David (Christian Movie Review)
With a blend of gorgeous animation, compelling and thematically rich storytelling, and good old-fashioned cinematic fun, David is the best animated Bible adaptation in years.
About the Film
The Prince of Egypt (1998) may reign supreme in many Christians’ hearts, but 2025 has been a landmark year for animated Bible adaptations. King of Kings and Light of the World were both well received, and the megahit show The Chosen dipped its toes into the genre with The Chosen Adventures. Now the animated musical David is ending the year on a high note. With a blend of gorgeous animation, compelling and thematically rich storytelling, and good old-fashioned cinematic fun, David is the best animated Bible adaptation in years.
The film may not boast the same impressive roster of A-list voice talent as King of Kings, but it features musical artist Phil Wickham in the role of David. The story traces David’s journey from humble shepherd boy to revered king. It’s a perfect PG alternative to Wonder Project’s grittier live-action House of David.
After decades of faith-based movies lagging woefully behind Hollywood in quality, faith-based animation today is actually leading the charge. In my review of King of Kings, I called it a “visual masterpiece.” I was equally as enthusiastic about the throwback animation style of Light of the World. Despite having a more textured aesthetic than either of those other films, David is no less impressive. The film excels at communicating scope, such as when the Israelites stand against the sprawling Philistine armies or when David stares down Goliath. From start to finish, David is a beautiful film.
As with any Bible adaptation, reverence for the source material restricts at times how the story can be translated to film. Still, David does an above-average job of fashioning the expansive source material into a cohesive, focused narrative. The film uses clever visual cues and music to reinforce the unifying themes in David’s journey, focusing on specific aspects of David’s internal struggles and faith rather than merely stringing together the narrative highlights.
As an adaptation, David doesn’t stray far from the biblical source material. I appreciate the decision to tell more of David’s story than simply his encounter with Goliath (which occurs around the midpoint of the runtime). Yes, the historic events are understandably condensed, and the film’s climax has been notably recontextualized. But for the most part, the film remains true to Scripture.
As a side note, I suspect most parents won’t object to the film softening the rougher edges of David’s story, but the decision does raise some questions. Much like the approach taken by House of David, there is a tension between portraying David as a “man after God’s own heart” (a verse that appears in an opening title card) and polishing his character too much. Despite being arguably the greatest warrior in the Bible, David is portrayed as a peacemaker and a borderline pacifist (a change most evident in the third-act deviations from Scripture). It’s not too concerning—just as making Noah and the flood about cute animals isn’t inappropriate when relating the story to children. Yet it’s worth considering how the Bible is being adapted, not merely that it is.
David is a musical, which is fitting for a tale about Scripture’s most prolific songwriter. It’s arguably the closest a Bible adaptation has come to feeling like a Disney movie (but without the problematic elements and messages). None of the songs, though enjoyable, stand out as earworm hits. Yet they are cleverly integrated into the narrative and themes in ways that make them feel like crucial elements of the story rather than intrusive diversions. The song “Tapestry” is a prime example of how music can further the story and establish central metaphors that continue throughout the film (more on that below).
As a parent of 10-year-old twin boys, I also appreciated David’s more masculine story. It’s by no means a movie just for boys, but my sons were enthralled by the battles, and the Amalekites are genuinely frightening foes. But fear not: it’s still a PG movie. While it portrays David hitting Goliath in the head with the stone (the film’s standout moment), it doesn’t show David decapitating the giant!
Faith-based storytelling is thriving in Hollywood, and the animation genre is quickly earning a reputation for leading that charge. David may not have the same profound theological impact as other recent adaptations focused on the life of Jesus. But from a purely cinematic and entertainment standpoint, it’s the best of the year (and arguably the best since The Prince of Egypt). This is a Bible adaptation kids will want to watch, not one they will merely endure at their parents’ request. It’s an impressive example of just how far faith-based storytelling has come, and it sets a high bar for the future.
For Consideration
On the Surface—(Profanity, Sexual content, violence, etc.).
Language: One use of “heck.”
Violence: There are some battle scenes, but no blood or death is shown. Goliath is hit in the forehead with a stone (no blood is shown).
Sexuality: None.
Engage The Film
God’s Plan > Individualism
At times, David feels like an old-school Disney movie. It’s a coming-of-age story about a peppy young hero who moves through the tale with a song in his heart and an occasional cute animal sidekick in tow. But beneath the surface, the film is the thematic antithesis to those early Disney fairytales. David isn’t about “following your heart” but about finding your identity and purpose as part of God’s larger story. In some ways, it does a better job of establishing that theme than has its live-action counterpart House of David, which often falls into a more typical “chosen one” archetype.
The central theme is most clearly established through the song “Tapestry,” during which David’s mother uses her incomplete tapestry as a metaphor. From one side, we may not fully understand the big picture. But we are but one thread among many, and the various “colors” of our life all contribute to the unified picture the creator is fashioning.
The use of the tapestry metaphor is a clever callback to Psalm 139:13, “You knit me together in my mother’s womb.” It’s a beautiful way to communicate the message to young viewers. Being a hero is not about becoming a mighty king; it’s about joining the bigger story God is telling all around us.
