TITLE: David
STUDIO: Angel Studios.
DIRECTORS/WRITERS:Brent Dawes and Phil Cunningham
CAST: Brandon Engman, Phil Wickham, Michael David Gold, Miri Mesika, Mark Jacobson,Brain Stivale,Sloan Lucas Muldown,Ashley Boettcher, Lauren Daigle and Kamran Nikhad.
RUN-TIME: 1 hour 42 Minutes.
MPAA RATING: PG.
Summary:
From Angel Studios—the studio that brought us The King of Kings and The Wingfeather Saga—comes the original underdog story. Chosen by God to one day lead his people, David is plucked from obscurity in the backwoods of Bethlehem and thrust into the national spotlight as he battles the fearsome giant of Gath. Along the way, he forms a fast friendship with Jonathan, Prince of Israel. However, he must also evade the jealous rage of King Saul. Forced into the wilderness, the boy who would be king faces deadly enemies and uneasy alliances, all while learning to trust in God’s divine plan.
Review:
The story has long been told in animation circles of a legendary mid-1990s meeting between Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and David Geffen. They had just started DreamWorks and were planning their first animated feature. One stipulation was that the story had to be big, epic, and nearly impossible to tell in live action. Spielberg—who had already changed the cinematic landscape with classics like Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, and Jurassic Park— suggested, “You mean like the story of Moses and The Ten Commandments?”
This gave way to one of cinema’s most beloved animated films: The Prince of Egypt. Praised for its stunning animation, incredible special effects, and fidelity to the Bible, it has long since been revered as a masterpiece. The fact that it was rumored to lead to a series of well-made animated biblical epics that petered out after the lukewarm reception to its prequel, Joseph: King of Dreams, left a sore spot in the minds of many animation fans and lovers of Bible stories alike.
After all, there is no shortage of great stories in the Bible that are perfect for animation. These stories have timeless lessons, epic heroes, and dastardly villains ripe for cinematic exploration. At the same time, the figures of the Bible were flesh-and-blood humans. It is far easier to see ourselves in their stories than in a fairy-tale figure. We can look at figures like Moses,Elijah, and Esther and ponder if we would have the faith to step out in trust, while figures like Pharaoh, Ahab, and Haman remind us of the depravity to which we could sink. However, at the very top of that list of beloved Bible stories perfect for animation is David and Goliath.
It has become a shorthand metaphor for any conflict involving a scrappy underdog. Thus, when kids find themselves up against a terrible challenge, they can look to David and be reminded that the God who is with them is bigger than the obstacle. It was perhaps for that reason that, as a kid, it was always one of my favorite stories from the Bible. Furthermore, David’s story can be seen in the DNA of modern blockbuster heroes: Aragorn or Caspian (a vagabond king), Steve Rogers (a hero chosen for his heart), and Luke Skywalker (uses his faith and a simple weapon to battle a powerful enemy).
However, few have bothered to tell the story of David and Goliath story in a way that is suitable for families outside of series like VeggieTales or Superbook, until now. From Angel Studios, David sees this original underdog story finally come to life in a stunning animated epic. The end result feels like the true sequel to The Prince of Egypt we have all been waiting for.
Casting David is a tall order. Unlike The Prince of Egypt, which boasted Val Kilmer as Moses, David needs to sound young, fresh-faced, and passionate. He is voiced by newcomer Brandon Engman. This works to the film’s advantage; by casting a relative unknown, it allows Engman to truly “be” David. Audiences wouldn’t hear David if he were voiced by Finn Wolfhard or Tom Holland. They’d just hear a next-gen Ghostbuster or Spider-Man and potentially be distracted from the story. Further, Engman allows for a seamless transition to his adult counterpart, voiced by CCM recording artist Phil Wickham. Together, both actors capture David’s energy, striking a balance between the roguish charm of Aladdin or Flynn Rider and an earnest heroism of Hercules.
The filmmakers also do an incredible job of showing, not just telling, why the people loved David. We watch as he gives his cloak to a homeless man and is the first to help a neighbor rebuild after a fire. We witness him standing by Jonathan’s side on the frontlines of battle while Saul commands from behind. If The King of Kings established that Jesus is the inspiration for King Arthur, then David is the inspiration for Robin Hood, but with a far more noble destiny.
