Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2684 in DVD
• Brand: Koch International
• Released on: 2008-07-08
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 4
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 284 minutes

Album Description
This collection includes: Left Behind: The Movie; Left Behind II: Tribulation Force; Left Behind: World At War; and the bonus disc of The Original Left Behind Documentary, based on the Book by Peter & Paul Lalonde. These classic thrillers star: Kirk Cameron, Lou Gossett, Jr., Chelsea Noble, Brad Johnson, and Clarence Gilyard.

Amazon.com
Left Behind - The Movie
Part conspiracy theory and part religious message, Left Behind (based on the first in a series of runaway bestsellers by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins) is a passable, occasionally compelling thriller that turns the rapture and the ascendance of the Antichrist into something resembling a Robert Ludlum espionage potboiler. The beginning, though, is pure Stephen King: as morose pilot Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson) steers his jet plane toward London, comely flight attendant Hattie Daniels (Chelsea Noble) informs him that a number of passengers have disappeared--at 37,000 feet, leaving their neatly pressed clothes behind. And they're not the only ones who've gone missing. The mass disappearances throw the world into chaos, and the sinisterly compelling Nicolae Carpathia (Gordon Currie), head of the U.N., selflessly steps in to help broker peace among the world's nations. But is he as good intentioned as he seems?

Turns out the appropriately named Mr. Carpathia is behind a plot to rule the world and control its food supply, and intrepid reporter Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron, better than you'd expect) is onto him--with a little help from some biblical prophecies. Suffering the problem that befalls most first installments in a series of books and movies, Left Behind busies itself with the task of introducing characters and setting up expository plot lines, and audiences may be frustrated by the lack of action--Rayford's somewhat labored crisis of faith takes up a good chunk of the film. Still, it's an intriguing premise that should satisfy fans of the novel and possibly pick up a few more converts along the way (be warned, though, this is a modestly budgeted film that looks more like a cable TV movie than the latest James Bond extravaganza). And, if like a fair number of the film's characters, you can't figure out that someone named "Nicolae Carpathia" is a bad guy, then, well, you need to bone up on your evil villains. --Mark Englehart

Left Behind II - Tribulation Force
Arguably the most interesting and compelling feature in the Left Behind trilogy, Left Behind II: Tribulation Force finds the series' major characters--television journalist Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron), passenger jet captain Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson), his daughter Chloe (Janaya Stephens), and Pastor Bruce Barnes (Clarence Gilyard)--forming the core of a group dedicated to infiltrating and disrupting operations of the Anti-Christ, i.e., Nicolae Carpathia (a scary Gordon Currie), who has become leader of a world government. Meanwhile, humankind looks increasingly desolate and bleak, as the reality sinks in that hundreds of millions of people who suddenly vanished--including all the world's children--in the last film are not coming back. Veteran television director Bill Corcoran makes much of his scant resources to paint an apocalyptic vision, and when the film gets to indulge in some nifty effects (a pair of fire-breathing prophets--literally), the result is powerful. Drama, relationships, character development, and performances are quite smooth and should appeal to Christian and non-Christian viewers alike. --Tom Keogh

Left Behind - World at War
Third in a series of films based on the bestselling novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, Left Behind: World at War finds the post-Rapture Earth an even bleaker place than in the previous movies. As the Antichrist himself, Nicolae Carpathia (Gordon Currie), uses his newfound powers as head of the world government to bring war and plague on every nation, the American president (Louis Gossett Jr.) teams with a Christian resistance fighter (Jessica Steen) to try to stop him. Meanwhile, series hero Buck Williams (Kirk Cameron) discovers that Carpathia's biological front in a coming apocalypse is particularly devious: Freshly published Bibles are carrying a deadly disease ravaging thousands--and may very likely claim Buck's new bride. Buck's father-in-law, pilot Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson), has problems of his own facing the not-inconsiderable temptations of former flight attendant Hattie Daniels (Chelsea Noble), now one of Carpathia's many lovers. Directed by Craig R. Baxley (Rose Red), Left Behind: World at War is particularly crisp and effective drama, even when the action stops, as it often does, for many of the principals to pray for guidance. Charles Martin Smith (The Untouchables), not seen often enough these days, has a brief but powerful part as the U.S. vice-president. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews

Left Behind DVD Pack -GREAT
This is a very good collections of all three Left Behind DVDs and with the special DVD it is worth getting. It is good to get not only for the Christians you know but with the way the DVDs are made they are great for non-Christians as well. These can be used for evangelism and outreach to your friends. Worth buying and worth the price.

Read the books firs
I am on the last (12th) book, "Glorious Appearing" after having devoured the Left Behind bound series. I had seen the first movie, "Left Behind" years before and enjoyed it, although it did leave you hanging. I purchased the books and read them and at the same time purchased the 3 DVD's. I just finished watching all 3 movies. I was disappointed. The script somewhat followed the books, but then by World at War, it went off into its own world. The characters I grew to love in the books were almost one-dimensional in the movie. If you watch the special features you will see interviews with various celebrities about the movie. I wish they had made more of the story into the movie. Janaya ("Chloe") mentioned how long everything took, but I was surprised, and had to reverse it to hear it again, to learn that it was only 6 weeks of filming. After seeing the 95 minute features I can believe it. This had so much potential, but dropped the ball. Although I must say, the actors were terrific! Everyone matched the descriptions and personalities in the books. Gordon Currie was incredible as the Antichrist! I caution you to read the books first, then watch the movies. If not, you will not appreciate the deeper meaning to them. You don't even need to be religious really, just appreciate the remarkable insights. Thank you Kirk Cameron for helping to bring the story to life, except it should have been more alive.

Disappointing
I had read about amazing popularity of the "Left Behind" series, so I decided to check it out out of curiosity. I hope the books make more sense than the movies, because even leaving the evangelical aspects of the story out of it, the story makes very little sense.

There are so many holes in the plot and they are so large that it seems like no one actually read the script. Also, I am not sure how you can make a movie about the end of the world seem to drag, but they manage to, having many scenes that have no importance drag on and on, while the parts of the movies that examine what is going on are quickly glossed over. The production values do not help much either, with the battle scenes being cheap computer graphics (that almost look like a computer game), and the live action often looking like a lifetime movie.

The story itself is not bad. If it had just been written/edited a bit more carefully and a little more money spent in the production it would have been much more satisfying.
As far as the religious content is concerned, I can't really be a competent judge as I am not an expert, but there are some things I found confusing. For example when all the believers are taken up, somehow all the children went as well. It was my understanding that if you were not baptized a Christian then you would not be able to be saved, and certainly many secular and Jewish (and maybe even Catholic according to some) children would be left behind. Also given the fact that there are relatively few Christians in Asia (which is most of population of the world), you would think that that would be noticed.
I think people who are already believing in the Rapture might like this series, but I do not think it will earn any converts.