Is There Life After Death?

You may or may not know that in 2015, my husband died and was dead for 15 minutes. He is alive today and has quite a story to tell. We went to see After Death to see what others had to say about their experiences. However, this movie may not be suitable for all audiences. In After Death Christian Movie Review, I give you the information you need before viewing this movie with your children.

You may wonder if this is religious propaganda or a gripping film filled with great actors and actresses who have you on the edge of your seat. 1) It is a faith-based documentary filled with doctors and medical professionals interspersed with the actual men and women who died. The reenactments did not have me on the edge of my seat. While this film was not as riveting as last summer’s most popular movie by the same studio, Sound of Freedom, it addresses death and the afterlife in a very factual and scientific manner. But is the subject matter suitable for your child? Probably not for the reasons detailed below.

After Death Christian Movie Review

Studio Synopsis:

After Death is a gripping feature film that explores what happens after we die, based on real near-death experiences conveyed by scientists, authors, and survivors. From the New York Times bestselling authors who brought you titles like 90 Minutes in Heaven, Imagine Heaven, and To Heaven and Back emerges a cinematic peek beyond the veil that examines the spiritual and scientific dimensions of mortality, inviting us to wonder: Is there life after death?

My Synopsis:

After Death is distributed by Angel Studios, which is the same studio that brought us Sound of Freedom. This film explores what happens to a group of people who all died and lived to tell their stories. This faith-based documentary features the people who died, doctors, and researchers who explore the stories of those who died around the world and the commonality in their Near Death Experiences (NDE). What happens to the body after death?

After Death Christian Review – What Parents Want to Know

Language:

There is very little foul language – a few references to hell as a place and a couple uses of h-ll as expletives.

However, there is plenty of talk of difficult subjects. One person describes in detail how he tried to kill himself.

Violence:

One man tries to kill himself with a knife by slitting his throat and stabbing his stomach. He shows the camera his scars.

While some people experienced heavenly visits when they “died,” two people interviewed had opposite experiences. They describe violent, dark, and evil encounters.

One person who was involved in a terrible car accident involving a semi has photos of the actual vehicle. Furthermore, he is shown bloody, and the reenactment shows him in the hospital in poor shape.

Another man was involved in a plane crash. There are photos shown of the actual crash, which killed two other men. And another man is shown in severe pain and screaming. His reenactment has him encounter demons and evil.

There are people who undergo surgery, including a woman whose heart and brain are stopped. In fact, there is a lengthy discussion of the bone saw used to expose her brain.

Spiritual Content:

There are discussions about heaven, talking with God, seeing angels, the Pearly Gates, floating above their bodies, and what happens after you die. Additionally, people talk about meeting Jesus, God, and the dead loved ones they saw.

One person who grew up Buddhist and was taught about reincarnation and earning salvation says, “God came to me like a ball of light. Furthermore, he says, “We all live once and die once, and there is judgment after that.” While he sounds Christian, he also believes that “there are all types of religions…and no matter what religious background you are…God allows you to go through it to seek him.”

Additionally, a couple of people mention being atheists before their “death” and now truly believe in the existence of God and an afterlife.

Dark Content:

There are a few people who talk about visiting a dark place, presumably hell, and being tortured. One person talks about falling into darkness and screaming out for God. 

Other Thoughts:

This is not a “movie” but rather a documentary. We hear from people who have died and had NDE (near-death experiences), we see clips of actors/actresses re-enacting the events leading to the death, and we hear from experts who have devoted their lives to science and studying these NDEs.

Author Don Piper talks about his depression after returning from heaven. He is quite vocal about not wanting to be here, as his real home is heaven. 

All of the people talked about love. God is love. Love is the answer. Unconditional love. But the movie doesn’t address having a relationship with Jesus. While seeing the light of Jesus Christ or talking with God is mentioned by some of the people, it is more a universal God that is described overall.

While my husband’s experience was different than what was shown in the movie, his experience did change him. In fact, some of the first words he texted me were to apologize for “not loving you like I should.”

Finally, we are all on our own spiritual journeys. However, the Christian theology just doesn’t hit the mark with this film. As a Christian, I was hoping for something “meatier,” but this may be a great film for a non-believer.

Christian Review of After Death – My Viewing Recommendations

Should children see this movie? Probably not. It is rated PG-13 due to the graphic nature of some of the experiences. Additionally, death is a subject that needs to be explored carefully with children.

