David Review: I went into David with cautious expectations. This is already the third Christian animated movie to get a proper theatrical release this year, and if you’ve seen enough of these, you know the quality can swing wildly.
Some are heartfelt but rough. Others look good but feel hollow. So yeah, I wasn’t sure what I was walking into. By the time the movie ended, I was impressed… and also slightly annoyed. Let me explain.
My Rating: 3.5 / 5
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Movie Title | David |
| Release Year | 2025 |
| Genre | Animated, Musical, Biblical Drama |
| Runtime | 1h 55m |
| Language | English |
| Country | United States / South Africa |
| Director | Jason Baumgartner |
| Main Voice Cast | Brandon Engman (Young David), Phil Wickham (Adult David) |
A Quiet Beginning That Actually Works
The movie opens with David as a shepherd, alone with his sheep, dealing with a predator in the dark. It’s simple. Familiar. And honestly, it’s the smartest way this film could’ve started.
Right away, the movie tells you what it’s about without spelling it out. The sheep don’t listen. They wander. They’re helpless. And the shepherd still protects them anyway. You don’t need a sermon to get the point.
That tone carries into the moment when Samuel anoints David as the future king of Israel. The film leans into music here, turning what could’ve been a quick scene into something almost sacred. It works. You feel the weight of it.
The Music: Good Songs, Not Always Good Storytelling
Most of the music is performed by Phil Wickham, and if you’ve spent any time in church, you’ve probably sung his songs without realizing it. The songs sound great. They’re emotional. They’re sincere.
But here’s the honest truth: a lot of them feel more like worship songs than musical numbers. They repeat ideas instead of pushing the story forward. I enjoyed listening to them, but I also felt the momentum slow every time the movie leaned too hard into praise instead of narrative.
They’ll do very well outside the movie. Inside it? Mixed results.
Animation That Genuinely Surprised Me
This is where David really shines. The animation isn’t trying to copy Pixar, and I respect that. It lands somewhere between classic Ice Age, early Blue Sky Studios, and a stylized look that fits a biblical epic surprisingly well.
The environments are beautiful, sunrises over rolling hills, dusty battlefields at dusk, and one torch-lit chase scene that honestly looks fantastic. The lighting alone does a lot of emotional heavy lifting.
What impressed me most, though, was the character movement. This wasn’t motion capture. It was hand-crafted animation, and it shows. The characters feel alive. King Saul, in particular, is mesmerizing. Every movement feels heavy, deliberate, and unstable. When he’s on screen, you feel the tension immediately.
Goliath Is Completely Unsubtle—and That’s the Point
Goliath isn’t just big. He’s enormous. Borderline ridiculous. A towering, muscle-bound monster with an accent that feels more Rocky IV than Old Testament. And weirdly? It works.
The movie isn’t going for realism here. It’s showing us how Goliath felt to the Israelites, an impossible force, something so overwhelming it breaks your courage before the fight even starts.
The film uses this kind of visual symbolism throughout:
- Characters separated by a waterfall that they can’t see through
- People walking against an army to chase light instead of safety
- A woven tapestry reminding us that meaning only makes sense once the whole picture is complete
These moments add depth without overexplaining themselves, and I appreciated that.
Where the Movie Loses Its Footing
David’s story is massive, and this movie feels like it’s constantly racing the clock. Important relationships, especially David and Jonathan, don’t get enough room to breathe. The mighty men are barely sketched in. And some of the most important failures and moral struggles in David’s life are missing entirely.
I understand the decision. You can’t fit everything into one film. But the movie ends on such a clean, uplifting note that it feels unfinished. Not wrong. Just incomplete. If you already know David’s full story, you’ll feel what’s missing. If you don’t, you might walk away with an overly polished version of who David really was.
Also Read: Avatar 3 Review: Fire and Ash Looks Incredible, But Something Feels Off
What Worked vs. What Didn’t
| What I Loved | What Held It Back |
|---|---|
| Strong, expressive animation | The Story feels compressed |
| Meaningful symbolism | Key relationships feel rushed |
| King Saul’s portrayal | Major chapters of David’s life are missing |
| Respectful faith-based themes | Songs sometimes pause momentum |
| Visually striking moments | Ending feels like a stopping point, not a conclusion |
Final Thoughts
I didn’t expect to enjoy David as much as I did, and that’s worth saying. This isn’t The Prince of Egypt, but it’s clearly aiming for that space: serious themes, moments that might be intense for younger kids, and a message centered on trust in God rather than spectacle.
What stayed with me most was the idea of misplaced worship, how people start praising David instead of the God who empowered him. That theme feels timeless and surprisingly relevant. For me, David lands at 3.5 out of 5 stars.
It’s well-made. It’s sincere. It just stops short of being truly great. If you’re already familiar with the biblical story, you’ll likely appreciate the craftsmanship. If you’re not, you may leave feeling inspired, but also a little confused about who David ultimately becomes.
And honestly? That might be the biggest sign this movie needed just a bit more time to tell its story.
