25 Movies About Christianity That Critics Loved, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes – Collider

Movies about faith and religion generally have a reputation for being subpar, often laughable exercises in message over substance. It’s lamentable that faith-based audiences haven’t had more selection historically, as there is massive potential to tell a wide variety of compelling and emotional stories that make the most of Christian values and messaging without being overbearing. Especially considering the size of the demographic, it’s a pity this has long been the case.
One of the surprise breakout hits of recent years, Jesus Revolution, scored well with audiences and exceeded expectations at the box office. Critics generally endorsed the faith-based drama, with the film hovering just above a “Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes. Movies dealing with faith can be challenging to evaluate, especially from a critical angle. But as films that deal with themes of Christianity have become more popular in recent years, many have scored well on Rotten Tomatoes with audiences and critics alike. Here are some of the best.
Helmed by future The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader director Michael Apted, Amazing Grace follows the true story of William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffudd) as he converts to Christianity and fights to end the slave trade in Great Britain. As Wilberforce fights with Parliament to outlaw slavery in England, we also pivot to the story of John Newton (played here by Albert Finney), the writer of the titular hymn for which the film is named.
As the stories of Wilberforce and Newton converge, the truth that binds both men, and all Christians, is that men are created in the image of God, and thus, slavery is a defacement on par with heresy. Amazing Grace does a fabulous job of bringing this historical, and controversial, era to life, with excellent performances from Gruffudd and Finney, as well as supporting cast members Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Gambon, Romola Garai, and Ciarán Hinds.
Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as an Evangelist minister, Carlton Pearson, who questions the church’s traditional doctrine and proclaims that there is no Hell. His vocalization of his unconventional opinions soon leads to him and his family being ostracized by their church and unfairly branded as a heretic. The film sees Pearson dealing with this crippling rejection and pain as he stands true to his own moral values and understanding of God’s faith, allowing his conscience to take precedence over tradition.
Based on a true story, Come Sunday is a powerful film about standing by your beliefs as well as keeping the faith when it feels as though the world is against you. The film makes a powerful and timely statement about the importance of these values of love and care that Christianity is all about, even in a modern world that is continuously filled with hate and vitriol. While the drama has its moments of feeling a bit uneven, Ejofor’s performance is extremely riveting and the heart and soul of this must-see film. —Andrea Ciriaco
As a child growing up in Texas, Bart Millard (J. Michael Finley) suffered physical and verbal abuse from his father who, after becoming severely ill, rediscovers his faith as well as love for his son. After some time, Millard looks back on his childhood and his mended relationship with his father and is inspired to write the hit song, “I Can Only Imagine,” which he performs with his Christian band. While many other Christian music group biopics drop the ball and fail to do their stories justice, I Can Only Imagine stands out as a notable exception to the rule.
I Can Only Imagine is a telling film about redemption and forgiveness based on the true story of singer and songwriter, Bart Millard, and his famous song by the same name, which reigns as the best-selling Christian single of all time. The movie earned mixed reviews from critics, but many praised it for being an inspirational film that isn’t as preachy as the majority of other faith-based films. I Can Only Imagine went on to become the fifth highest-grossing music biopic and the sixth highest-grossing Christian movie in history. —Andrea Ciriaco
The most speculative movie on this list, M. Night Shyamalan’s Signs is a powerful film that wrestles with the notion of divine providence and the struggles of maintaining faith in the face of grief. Mel Gibson plays a former Episcopalian priest, Graham Hess, as he fights to raise his two young children in the wake of their mother’s death. With the help of his brother Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix), things get even more tricky when aliens invade the Earth.
While many other Christian films will tackle the concepts in the primary text through various religious figures and entities, Shyamalan masterfully conveys the tenets of the religion through subtext and symbolism. While many have speculated that the aliens themselves are actually demons in disguise, the point of Signs isn’t the science-fiction backdrop. Rather, the film hinges on Graham’s struggle to believe in miracles, and his decision when he’s forced to confront the fact that they exist. While this might not be the first Christian-based story you run to, it’s one of the best.
When God decides to wipe all of mankind from the Earth, he speaks to Noah (Russell Crowe) and advises him to build an ark larger enough to carry him, his wife (Jennifer Connelly), his sons and their wives, as well as pairs of animals. Once Noah completes his task, he and his family witness the wrath of God in the form of a massive, destructive flood. While the story of Noah and the ark is one of the most acclaimed and recognizable in all the Old Testament stories, Darren Aaronofsky‘s directing style provides a new lens at which to experience this legendary tale.
