If we were to sit down and talk about the most challenging stories of the Old Testament, it is most certain that the story of Abraham and Isaac would be near the top of the list of those stories difficult to fathom. It's that story that's brought to life in His Only Son, a feature film opening in theaters on March 31st from Angel Studios. 

His Only Son gives us what many consider to be one of the Old Testament's most controversial moments - when Abraham, here portrayed by Nicolas Mouawad, is commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac (Edaan Moskowitz) on the mountain of Moriah. It is during his journey to this place that Abraham, accompanied by two servants and Isaac, is flooded with the memories from years alongside his wife Sarah (Sara Seyed) longing for the son they were promised and that he is now called to lay upon the altar. 

After several short films, writer/director David Helling tackles one of biblical history's most challenging passages with vivid imagery and a desire to dig deeper into the story. His Only Son attempts to reflect upon some of the questions Christians have asked for years - Why would the Lord require such a sacrifice? Can we still truly stand in our faith when we're asked to give everything? 

His Only Son examines mankind's relationship to God and practically demands that the viewer turn inward to ask ourselves how we would respond to such a command. 

Rated PG-13, a bit of a rarity for faith-based cienma, His Only Son explores mature thematic content with honesty yet remains both faithful to scripture and accessible to families. Younger and more sensitive children will undoubtedly have questions, though these same children are likely to be captivated by a color palette that mesmerizes and an adventurous production design by Jason Stebbings alongside Nick Walker's lensing and Jordain Wallace's original score. 

Helling also aims for a diverse cast including Lebanese film and TV actor Nicholas Mouawad as Abraham, Edaan Moskowitz in his feature film debut as Isaac, and relative newcomer Sara Seyed as Sarah. Here as The Lord, Daniel da Silva has previously played Jesus twice in cinema and adds tremendous gravitas here. 

Angel Studios is the team behind The Chosen, His Only Son being an intentional effort to expand their vivid biblical storytelling into the world of feature films and indie cinema. 

Set to open in theaters on March 31st, His Only Son will most resonate with those who long for dramatically realized biblical stories that don't serve up the usual Hollywood artistic compromise. While the film won't likely appeal to a crossover audiences, Christians who've ever wanted to dig deeper into the story of Abraham and Isaac will find much to appreciate here. 

Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic