New kids’ movie ‘The Light of the World’ tells the story of Jesus in a unique way

By Josh Ball

The story of Jesus in the Bible is the greatest ever told. Even cynics recognize His teachings are impactful. This nature has given the Gospel narratives many retellings.

Rarely do movies so blatantly tell the Gospel story as 2004s: “The Passion of the Christ.” The latest exception to this trend is “The Light of the World,” released by the Salvation Poem Project. Aimed toward young kids, the movie sets out to tell the story of man’s salvation through the eyes of a (for once) historically early-teen John the Beloved.

Though the animated film is geared toward the minds of children, it tells a compelling story for older people. Each character has depth, serves a purpose beyond filling time and portrays unique and accurate motivations.

One example of this is the Roman Centurion Lucius. Initially, the physically imposing man takes an antagonistic role, chasing John through town and threatening him. Later on, we learn he suffers as well. He seeks Jesus and asks him, through tears, to heal his dying servant, choosing to follow the Messiah after his wish is granted.

Overall, beautiful animation engaged the audience to the words and actions of the characters. The style and character design evoke the wonder Dreamworks’ “The Prince of Egypt” brought to the world in 1998. Emotion is conveyed through the drawn faces in a way live-action actors would envy. Each expression is tailored to the person portraying it and the events around it.

The backgrounds colorfully convey the time and tone of each scene. Sunsets are a warm orange, sun and moonbeams cast the characters in gold or silver light. Tenser scenes are dulled with darker blues and blacks. At times, the animation could be smoother or cleaner, but rarely are these mistakes distracting for more than a few frames. This is due, in part, to the genuinely well-told and written story.

I was constantly engaged by the beauty of the movie. Every scene served a purpose. At no point was a line or an action in the movie for its own sake, but each served the story whether through comedic relief or a more direct driving of the plot.

No moment feels ignored or dragged. Even moments those like myself wish had taken a bigger role are left out for a reason. Trying to cram the whole ministry of Jesus into an hour-and-a-half kids’ movie would feel rushed and not allow characters or plotlines to properly mature. Incorrect timing in any story, whether rushing or dragging, is one of the worst mistakes a storyteller can make. Thus, each ignored sermon and every combined storyline serves a greater purpose within the narrative and allows each person and plot to develop and end.

Comedy is an important part of every story. In this movie, every joke lands. Some result in outright laughter, others with a slight chuckle and a few in mild amusement. There are moments a child would find funny while an adult would only cringe, but these moments are few, usually forgotten through the delivery of lines from the voice actors and pace of the story.

What I loved most was how every one of these small details came together in harmony. The juxtaposition between comedy and gravity touched my heart and made me want to cry like few movies ever have.

“The Light of the World” is not a perfect retelling of the salvation of humanity, but every change serves a purpose. Parents of young kids who are looking for a movie they can trust to be age-appropriate should watch “The Light of the World.” The movie may be geared toward Christian kids and their parents, but there is something for everyone to enjoy.

“The Light of the World” is currently playing in theaters

Josh Ball is a junior history major. He loves “The Lord of the Rings” and reading literature to evaluate the author’s worldview in light of Christianity.

Images courtesy of The Salvation Poem Project