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Differences Between the Movies and the Books


Hi. I just like to say that when I heard of the Left Behind Series being made into movies I was hopeful at first. With all the attention the books have received and my own faith as a devout Catholic I was definitely interested. I have read all 12 books and the 3 prequels and consider myself a fan. The books are a great fictional telling of the end of days. All 12 books were just images when I actually read the Bible story of the REVELATION OF JOHN.

Sadly I must say that I am disappointed in the three movies that came out on DVD.
Like any theatrical adaptation of any book they are going to be differences. But I could barely tolerate the changes. These movies were not the books I read. I heard Tim LaHaye has sued for the movie rights from Cloud Ten. He should have sued for how bad the movies are.

Following are my reviews as well as the differences to the book and my final opinion.

LEFT BEHIND
1. THE START OF THE STORY - The movie begins with the attack and simultaneously the story as to how the attack is caused for want of the Israeli chemist Chaim Rosenzweig's formula. The book begins with the Rapture itself with Rayford Steele flashing back to his wife, basically finding himself unhappy with her faith and wrestles with the idea of cheating on her with his gorgeous stewardess Hattie Durham, for they haven't even kissed yet. Cameron "Buck" Williams is reviewing the story and flashing back to the attack, the political events facing the world with its currency. Then the Rapture occurs.

2. THE APPEARANCE OF THE CHARACTERS - Rayford, Buck, Hattie, Nicolae and Chaim appear as they should. But Chloe is described in the fourth book as blond and green-eyed. Bruce is described around Buck's age only a little overweight, curly-haired and white.

3. BUCK'S JOB - In the book he is a writer for a magazine. In the movie he is a television news anchor.

4. HATTIE'S POSITION - She doesn't plan to leave for the UN before the Rapture. She leaves her job, but only after having been introduced to Nicolae Carpathia by Buck. This was to show how persuasive and powerful Carpathia is that he would encourage anyone to leave their old job in a moment's notice.

5. THE MESSAGE OF FAITH - As a devout Catholic I appreciate the faith of the author and his message. But with the notorious involvement of Kirk Cameron in this movie does what the author desperately tries to avoid in his books and makes the movie very preachy. For example the conversion from non-believer to believer is handled so weakly and unconvincingly with all the characters. I have seen such conversions handled by better actors in better movies. Passion of the Christ, Ben-Hur, The Ten Commandments all earn praise for great acting but succeed in not being preachy.

6. THE ENDING - The movie ends with Buck seeing for himself what Nicolae really is and after the meeting he returns to New Hope preparing for what comes next.
The book ends with Buck attempting to tell the truth about what happened, but not only does Nicolae change the details of the deaths of two men, but also erases Buck from ever being there. Buck is ostracized from his peers for not covering a major story any reporter would give their arms for. He is demoted and called a liar for believing in what really happened. He then returns to New Hope.

7. OTHER MAJOR DELETED SCENES
a. The UN Speech - Probably the best scene in the book in showing how magnetic and powerful a man Nicolae Carpathia is.

The bad stuff is essentially what I have listed. Is there anything good? The only really good thing here is Gordon Currie as Nicolae Carpathia. He is excellent in his depiction of the Anti-Christ.

BOOK: B+
MOVIE: C- (I'm too nice, I only give F's to movies I really hate)


LEFT BEHIND II: TRIBULATION FORCE
1. THE RELIGIOUS DEBATE - With Carpathia as the head of the UN and pushing for a One World Religion, the movie goes straight into Carpathia being pushed to become the leader of the Global Community, aka Ruler of the World.
In the book, its more specific as to how Carpathia convinces the World into doing this. By persuading religious leaders into this, especially under nefarious means. This was very controversial in the book, the idea of Jews, Muslims and Catholics selling out their faith to the Anti-Christ. Especially Catholics, for in the Rapture the Pope was taken and the new Pope, a corrupt power-hungry Cardinal perverts a prophesy of a Saint by taking the name of Peter II. It is clear Pope Peter II is not the feeder of the flock, but the notorious Whore of Babylon.

2. THE ADVANCEMENT OF BUCK AND RAYFORD - In the movie, Buck still has a respectable standing in the journalistic community. Rayford is still at Pan-Continental. It is the decision of Bruce Barnes that both men should be close to Carpathia in order to beat him.
In the book, Buck has been demoted but is given a second chance by Carpathia so he can corrupt Buck. Rayford is being pushed to fly Air Force One but he doesn't want the promotion. Both men don't want to leave Chicago where Bruce and Chloe are. But Bruce tells them to accept the jobs, especially since it can help them save many from Carpathia. The plane Rayford is set to fly is 'loaned' to the Global Community, he officially works for Carpathia.

3. TSION BEN JUDAH'S STORY - The movie implies that Tsion's story was manipulated by Nicolae to say that Nicolae was the Messiah. Apparently Tsion was going to say it was Jesus and yet not be a believer. In the book, Tsion's project was under lock and key. Nicolae didn't manipulate Tsion in any way. If he did it would have been odd. Nicolae couldn't manipulate Buck in the first movie/book.

