Movie Review: ‘Light of the World’

Animated Christian content for children has been booming lately. Recent releases like “King of Kings” have sought to bring to life the central story of the Gospel in a way that is engaging for a younger audience. “Light of the World” (opened in theaters on September 5th) has a similar aim, but its gentle pace and beautiful hand-drawn animations make it stand out. The film follows the experience of the Apostle John who is imagined as a young teen called by Jesus to become a fisher of men. The details of the animations, a charming film score, and lovable biblically based characters will truly enchant.

The animators for the film used traditional 2D animation techniques to carefully curate the cast of characters. Their attention to detail and thoughtful development process is evident, most particularly in the figure of Jesus. The strength and gentleness of the Incarnate God was reverently approached through skillful animations that captured the breadth of human expression in his eyes. The additional efforts taken to include hand drawn animations adds an intangible richness to the film that is hard to quantify. The significance of using real human art in our increasingly technologized world is not lost on the production team:

 “Hand-drawn animation is a timeless medium that retains its beauty over many decades. It contains all the subtle flaws we’ve come to call “human.” To us, it’s a fitting way to express our love and adoration to Jesus — the only unflawed person to ever walk the earth” (Source: Light of the World Website).

The writers and producers have said that the heart of the project was to let the story of the Gospel stand alone and this film certainly succeeds at that! The Eucharistic scene at the Last Supper is done simply with no creative license or over explanations. Jesus’ words, “this is my body,” are given space to stand alone. 

Another particularly strong element are the Marian themes. When John and Mary are walking together during Jesus’ crucifixion they have a moving conversation where Mary reflects on the beautiful gift that it is to be Jesus’ mother even though her heart is being pierced, as was foretold. One passing joke about St. Peter might cause Catholic viewers to grimace. When St. Peter says “Jesus called me the rock” the other Apostles laugh it off and say, “That was one time!”

The pace of the movie is gentle but engaging. The animations are whimsical, but the beauty underlying the hand drawings gives the film an unavoidable richness that is increasingly rare to find. This movie is sure to become a favorite choice for faithful families looking for refreshing and tastefully done entertainment.