LEFT BEHIND: THE MOVIE
Year: 2000
USA: Cloud Ten Pictures
Cast: Brad Johnson, Chelsea Noble, Janaya Stephens, Kirk Cameron, Clarence Gilyard Jr, Gordon Currie
Director: Victor Sarin
Country: Canada
USA Rated: PG-13 for violence
USA Release Date: 2 February 2001
Synopsis
In one chaotic moment, millions of people around the world suddenly disappear leaving their clothes, wedding rings, eye glasses and shoes in crumpled piles. Mass confusion hits while vehicles suddenly unmanned veer out of control, fires erupt and hysteria breaks out as the living stare in disbelief and fear at the empty places where their loved ones were just seconds before. This is the rapture that God has planned as the first sign to begin the unraveling of the end of time.
Enter airline pilot Rayford Steele (Brad Johnson), a tall, ruggedly strong and good-looking man in his early 40s. His flying career has kept him away from his family (wife and two children) causing a strain in his marital relationship which consequently pushes his wife Irene into devoting herself to her church and religious beliefs. Rayford begins to desire one of his attractive and intelligent flight attendants (Hattie) and is about to take it one step forward when, in the middle of one of his flights to London, England, the rapture occurs.
Cameron 'Buck' Williams (Kirk Cameron), a young, good-looking and ambitious television reporter, is in the middle of an investigative report that brought him to Israel. There he interviewed famed scientist Dr. Chaim Rosenzweig about his breakthrough food growth formula that would make any type of soil (from desert to frozen ice caps) arable. This formula would enable Israel to barter for world peace. In the midst of this interview, Israel is besieged by a full-scale surprise air attack which suddenly explodes in mid-air causing absolutely no harm or casualties to Israel.
Buck, deeply perplexed by the phenomenon, is further intrigued when his ex-Pentagon friend, Dirk Burton, hints at a massive conspiracy to obtain world domination (using Dr. Rosenzweig's secret formula) headed by two evil tycoons Jonathan Stonagal and Joshua Cothran. Buck sets out on a mission to get to the truth. While on this mission, Buck finds himself on Rayford's flight to London, England where he experiences the 'rapture' first hand. He later enlists the help of Dirk's eclectic band of computer 'geeks' (after Dirk is mysteriously murdered) to sort out Dirk's conspiracy facts encrypted on a miniature DVD disc.
Rayford returns home from the chaotic 'raptured' flight to find his wife and 11-year old son Raymie gone. His feisty 20-year old daughter Chloe (Janaya Stephens) is still alive and was out driving her Isuzu truck when the rapture took place. Joined by her father and Buck, they work together to find the truth and to search for their missing family.
