Eternity (Christian Movie Review)
Sporting a chaotically comedic cast of characters, Eternity offers a romantic, worldly view of the afterlife while wrestling with questions of love and meaning in the real world.
About the Film
If you had to choose whether to spend eternity with your perfect first husband or your flawed second husband of more than 60 years, who would you pick? Eternity addresses this question and more. Sporting a chaotically comedic cast of characters, Eternity offers a romantic yet worldly view of the afterlife while wrestling with questions of love and meaning in the real world.
The afterlife of Eternity functions much like our current world but with a few key differences—one of which is not being able to die again. The first stop on people’s journey to the afterlife is the junction where they have a week to decide where to spend eternity. Every day, displays are set up in an effort to sell eternities to each new soul who shows up.
For the most part, the script is strong. It’s humorous but thought provoking. The strongest part of the script focuses on the film’s central question: What does love mean? The story suggests that the goal isn’t necessarily to find the perfect person. Rather, love means bickering, making sacrifices, and putting up with each other’s flaws. It is a great commentary on what it looks like to love another person in this world. Unlike God’s love, human love is imperfect.
This film is nostalgic and gorgeous in every way. The soundtrack, costumes, set, and prop design—all inspired by 50s and 60s America—lend a utopian feel to a place riddled with dystopian undertones. The locations are also perfect: crystal-clear streams and towering mountains pay homage to our beautiful world. The bright colors in the costumes are not just aesthetically pleasing but were specifically chosen to connect and separate characters from each other and the world with which they’re interacting.
Miles Teller and Elizabeth Olsen demonstrate amazing chemistry, believably playing great-grandparents returned to their 30-year-old bodies. Da’Vine Joy Randolph, known for playing a police detective on Only Murders in the Building, gives a standout comedic performance, balancing funny moments with serious conversations. The only questionable performance comes from Callum Turner, who plays the “perfect” first husband. His character is bland, but that could be an intentional decision to suggest that perfection in this world is unattainable and ultimately undesirable.
Eternity is pleasing to watch, entertaining, and thought provoking. With a stellar cast and excellent worldbuilding, this film will likely be considered for award nominations, but it may ultimately lack the hard-hitting commentary required to win. I enjoyed this film, and it sparked a renewed appreciation for my own life. Christian audiences shouldn’t go in expecting to see a theologically accurate presentation of heaven and hell. Rather, the film depicts an interesting hypothetical world created by a secular mind.
For Consideration
On the Surface—(Profanity, Sexual content, violence, etc.).
Language: Moderate language, including s—t, f—k, g—d d—n, h—l, etc.
Violence: Several people are tackled by policemen, but no harsh violence or blood is depicted. The two male leads engage in a comedic wrestling match. One man is punched in the stomach.
Sexuality: There are two depictions of a married couple having sex, although the action takes place mostly off screen or the couple is covered in blankets. A naked man’s buttocks are shown in an ad for one of the eternities. One woman mentions her happiest moment taking place with her lesbian lover.
Other: Several possible eternities feature satanism or XXX rated activities, etc. One deals with sexual identity. Nothing is shown other than the title of the worlds and non-explicit pictures on ads and fliers.
Engage The Film
Heaven and Hell
The nature of the end times and the afterlife has long been the subject of debate. Obviously, the afterlife depicted in the film does not align with a biblical worldview. Scripture is clear that there is both a heaven and a hell, and our decision either to accept or reject Christ determines which of those two realms we will inhabit for all eternity. Heaven is described as ultimate communion with God, whereas hell represents an eternal separation from him.
Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 1:9 that those who worship the gods of the earth “will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…” Conversely, for those who believe, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Eternity will not just be a continuation of the world we inhabit now. The old will pass away and all will be made new.