One man is killed in a car crash, and photos of the actual car are shown. Another man describes how he attempted to commit suicide. Furthermore, there are a couple of descriptions of people who did not visit heaven but instead had hellish experiences and were tortured. These scenes (and descriptions of their experiences) could have been from the latest horror movies. Additionally, this film is a documentary. It is slow-moving and involves a lot of talking to the camera.

Finally, while After Death is interesting to watch, it was not exactly what we thought going into it. The medical experts were engaging. Furthermore, the stories were riveting. However, I felt that overall it was disjointed. While the scientists seem to have been swayed in the possibility of life after death, will the movie convince people of an afterlife? 

Do you believe there is life after death? 

About the Movie After Death:

Rating: PG-13 for thematic material, including violent descriptions, some bloody images and drug references.

Release Date: October 27, 2023

Runtime: 1 hour, 43 minutes

Genre: Documentary

Studio: Sypher Studios, Theora Films

Director: Stephen Gray, Chris Radtke

Written by: Stephen Gray, Chris Radtke

Producer: Jason Pamer, Jens Jacob

Music by: Hannah Parrott

Produced by: 

Distributed by: Angel Studios

The Cast of After Death:

Individuals appearing as themselves

Don Piper (Author of the book 90 Minutes in Heaven – New York Times Best Seller)

Eva Piper (Don’s wife and author of A Walk Through the Dark)

Dr. Jeffrey Long (Author of Evidence of the Afterlife)

Pam Reynolds

Dr. Mary Neal – Orthopedic surgeon

Howard Storm (Author of My Descent into Death)

Anita Onarecker Wood (Author of Divine Appointment: Our Journey to the Bridge)

Steven Kang (Author of From Hell to Heaven)

Paul Ojeda (founder of Austin Powerhouse Church)

Dr. Raymond Moody – Psychiatrist

Ajmal Zemmar – Neuroscientist

Dr. Karl Greene – Neurosurgeon

John Burke – Researcher, author of Imagine Heaven, and Pastor

Dr. Michael Sabom – Cardiologist

Dale Black (former airline pilot)

Seen Spjut (District Attorney Investigator)

Dean Braxton (Author In Heaven!: Experiencing the Throne of God)

Reenactment Cast:

Koko Marshall as Beverly

Michael Jovanovski as Gene

Eva played by Kate Duffy

Howard played by Doug Lito

Don played by Nicholas Saenz

Paul played by Fabian Jaime

Chuck played by Drew Neal Horton

Dr. Greene played by Chetavious Davis

Dr. Sabom played by Ryan McCarthy

Dale played by Nick McCloud

Frequently Asked Questions:

Where can I watch After Death?

On October 27, 2023, After Death was released in theaters. After its theatrical run, it will most likely be streaming on Amazon and other VOD venues. Which streaming services it will ultimately appear on has not been released.

Is there an end-credit scene for After Death?

The director talks at the end of After Death, delivering a special message. There is also a QR Code that you can use to share the movie. For a limited time, there are tickets available for free.

Will After Death stream on Disney+? 

No, After Death will not be streaming on Disney+.

What is the divorce rate for people who have had Near Death Experiences?

Researchers have found that 65% of married people experiencing NDE have their marriages end in divorce. This is compared to approximately 40-50% of marriages that end in divorce.

There are a couple reasons for this. 1) The person who had the NDE suddenly finds Jesus and upsets the balance in the relationship, or 2) One or both parties determine that the problems in the marriage are not worth solving after undergoing such a traumatic experience.

Isn’t there another movie entitled After Death?

AfterDeath is a 2015 horror film. It was directed by Gez Medinger and Robin Schmidt, and produced by Cameron Lawther. Additionally, the movie starred Miranda Raison, Sam Keeley, Daniella Kertesz, Elarica Johnson and Lorna Nickson Brown. It features people who were in a building collapse who “wake up” in an abandoned beach house in a hellish afterlife.

Do audiences like After Death?

Audiences do seem to like After Death. However, the critic Rotten Tomatoes score is currently at 50% with only 8 reviews, and the audience score is at 87%. Furthermore, it is definitely not on par with Sound of Freedom. However, it is not doing poorly at the box office. For the first few days, it has had over $5 million in ticket sales.