The star and director says it will make audiences feel that the rapture is close at hand.
When Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist hits theaters later this month, do not be surprised if it delivers a sense that parts of it are ripped straight from the headlines. In fact, lead actor and director Kevin Sorbo wanted it to be something that moviegoers could relate to, saying in a recent appearance on Trinity Broadcasting Network's Huckabee show that he thinks it will serve as "a wake-up call."
"You'll recognize quite a few things that are going on in today's world, and you're going to feel like the rapture's gotta be pretty close."
The movie, which is the fifth installment in the Left Behind franchise, is set six months after the rapture, and Sorbo's character is trying to figure out why his wife - along with multitudes of others - disappeared. He is joined on screen by a strong cast, including Christian actors Corbin Bernsen and Neal McDonough, and the picture is something of a family affair for the former star of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, because his wife Sam Sorbo and their 21-year-old son Braeden have parts as well.
Sorbo, who is a devout Christian and a political conservative, says he feels called to offer faith-based alternatives to what Hollywood is pushing, adding that this film is in line with the kind he likes to make.
"Hollywood is winning the culture battle, as you know. We're trying to fight back and do movies that have got faith, hope, love, redemption and laughter. I'm gonna keep making those kinds of movies."
So, how does Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist stack up against the four iterations of the franchise that preceded it? According to Sorbo, one of the two authors of the books that spawned the movies is giving it a thumbs-up.
"We got a great plug from Jerry Jenkins, one of the writers: he said it's the best "Left Behind" movie he's ever seen."
You will be able to judge for yourself starting on January 26th when the film begins a four-day limited engagement in theaters nationwide; you can purchase tickets right now via this link to distributor Fathom Events. The trailer below will give you a better feel for the movie and this YouTube link will take you to Sorbo's appearance on Huckabee.