"Overcoming Temptation"
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What You Need To Know:
The production quality of THE YOUNG BELIEVERS leaves a bit to be desired. There are some shaky camera movements and hard-to-hear dialogue. However, the story pulls in viewers, making them wonder what choices the characters will make with and without their Christian friends around them. It’s evident from the beginning that the movie’s intention is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Several themes include making wise choices, love, friendship, prayer, and evangelism. THE YOUNG BELIEVERS does bring to light some serious issues real teenagers face every day, but it presents Christianity and the Bible as a positive way for solving problems.
Content:
(CCC, BBB, V, S, A, DD, M) Very strong Christian, biblical, moral worldview as four friends at a private Christian school go to school and share their faith, with Bible passages quoted throughout the movie; no obscenities or profanities, but a few conversations of crude humor, including two teenage boys bet on a boy having sexual relations with a girl; boy pulls girl to his couch to rape her, but she breaks free and escapes; no depicted sex, but some talk about it and teenage boy tries to force one girl but she escapes; no nudity; no alcohol use, but alcohol shown and offered to a minor, but refused; no smoking but a mention of “weed” or marijuana, and teenage boy crushes a prescription sleeping pill and mixes it into girl’s lemonade to rape her, and she drinks it unknowingly, but she escapes; and, girl argues with friends due to her own pride, vanity, and jealousy, talk of parents divorcing, and teenage boy lies to gain teenage girl’s trust.
More Detail:
THE YOUNG BELIEVERS is a Christian video about the lives of four Christians who as 8th graders made a pact that they will continue to live for Christ in senior high school. The rest of the movie follows the teenagers to see if they keep their vows.
In 8th Grade, Luke, David, Leah, and Delilah promise to not drink, do drugs, or have sex before marriage, and listen only to Christian music. This proves to be easier said than done as the foursome keep their friendship intact to their senior year of high school. During high school, they are tested with alcohol, sex and worldly music, as well as pride and vanity.
Luke, the founder of The Young Believers, is the son of a pastor and teacher. Luke is trying to keep his musical gift from taking him down the wrong path. David deals with his brother and role model turning to alcohol and marijuana. Delilah is an only child in a single parent home being pressured to have sex. Leah’s parents are on the verge of divorce. Throughout the four friends’ ups and downs and arguments, they manage to forgive and be there for each other to pray and encourage one another.
The production quality of THE YOUNG BELIEVERS is mixed. The shots are well composed, but there were some shaky handheld shots. Also, the audio during the dialogue is too low at times, and the dialogue spoken by characters is very unclear at times. A boom microphone or other equipment is briefly visible during a dance studio scene. Some scenes are unnecessarily long. One creative scene, however, is shot in black and white with a handheld camera as Delilah runs away disoriented from a would-be rapist due to drinking a drugged lemonade.
Despite its production flaws, THE YOUNG BELIEVERS has a high acceptability rating for its moral theology. In fact, the story pulls the viewer in wondering what choices the characters will make with and without their friends around. Although there are some mature issues that today’s teenagers face, THE YOUNG BELIEVERS has many Scripture references and talks with godly friends and adults that always point the way back to the Bible and what God says.
It’s evident from the beginning of THE YOUNG BELIEVERS that the movie’s intention is to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Several themes found in the movie are making wise choices, love, friendship, prayer, and evangelism. The movie brings to light issues that are real to teens and society today and presents Christianity and the Bible as a positive way for solving problems. THE YOUNG BELIEVERS also is very clear about what is right and what is wrong. Even when wrong choices are made, there is dialogue to point the viewer to what is the right and God-honoring choice.
As the reviewer, I have a young teenager about to enter into high school as a freshman, and she was inspired by this movie to organize a group of her friends who have decided to follow Christ throughout senior high school. As a mother, I am very grateful for the impact this movie has made on my daughter’s life. I highly recommend it as a movie for other young Christians to see and take action.
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