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There's a lot of enthusiasm in Christian media today about the new surge of "Christian filmmaking." But there's a problem. Most of those faith-oriented films are getting bad reviews, even from Christian film reviewers.

In the case of Thr3e, the new thriller about a serial killer based on a novel by Ted Dekker, Christian film critics are wasting no words about the film's shoddy quality. Sure, it's important that a movie's message be excellent. But is God glorified by mediocre craftsmanship and lousy storytelling? And what if the film's redeeming elements are buried by the film's darker elements?

Russ Breimeier (Christianity Today Movies) says, "It used to be that Christian films couldn't compete because of quality, but nowadays we're finding that they share more in common with the average Hollywood film—style over substance. Thr3e looks like it should work on paper, as fans of the book will attest. But a shaky narrative, clumsy storytelling, and unintentionally campy acting make this a frustrating movie-going experience that's only worth half the stars of its title."

Cliff Vaughn (Ethics Daily) isn't just disappointed. He's frustrated. "It bothers me, and it should bother you too, that out of all the movies that could have been made with a couple million dollars, Thr3e was chosen. This alleged psychological thriller … is so derivative as to be pointless. … We're supposed to care about a theme of confession planted in the movie, but the characters, like the plot, have been so derived from standard Hollywood fare that we don't recognize life—just other, better movies."

Jeremy Lees and Steven Isaac (Plugged In) are impressed … with what isn't in the movie. They liked "how the film tries to dispense with the over-the-top gore, profanity, sexuality and preternatural decadence so prevalent onscreen these days any time 'horror' or 'suspense' even begins to enter the filmmakers' vocabulary." But what do they think of what is in the movie? They say that "one could easily view this movie as a standard indie thriller, missing entirely the author's and director's oft-stated attempts to convey a Christian worldview."

Lisa Rice (Crosswalk) criticizes it as "sometimes confusing," frowns on "bad casting," and says, "The sparse, tacked on faith elements seem like an afterthought, and it is doubtful whether audiences will truly come away with greater faith or a greater knowledge of God and His ways …" But she does calls it "a cleverly-written psychological thriller with a fun twist at the end …"

Mainstream critics give it thr3e thumbs down, declaring it to be "r3ally, r3ally aw4ul." But the best cutesy quote comes from Frank Swietek (One Guy's Opinion): "Thr3e isn't even half the movie Se7en was."

Writer and director Richard LaGravenese (who also wrote The Fisher King) is catching critics by surprise this week. Movies about inspiring teachers who motivate reluctant, troubled students are far too common on the big screen. But Freedom Writers, LaGravenese's latest work, has audiences cheering. It's something special.

Hilary Swank stars in this true story of Erin Gruwell, who stirred up a classroom of students from different ethnic backgrounds.

Peter T. Chattaway (Christianity Today Movies) says, "Freedom Writers looks like it might be just another one of those films in which a white idealist liberates her non-white pupils, but thankfully, it turns out to be something rather better than that." Impressed, he says, "[M]ost of the other characters are portrayed with warmth and humanity. There obviously isn't time to get into the life story of every one of Erin's students, but several … have their moments in the spotlight, some of which are quite moving."

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January (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51