4. THE MESSSAGE OF FAITH - Its the same problem here as in the first movie. The movie is preachy and the book wasn't.

5. THE ENDING - The movie ends with Tsion's speech. The book ends 50 pages with the building of the new capital of the Global Community in Iraq called New Babylon. The relationship with Rayford and an acquaintance of his wife by the name of Amanda White. The marriage of Chloe & Buck and Amanda & Rayford. The humanitarian missions of Bruce leading to his illness. Nuclear war. The death of Bruce.

6. MISSING CHARACTERS - Cardinal Matthews who becomes Anti-Pope Peter II. US President Gerald Fitzhugh.

I have listed the bad stuff. Same good stuff, Currie is an excellent Nicole Carpathia.

Book: B+
Movie: C


LEFT BEHIND - WORLD AT WAR
1. THE STORY - This movie should be called Tribulation Force, Vol.II with the previous Tribulation Force being labeled Vol.I. This continues the story Tribulation Force should have ended.

2. THE WAR BETWEEN THE US AND THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY - I have to admit I like how they made President Gerald Fitzhugh a major character in this movie instead of just a few scenes in the book. Even though this is WWIII, the President of the United States would not be allowed to confront the enemy like a soldier. He would be protected fiercely.

3. NO NEW BABYLON - The movie mentions the capital of the Global Community, but doesn't show it.

4. BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS PLANTED IN BIBLES - This almost made me laugh. The book makes is clear that when it comes to spreading the message of faith they use the piracy of the internet to have followers read the bible there. Although in the biblical sense I do like the biological weapon represented as green. The 'pale horse' of pestilence.

5. CHLOE - In the book she doesn't get sick. Nor does she get cured by communion.

6. NICOLAE'S INVOLVEMENT - In the movie he takes command of the War at the GC Headquarters in New York. He doesn't do this in the book, he does this on board Global Community One. So the President never confronted Carpathia. Nor does Carpathia survive being shot or blown up. Pretty cool by the way.

7. MESSAGE OF FAITH - Once again this movie is way to preachy.

The bad I have mentioned. Even some of the good. Once again Currie delivers as the Anti-Christ.
Chelsea Noble does something unlike her husband and actually acts. Her depiction of Hattie Durham was excellent. Sexy, twisted and manipulative. Yet with hope that she will see the Light.
But the real praise goes to Louis Gossett, Jr. The only actor in this movie to actually hold an Academy Award, no surprise he is the best thing of this movie. His character was expanded and made into a major character very well. Even though this came out three years ago and I am a die-hard Republican. I have to admit the idea of Obama confronting the Anti-Christ did enter my mind as really cool.

Book: B+(Tribulation Force)
Movie: C-.

There have been some small good things, but there have been mostly very terrible moments.
Here's to Tim LaHaye finding a real studio to remake the Left Behind Series into proper movies.

"You'll Believe A Man Can Fly!" - Superman: The Movie

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I agree victor.

Another difference is, Hattie flirting with Ray in third. I didn't like this.

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[deleted]

I dont know how you can say the books aren't Preachy, certainly to an non believer they come off that way, at the end of the day telling the Gospel is the goal of any Christian film.

I'm really not fond of The Antichrist being Slavic in either the books or the films.

"It's not about money.... It's about sending a Message..... Everything Burns!!!"

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Nicolae Carpathia is of Romanian origin, which is NOT Slavic. OK, if you really wanna know, parts of what is now Romania used to be the Easternmost provinces of the Roman Empire in Europe. So Romanians are really a Latin people (just like the Italian, Spanish or French) even though I have to admit a certain (minor) degree of Slavic element in the end-result mix.

Co Bao: What mean expendable?

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It was under Roman occupation, Romania is Slavic.

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No, it is not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_languages
The Romance languages (sometimes referred to as Romanic languages, Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages) are all the related languages derived from Vulgar Latin and forming a subgroup of the Italic languages within the Indo-European language family. The Romance languages include Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Romanian, Catalan, Occitan, and many others.

Co Bao: What mean expendable?

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Rome influenced the Languages in many places it Conquered, and among the people who latter conquered them. But the people themselves are not Roman.

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No, they are Roman-ian (the ancient Romans are long gone) :P
Just count to ten or name body parts/family relations in Romanian, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese and in Serbo-Croatian, Bulgarian, Russian, Czech etc.
Co Bao: What mean expendable?

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... if only ignorance were painful...

Co Bao: What mean expendable?

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You could do this all day, but for me the only important point is that these movies are not much like the books at all. They felt more like a platform for Kirk Cameron to preach, especially in 3. The books were so good when I first read them, although I began to feel sad that the story was dragged out so everyone could make more money.

I don't recommend the movies. It is hard to think "Well, this is in the future" when everyone is using cell phones from 2005. I did wish I could get my Dad one, he always talks about missing his flip phone :) The books were much better - the casting was dreadful and ... ugh I won't make a huge list. I just don't know that they were any help to anyone, just liked by a few who already knew some of that stuff.

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