Giving the faith-based movie its just due, as well as its just deserts, Reel Redemption delves into the history and relationship between the Church and cinema, while introducing an important new voice in Christian film in director Tyler Smith.

Much like so many things in the Western world, the Church has had a significant influence on cinema, especially its early evolution. Since the cultural revolution of the 1960s, that influence has withered. Hollywood and other film industries effectively cut ties with Christianity, opting more for anti-religion productions (Life of Brian, Dogma) as opposed to Biblical epics (Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments). Christian filmmakers and Christian stories became segregated from the film industry, leading to the birth of the faith-based movie.

Director Tyler Smith (known for his podcast work on Battleship Pretension and More Than One Lesson) is a filmmaker and film critic who openly professes his Christian faith. In Reel Redemption, Smith presents a timeline of faith on film through a selection of film clips, archive footage, and even a few cheeky pop-culture riffs on Christian culture in film that keeps things informative and entertaining. Smith’s narration is particularly strong, highlighting the facts, the movies, the successes, and the controversies ruptured during the intersection between faith and film.

Reel Redemption introduces Smith as a current and important voice in the Christian film community. As a film scholar he thoroughly presents the history of religious films, as a film critic he is not afraid to call out the shortcomings of the faith based movie industry, and as a filmmaker he has crafted a documentary of insight and solid craftsmanship.

Above all, Reel Redemption shows that while the faith-based movie is far from perfect, the relationship between the Church and cinema is one that should be respected. Smith chronicles this and more with precision and refreshing balance.