Animation is one of my favorite genres, and I like discovering new studios that give viewers alternatives to the big four: Disney, Pixar, Dreamworks, and Illumination. The week leading up to Christmas, I decided to watch DAVID, created by Sunrise Animation, a production company with a full-service animation studio in South Africa. Apparently, it’s a follow-up to the five-part television miniseries Young David, also based on the Book of Samuel in the Old Testament.
It’s been nearly 30 years since The Prince of Egypt, a major animated feature film by DreamWorks that features a big-name voice cast, i.e., Val Kilmer as Moses and Ralph Fiennes as Rameses. Now, David doesn’t actually have major Hollywood actors; instead, they feature notable Christian music artists such as Phil Wickham as David and Lauren Daigle as Rebecca. I suppose it makes sense that the man who wrote many of the Psalms gets a musical adaptation.
Besides Jesus Christ, David is surely one of the most renowned Biblical figures born in Bethlehem. In the opening scene, we see young David (voiced by Brandon Engman) tending his father Jesse’s flock of sheep. Soon we see the prophet Samuel (Brian Stivale) annoints him as the future King of Israel. The story highlights important events in David’s life while keeping it light and not too scary for kids, its target audience. Thus, they skip over some of the more violent parts of David’s story, and the story stops long before the salacious Bathsheba situation.
Anyone who’s even remotely familiar with David’s history would see that his role as a warrior is toned down here. For example, the movie showed David rescuing the lion that attacked his sheep, when in reality he slayed the lion and even took down a bear at one time. This is a major reason for his strong faith in God’s power to help him conquer the giant Goliath, as he mentioned in 1 Samuel 17:36, stating that God would deliver him from the pagan giant just as He had saved him from those wild beasts. Alas, that line is missing from the movie.
It’s clear that the filmmakers aimed to convey the theme of a man after God’s own heart. While that’s true, it doesn’t tell the whole story of who David was. In the Scriptures, he is depicted as a valiant warrior and military leader, with God as his primary advisor. This film portrays him more as a pacifist, especially in the scene where David is taken captive by the Amalekites, which differs greatly from the actual account. I’m also puzzled as to why the writers chose to visually reference Jesus’ crucifixion in this context.
Talking about that legendary battle, even in popular culture, David vs Goliath stands as a symbol of bravery, showcasing how the underdog can overcome huge challenges. The scene is visually epic; it’s truly majestic to behold as crowds gather in the fields of red poppies that symbolize the Valley of Elah. The vibrant flower fields are lush and gorgeous, but the red color hints at the looming bloodshed. The massive Philistine army mocks the Israelite forces while David gets ready for the fight of his life. Goliath is appropriately mighty in size and arrogance, while King Achish (Asim Chaudhry) is depicted in such a strangely flamboyant way that takes me out of the movie a bit. Some of the humor and overly cartoonish scenes didn’t work for me either.
The strength is in the visuals. The animation is quite advanced, employing cinematic camera techniques (close-ups, wide shots) to amplify emotional impact. Directed by Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, David showcases top-notch, intricate 3D computer animation that strives for grounded as well as grand storytelling, along with sharper styles featuring expressive characters, realistic lighting, and rich environments. I especially love the intricate but powerful details, such as showing David’s reflection in Goliath’s sword after the giant goes down.
The character design is wonderful, and every character has its own distinct traits, making it simple to tell them apart, unlike in some animated movies where all the characters seem identical. David is designed just like in 1 Samuel: glowing with health, having a fine appearance, and handsome features. He has incredibly expressive eyes and a full head of wavy hair. Honestly, every character in this film is follically blessed, with Samuel and King Saul sporting a colossal beard.
While the David vs. Goliath scene stands out as one of the best parts of the movie, there are many other scenes that pack just as much punch. One memorable moment is when young David sings the song Shalom and plays the lyre for King Saul (Adam Michael Gold), who is feeling troubled after being rejected by God. A great musical relies on its songs, and this film is filled with memorable tunes. I particularly enjoy the song Tapestry where David performs a duet with his mother, Nitzevet (Miri Mesika), surrounded by vibrant tapestries in rich colors and textures, illustrating that “every thread has a purpose” in a larger, divine narrative. A few of the songs lift words directly from Psalms, as King David was a songwriter, i.e., the energetic Psalm 8 (Hallé) by Phil Wickham.
While I’d have liked to see a film about David that’s more faithful to the source material, I’m glad a movie like this exists. It’s an entertaining as well as inspiring movie for the whole family that’s perfect for the holiday season. The production values are impressive, the world-building is vivid, and it’s technically proficient, on par with some of the best animation out there. With a budget of over $60 million that’s largely crowdfunded by its distributor, ANGEL Studios, the high quality of its animation can certainly compete with those released by major studios.
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I do not want to see this. Anything distributed by Angel Studios is a big no for me. I hate faith-based films as they do take too much creative and dramatic liberties with the stories and this looks absolutely awful. I’ve become very wary of anything involving Christianity as of late.