David and Larry are police detectives.  They look and act more like private investigators; but what do I know?  I’m a critic, though I may act at times more like a police detective.  When the mis-matched cynical deist (David) and True Believer (Larry) manage to free kidnapped pop star Lindsey, her Hollywood-ish producer/boyfriend Kevin invites the cops on a yacht junket designed to help Lindsey recover.  Police Captain Jones thinks it’s a good idea, as he’s been “trying to nail this guy for years.”

On the way to the crime scene—from which the rescued Lindsey departs without so much as being interviewed, despite a fatal police shooting… which normally results in removal from active duty pending investigation for the officers involved… but never mind—David and Larry have a typical argument about faith. “Do you have to bring God into every conversation?” David complains.  Yes.  Larry does.  And so does Larry’s wife Suzette.  And, once they get to Mexican waters in the yacht, so does David’s wife Lori.  In fact, that’s where Lori finds Jesus.

When David falls asleep on a remote beach, he awakens to find that Lori has oddly disappeared.  And so have Larry and Suzette.  Nobody can be raised on the shipboard radio—except a few scattered cries for help and general chaos—and it’s soon apparent that we are in a narrative tipped by the film’s tag line: “One man’s Revelation reveals he’s been Left Behind.”  Note the caps.

Also note my cynicism in this plot description.

Note further that, in spite of my general cynicism about made-for-Christians cinema and about Rapture End Times theology in particular, I really enjoyed this apocalyptic thriller.  The idea, of course, is that the believers have been raptured, leaving David behind with the “more bad” guys to figure out: why he’s not a good guy; what he’d need to do to become one; and, less importantly, what Kevin and his henchmen are up to.

In a series of discoveries that will remind you greatly of a very, very popular holiday movie (or two), David learns a lot about himself, his marriage, his wife, and about salvation.  In an interesting twist, Lindsey’s own desires enter into the plot machinations as well: “I want you to know you didn’t risk your life on me for nothing.”

Now, in spite of my enjoyment of the film, I have to say the glibness of the spiritual advice bugs me a bit.  David’s rather grumpy, you know, as the hero of such a film must be at its start.  Why?  “It’s because you don’t know God that you have all this unhappiness in your life,” advises Larry.  Well, I know a lot of believers who aren’t “happy,” per se.  Life doesn’t get easier when you come to Christ; in fact, it most often gets harder in many ways.

However, Lori gets it.  It’s not about happiness. “I desire to have the peace that Suzette has,” she says.  And amazingly enough, that’s what we see come over David as he learns his necessary lessons.  Yes, he’s “happier,” too, I suppose.  But David A. R. White does a great job of projecting a truly Christlike transformation as things get decidedly more apocalyptic, not less.  “It’s nice to be appreciated,” he says.  And it’s nice watching White play a role that doesn’t demand wholesome goodness.

Hagee plugs, cheesy synth moments, and the other stuff aside, director Michael Sinclair really pulls together something interesting in his debut film.  This is easily the best and most compelling production yet from PureFlix, whose board includes White, and whose previous efforts have included Hidden Secrets, The Wager, and Holyman Undercover.   It will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering how “the final seconds of time” will play out… even though you already know.

Now, to be sure: this is a film that will play especially well with other True Believers; but I also think it will prod a lot of serious thought for those who’ve been riding the fence for a while—and it’s a good enough movie that it will probably keep good-natured friends of True Believers engaged as well… maybe even a few critics.

The big question that the film’s theology doesn’t answer (though it might have tried): What would have happened to a pre-Peter Cornelius on the day of the rapture?  That’s a good question to think about when it comes to those friends of yours…

In the Blink of an Eye is unrated, but it’s kind of PG-13 material, as any cop thriller might be.  People get shot, you know, with blood splatters and stuff.  And any rapture film is potentially disturbing for younger children, too.  No boobs or swearing, though.  Just guns and violence.  Whew!

Courtesy of a national publicist, Greg screened a promotional DVD of In the Blink of an Eye.