Christian movies need to get real about evil instead of pretending darkness doesn’t exist. That’s the bold message from conservative commentator Andrew Klavan, who says Hollywood’s serial killer films teach more biblical truth than most faith-based flicks. While Christian movies push feel-good messages, Klavan argues they ignore the harsh reality of sin that even Scripture confronts head-on.
Klavan ripped popular Christian films like “God’s Not Dead” for being shallow and sanitized. He claims these movies act like believing in Jesus makes life perfect, ignoring the struggle against evil that every Christian faces. Meanwhile, grim stories like “The Silence of the Lambs” show evil’s seductive power – just like Cain’s murder of Abel in Genesis.
The Daily Wire host says the Bible itself drips with blood and betrayal. King David committed adultery and murder. Judas betrayed Christ. Yet modern Christian art often feels like “rainbows and butterflies” instead of wrestling with hard truths. Klavan insists you’ll find more gospel in a Halloween movie than most faith films today.
Serial killer stories work because they show evil’s allure without making excuses for it. They force viewers to confront the darkness in human nature – something Klavan says Christian filmmakers fear to address. By avoiding real sin, faith films become childish instead of challenging audiences to grow.
Klavan’s new book “The Kingdom of Cain” digs deep into this idea. He analyzes how classic authors like Dostoevsky and filmmakers like Hitchcock used darkness to point toward redemption. Their art didn’t shy away from bloodshed but revealed God’s light breaking through our broken world.
This isn’t about glorifying violence. It’s about telling the truth. The cross was a torture device, not a feel-good symbol. Jesus didn’t come for perfect people – He came for murderers like Paul and deniers like Peter. Real faith means staring evil in the face and choosing good anyway.
Hollywood’s horror masters understand something most Christian creators don’t – people crave stories that match their struggles. When faith films ignore life’s pain, they push viewers toward secular art that at least acknowledges their pain. It’s time for Christian movies to grow up and engage the real spiritual war.
The answer isn’t more preaching – it’s better storytelling. Klavan proves that even tales of serial killers can point to redemption. Christian artists must stop hiding from darkness and start showing how God’s light overcomes it. That’s how you make movies that change hearts – not just pat believers on the back.
