Left Behind, an action thriller, tells the epic story of what happens to passengers on a commercial airplane as well as millions of people on earth who suddenly vanish during the first few hours after the Rapture occurs. It focuses on a biblical prophecy involving the second coming of Jesus to take believers up to Heaven.

The film also centers on family relationships and how they can be easily destroyed. That’s the dilemma facing airline pilot Rayford “Ray” Steele (Nicholas Cage), who has grown apart from his wife Irene (Lea Thompson) because of her constant Bible preaching. Their grown daughter Chloe (Cassi Tompson) is also experiencing this frustration. She’s recently come home to celebrate her father’s birthday, but learns he has to make a flight to London. Irene immediately begins warning Chloe that a biblical prophecy is unfolding. Because Chloe wants no part of listening to her mother, she stomps out of the house to go to the airport and catch her father before he leaves.

Sitting near one of the boarding areas, Chloe sees her father walking along with a beautiful flight attendant who can’t seem to take her eyes off Ray. He immediately spots Chloe and runs to talk with her before boarding the plane. Chloe questions him about where his wedding ring is, and why he chose to leave when he knew she was coming.

Ray appears good with excuses; obviously he’s been doing this for a while. Chloe sets and stews, but is soon joined by Buck Williams (Chad Michael Murray), a new friend she just met.  Buck, a well-known TV broadcaster, eases some of Chloe’s tension and actually gets her to smile.

Back at home and still trying to avoid her mom’s faith preaching, Chloe agrees to take her little brother Raymie (Major Dotson) to the mall. They are enjoying entertainment on the mall floor when a loud quick jolt rocks the ground followed in instantly by people screaming.

The same situation takes place on Ray’s plane. Half the passengers have disappeared, leaving behind their clothes neatly folded in their seats with  any jewelry lying on top. Now Ray has to handle the chaos, which includes trying to calm his girlfriend Hattie (Nicky Whelan).

Passengers get restless trying to figure out where people went. Some are crying – like Shasta Carville (Jordon Sparks), who wants to know where her little girl went. Then there’s Melvyn (Martin Klebba), a little person, who distrusts everyone and gets mad when people look at him.

As Buck takes photos of the empty seats on the plane, he tries to help maintain calmness so Ray can concentrate on getting the plane landed somewhere since they are now running short on gas.

The entire cast members of Left Behind portray characters who feel real when caught in this unimaginable and unbelievable situation. The visual images and reactions will surely have many who see the film re-examining what they know and believe. Many conversations will probably begin concerning the way our values affect our choices and potential consequences they may lead to.

The film is based on the New York Times Best Seller, Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. Left Behind books have sold more than 65 million copies. Vic Armstrong directs from a script co-written by Paul Lalonde and John Patus. Armstrong found interesting Film Noir aspects in this movie, including the high contrast and negative lighting scenarios of thrillers. He wanted the film to be realistic, a little foreboding and the images to reflect the nature of the world in peril. Plans include doing a trilogy of films based on the Left Behind series.

“I would like to be involved in that because this is my baby,” Armstrong said. “For this film, I felt I was walking a tight-rope and a fine line between telling a great story because you just read it as an adventure story full of wonderful characters, with fabulous performances. You still have the other side of it, the Rapture. You have the believers; you have the followers of Left Behind, and I felt very conscious of the fact that they trusted me to deliver what they wanted to see as well.”

 (Released by Freestyle Releasing and rated "PG-13" for some thematic elements, violence/peril, and brief drug use.)

 Review also posted at www.reviewexpress.com.