Let There Be Light is an inspirational film that brings hope and calls us to be the light in this dark world.
The film follows Dr. Sol Harkens (the world’s most famous atheist), who dedicated his life to atheism after losing his young son to cancer. As a best selling author and a celebrity debater, he has managed to parlay his attacks on Christianity into a very lucrative business. He is not only anxious to share his disdain for God, but he also finds great joy and satisfaction in attacking his Christian opponents on the stage. But even with all the fame and success, Sol is empty and distraught on the inside and his increasing reliance on alcohol to numb the pain is only making things worse. His New York party lifestyle has isolated him from his ex wife Katy and their two remaining sons. Sol’s self-destructive habits eventually catch up to him and a serious car crash leaves him clinically dead for four minutes before he is finally resuscitated. Sol’s outlook on life changes due to what happened during those four minutes. It’s a four word message that refuses to let him go despite his best efforts to deny it.
Dr Sol Harkens is played by Kevin Sorbo (who also directed the film) and his ex-wife a children are actually played by his real-life wife and children, which really gives them a proper and real believable family dynamic in the film. This really carries the film as it as much about Sol’s faith as it is about his family.
Kevin Sorbo really brings the character of Sol to life and helps us to follow his journey from an empty and somewhat lonely atheist (someone who has gained the whole world but lost his soul) to someone who has seen the light of Jesus and how his life has been changed.
There are some real highlights in this film, especially when Sol is talking to the pastor of the Church, the pastor used to be in a gang and so talks as though he still is in one while telling Sol the Gospel. Hearing the ‘street’ language style Gospel shows that the good news of Jesus can be understood and heard by those who want to listen. It is worth watching the film just for this scene.
Overall Let There Be Light is a hope-filled family friendly film, that follows the conversion of a staunch atheist, with some inspirational scenes, this film really calls us to be the light that Jesus called us to be in this dark world and to respond as Jesus would, with love.