King Saul was also incredibly well done. In a lesser film, he might have been portrayed as a King Herod lite, a complete and irredeemable monster. But voiced by Michael David Gold, the character has a weight that is palpable. While “relatable villain” is a cliché, there is a genuine tragedy to Saul. He feels like King Lear or Tolkien’s Denethor—a once-good man, hollowed out by his own unrepentant sins. The filmmakers brilliantly use light and shadow to capture the state of Saul’s soul in a throne room that feels as lavish as Edoras.
The supporting cast is equally strong. Prince Jonathan (Mark Jacobson) brings the swashbuckling charm and selfless nobility of a heroic archer like Legolas or Hawkeye. David’s mother, Nitzevet (Miri Mesika), provides the emotional heart of the story. Her duets with David, such as “Tapestry,” offer a grounding truth that transcends the typical “believe in yourself” tropes of modern animation. Brain Stivale’s rich, accented, sorrowful baritone brings gravitas to the prophet Samuel. Finally, the addition of David’s younger sister, Zeruiah, (voiced by Sloan Lucas Muldown as a child and Ashley Boettcher as a teen) provides a perfect audience surrogate for children, giving voice to their questions, grounding the epic stakes in a relatable family dynamic.
Goliath presents a unique challenge. Usually, filmmakers try to make him a “believable” height, but these filmmakers opted to make him a true giant who fills up the screen. The set up for his reveal—preceded by his armor barer standing at traditional height at which he’s depicted, followed by Jurassic Park-level ground tremors—is brilliant. His appearance looks like a Greek god mixed with Schwarzenegger’s Terminator; he isn’t just a man—he’s an engine of destruction. Kamran Nikhad not only brings a ‘boom’ to the role, but an arrogance and menace on par with Dolph Lundgren’s Ivan Drago in Rocky IV.When his hubris compels Goliath to remove his helmet and mock David’s God, it makes his inevitable defeat all the more satisfying.
The music is a triumph. The score by Joseph Trapanese (The Witcher) is exhilarating and percussion-heavy, making you feel the pulse of the chase as David escapes Saul’s wrath. The movie is a musical, but considering David wrote 73 of the 150 Psalms and danced before the Ark of the Covenant, it’s a match made in Heaven. Many of the songs directly adapt their lyrics from the Psalms, but the standout is “Shalom.” It is a beautiful piece that I dare say is the most worshipful and spiritually moving song in an animated film since Miriam and Tzipporah sang “When You Believe” in The Prince of Egypt. Not only is David able to lift Saul’s spirits with “Shalom”, you may just find it lifts yours as well. I know it lifts mine, and not just because of Lauren Daigle’s soulful descant as court musician “Rebecca”.
The animation is stunning, crafting a “gritty” and “lived-in” world. While the medium is CGI, it is wonderfully textured; to the point where you can almost feel the grains of sand or the coarse wool of a shepherd’s cloak. Writers/Directors Brent Dawes and Phil Cunningham wisely focused the narrative on David’s early years. By avoiding the ‘Game of Thrones’ level intrigue of his later reign, they have kept the story palatable for families while maintaining the epic weight the story deserves, complete with grand, cinematic battles on par with the Battle of Helm’s Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and The Battle of Beruna in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
However, the real testament to the story is the fact that it brought tears to my eye in the end near the film’s final battle. I know the story of David, Goliath, Jonathan and Saul. In fact, I’ve heard it since I was three years old. But when the end of the story came, while I knew David would take the throne and it would come at a great price as he’d lose his best friend, Jonathan’s near “for Frodo” moment made me cry.
In the end, David is a powerful, uplifting epic of faith in adversity. It may lack an “all-star cast”, but it makes up for it with an earnest, sincere heart, just like it’s title hero. I’d place it in “Tier 1” of animated Bible films alongside The Prince of Egypt.
Angel Studios, please…keep them coming!
🛡️🛡️🛡️🛡️🛡️ (Five out of Five Shields)
For Fans of:
- The Epic Scale: Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim
- The Musical Masterpiece: The Prince of Egypt
- The High-Stakes Biblical Narrative: The King of Kings
- The Heart & Family: The Wingfeather Saga