Noah is a captivating film inspired by the infamous Biblical tale and features an all-star cast including Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson, and Ray Winstone. The film features breathtaking and stunning visual effects with a hefty level of intensity and is also riddled with exceptional performances by the overall cast. According to Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times, Noah is “one of the most dazzling and unforgettable Biblical epics ever put on film.” —Andrea Ciriaco
Directed by Martin Scorsese, Silence is a theological and historical drama based on the novel of the same name by Shūsaku Endō. Starring Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver as Jesuit priests on a mission to Edo period Japan, they hope to locate their missing mentor (Liam Neeson) and spread their faith to the far reaches of the map. Unfortunately, things don’t come easy as the Japanese officials stand steadily in their way, forcing them to face and question their own faith head-on.
While Silence is a bit controversial, it does an excellent job portraying the hardships associated with the persecution of Christians in 17th-century Japan. Garfield’s Sebastião Rodrigues is a complicated character, one who wrestles with staying true to his own faith or preserving his own life. It’s a hard choice, and one that doesn’t come as easy as the priest may have hoped, with all of the strength and moral pain of this choice being masterfully told by the craft and precision of Scorsese’s filmmaking style.
Director Terrence Malick‘s Tree of Life is arguably one of the first and biggest mainstream films to deal with the concept of faith, pulling explicitly from the Bible’s Book of Job. The movie follows the adult Jack O’Brien, played by Sean Penn, as he reflects deeply on his childhood, with his parents being played by Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain.
One of the most theologically profound aspects of this movie is the attention it gives to two opposing forces of humanity: the way of grace and the way of nature. The adult Jack O’Brien feels both of these forces within himself as he remembers his childhood. His mother, who is kind, nurturing, and patient, embodies the way of grace. His father, who is short-tempered, restless, and at times cruel, exemplifies the way of nature. The adult Jack tries to work out who he is as these dual forces battle within him as they do for all of us. Though it’s somewhat divisive, Tree of Life was an overall triumph, garnering three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.
Years after Mel Gibson put together The Passion of the Christ, he opted to tell the story of a young combat medic named Desmond Doss (played by Andrew Garfield) during the Second World War. Hacksaw Ridge is the result, following Seventh-day Adventist Doss, a conscientious objector who decides to enter the Pacific battlefield to save lives rather than kill them. Doss’ strong faith, honorable courage, and desire to see life preserved is the backbone to this powerful biographical drama.
Even after the rocky reputation that Gibson had in the public eye during the late 2000s and early 2010s, the outstanding quality of the film helped catapult him back into the limelight. It’s no wonder that Hacksaw Ridge earned itself six Oscar nominations and multiple Golden Globe nominations, which all hinged on Gibson’s impressive directorial efforts and Garfield’s fantastic performance. Not only does Hacksaw Ridge honor Christian themes of preserving the life of one’s enemies, but it also highlights powerful notions of love, marriage, duty, and honoring one’s parents, even when that feels impossible.
Charlton Heston‘s foremost biblical epic, directed by Cecil B. Demille, The Ten Commandments is a masterwork in American filmmaking that brings the story of Moses from the Book of Exodus to life. As Heston’s Moses confronts Yul Brynner‘s Pharaoh Rameses II for the salvation of the Hebrew people, it’s clear that this Old Testament classic has remained a filmmaking marvel for a reason. The film has become one of the quintessential examples of biblical storytelling in the medium of cinema, being one of the first to give a truly grandiose scale to a legendary biblical story.
Heston (who doubles as Moses and the voice of God) is a powerful presence here, and though his work in Ben-Hur is perhaps his most exceptional, there’s a reason he’s still considered the best Moses by many. Many moments of iconography and visuals from the film are still synonymous with the story of Moses to this day, redefining and evolving the story to the modern generation through its success. This is 220 minutes that you won’t want to miss. Just be sure to give yourself a quick break during the intermission.
When a young Bishop, Henry Brougham (David Niven), becomes consumed by raising funds and building a new church, he’s visited by a handsome angel, Dudley (Cary Grant), who integrates himself into the bishop’s house and family as his new assistant. Initially, Henry is irritated by Dudley’s presence and spending time with his wife (Loretta Young), but he soon realizes that Dudley’s arrival was meant to remind Henry about what is truly important in life.
As far as feel-good Christian movies from the golden era of Hollywood are concerned, it’s hard to get more classic and critically acclaimed than The Bishop’s Wife. The film is a Christmas classic film that embodies the valuable lesson about remembering the sole purpose of having faith and the importance of family and friends. The film has the perfect balance of comedic charm and sentiment, creating a heartwarming story that is not only perfect for the holiday season but a timeless tale that can be celebrated all year round. —Andrea Ciriaco
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