South African animation studio Sunrise Productions has done a rather marvelous job with the Angel Studios release David, a biblical character who likely needs no introduction even for the non-Christianity inclined folks in the house.
And yeah, there's definitely some crossover appeal here.
The story of David has been oft-told over the years and there's nary a child anywhere who can't tell you the story of David and Goliath. I'm somewhat hoping they're less well-versed on the whole David and Bathsheba story.
Anywho, it's no secret I've grown rather fond of Angel Studios even with the occasional controversial release. While I wouldn't place David atop their cinematic list, it's a pleasing cinematic effort immersively animated by Sunrise with catchy, if not always memorable, tunes and storytelling that vacillates between a little too saccharine to surprisingly theologically insightful.
Co-directed by Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, David is an ideal holiday season faith-based release that should prove especially satisfying for faith-based families. While the film gets a bit action-centered on occasion, we're talking PG-rated action and nothing that should freak out the kiddoes.
We start off by meeting a younger David (voiced early on by Brandon Engman before Christian singer Phil Wickham takes over in David's adult years) in what amounts to tone-setting scenes. While David for sure takes a few liberties narratively, there's quite a bit here that's familiar and for those who know the full spectrum of David's life it should mostly resonate.
Character work here is a little hit-and-miss. In addition to Engman's strong work as the younger David, I was particularly enchanted by Miri Mesika's relatively brief but important work as David's mother, Nitzevet. A relatively slight character biblically, Nitzevet is fleshed out here and that development is terrific.
Mark Jacobson shines as Jonathon and Ashley Boettcher impresses as a teen Zeruiah.
The music is where David really shines. How surprising can that be when you have the likes of Mesika along with Grammy winners Wickham and Lauren Daigle. While I didn't think Wickham always trusted his vocal prowess while speaking, when singing? Watch out. Daigle, as Rebecca, projects both confidence and warmth and is instantly someone you want to hear from again cinematically. Songs like "I Will Not Be Afraid" and the quite delightful "Tapestry" are entertaining and memorable.
The obligatory David and Goliath scene is one of the film's highlights, both in terms of animation and vocal work. Truthfully, I was quite taken by the film's character design though, if I'm being honest, more than once I thought David looked like Timothee Chalamet.
If you were tempted to dismiss Angel Studios as a one-hit wonder, they've certainly proven you wrong. Release after release, Angel is proving over and over again that their model works and their ability to identify cinematic works of wonder quite impressive. Released during both the holiday season and awards season, David is a visually impressive and emotionally resonant motion picture that I have no doubt I'll revisit again in the near future.
Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic
