bible study. Movies are not the best source of truth about who God is and what He has done. The Bible will always and forever be the only true and reliable source of such information.
