On Good Friday, April 3rd, 2026, Sight & Sound Films' A Great Awakening officially arrived in theaters nationwide. It's based on true events surrounding the Great Awakening of the eighteenth century, particularly the friendship of Reverend George Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin, which set the stage for the foundation of the United States of America, in more ways than one.
Having now seen it nine times, here's why I think it's worth the price of admission:
5. Production Quality
A Great Awakening will awaken all your senses as you watch the story, based on true events, unfold. From the acting to set and costume designs, color palettes of each scene, and the artistic use of light and shadow, the soundtrack, and reverberating sound effects that emphasize just the right beats - this is a masterfully created work of art on every level. I've been nine times and have yet to witness anyone not absolutely captivated, and many make remarks afterwards as to how impressive the acting or other aspect was.
One favorite shot is during the prison visit by George, John Wesley, and the other members of The Holy Club; George has just read from Scripture and spots a prisoner inside an open room. The framing of the Holy Club in the doorway is a perfect snapshot of drama, artistry, and emotion. Another favorite scene is when George is preaching at the coal mine, and the camera switches from close-up on him to a wide view. He extends his arms towards the mine shafts, calling to them, as the camera sweeps the distance and travels into the mines. Such beautifully choreographed visuals!
It's a treat to savor, especially on the enormous movie screen with the sound system that immerses you into the scene.
4. Masterful Storytelling
More than a dramatized biography of George Whitefield, the Anglican preacher with a thunderous voice who God powerfully used to awaken an entire generation across all spheres of society to not just faith but a new birth in Christ, A Great Awakening uses the true friendship between Whitefield and Benjamin Franklin in the decades leading up to the American Revolution, to explore the theme of liberty. It was the Great Awakening of souls to Christ, where true liberty is found, that set the stage for the colonists to fight for liberty from oppressive and tyrannical English rule. However, as a fledgling nation, the very liberty that united them in the fight for independence now threatens to rip the nation apart.
When I was studying how to write well-crafted murder mysteries, one important element was that if something, such as a gun, appeared in an early scene - perhaps a random background detail that didn't yet mean anything - it should reappear later in the story. I think this was foreshadowing followed by a "payoff", where the reader is rewarded for noticing a detail and seeing it come around again.
I greatly enjoyed seeing several elements of that sort of thing woven throughout this movie. The rising/ setting sun, "one tiny candle illuminates a thousand", even pre- university George Whitefield's playful parody of preachers, isn't a one-off thing.
3. Historical Significance
It is well known that America was a Christian nation, founded by men and women of differing denominations but who relied on God, or at least respected the Christian faith (like Ben Franklin). This film helps explain how that faith came to be, because it wasn't always as pure and vibrant as it proved to be during the American Revolution.
Nor did it necessarily remain strong after the war was won. A Great Awakening opens in June 1787, during what became known as the Continental Convention. The young nation was floundering under an ineffective system of government, and the delegates had convened to fix what was broken or create something that would stand the test of time.
However, nobody could agree on anything. Except for the need to save the nation from failing entirely.
As the convention adjourns for the night, one man remarks to Ben Franklin that his uncle had been a part of the Continental Congress before the war and talked about the prayers they'd had. Unlike then, the delegates at the Constitutional Convention hadn't prayed once in the five weeks they'd been meeting.
2. Timely Relevance
The state of the union at the Constitutional Convention reminded me of the state of our union, today. We're so deeply divided on every issue, it seems, and have been for so long. Could our nation be at the brink of failure, once again?
They'd lost their pursuit of God, of His providence and guidance in the forming of our nation. History testifies, in agreement with Scripture, that when a nation forgets God, it is done for. When America turned to God, God gave them victory over their enemy. When the Constitutional Convention began praying, God had mercy and the stalemate was broken. Our great constitution was written, and has served us well for nearly 250 years.
We, as a nation, are at a crisis point again. Failure would not only be a disaster for us; it will make all the lives lost, the sacrifices and sufferings of our forbears, be in vain.
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
God is faithful. Let us return to Him!
1. The Gospel Message
The heart of this movie is how one man, changed by Christ, impacted the world. We witness the acts of Christ-like love that caught George Whitefield's attention as a University student and led him to faith. We watch as that faith is tested through the misguided pursuit of earning God's approval through his own efforts. And then he trusts the truth- that it's Christ inside of us that makes the difference, and that's a free gift from God to the repentant who call upon Him.
"Tear down the name of Whitefield, if it means Christ's remains!"
He did not seek fame or fortune, only to serve his Lord by preaching the life-saving truth to all he could and doing what good he could. He believed everyone deserved to hear the gospel, and he spoke where the people were, not only in a church. He travelled greatly, and often spoke to large crowds in fields or other open settings, partly to better accommodate all who wanted to hear him and partly because the poorer classes couldn't leave their work to attend church.
However, even the greatest example of a born-again believer will have faults and make mistakes. New birth doesn't yet make us perfect; that's what awaits us in Heaven.
Whitefield's most glaring and grievous failure is not hidden in this movie. Despite his outspoken views against the harsh treatment of slaves and his concern that they be taught the gospel, when pressed for a more reliable funding source for the Orphan House he had established and worked to raise funds for, Whitefield eventually relied on slave labor to maintain it.
On one hand, it's easy to condemn him for not being better, regardless of what was mainstream then. On the other hand, it can be easy to write it off as him just being a product of his time. I liked how A Great Awakening handled it. In the end, it's not about what Whitefield did or didn't do; it's about what Jesus Christ did for us.
"Do not base your faith on my flawed life. Do not base your faith on the cold religion of your father. Base it on what He has done on a cross of wood!"
Not only is the gospel shared, but many topics of faith are raised. This makes for an excellent film to share with non-believers, to start important conversations.