Petra are one of the main pioneers of Christian rock music and the new movie- Beyond Belief– features the band’s music as a focal point of the story.
Set in the 1980’s, the film follows teenager Andy, who’s in a small local Christian rock band in a small town, who’s journey is a tough one.
Andy’s father is a well-loved pastor in town with a close-nit Christian family who loves each other and everyone. As the family is sitting down to enjoy some time together, his dad gets a call from a friend who’s drunk and threatening suicide. He leaves to go help, which leads to his death when he’s hit by a car.
This leads to a downward spiral in Andy’s life, while he still tries to balance life and the values his father instilled in him. All the while, he’s a huge Petra fan, plays the Petra Forever video game, but he’s battling some very serious anger and identity issues.
When he takes his band to see Petra, they find out there’s a battle of the bands coming up, where the winner will get to open for Petra, and the band starts practicing like their lives depend on it.
Through this time, Andy starts hearing his dad’s voice and God’s voice, telling him to run, which prompts him to visit his grandfather, who trained his dad.
The movie shows a rivalry with a fellow local band and features multiple themes and lessons.
The film centers on perseverance, forgiveness, love, grace, listening to God’s voice and His will and is a very well-done movie.
The movie is detailed as well. The music, imagery, wardrobes, all stay true to the 80’s. While on the Petra front, it’s surreal to hear the band’s music- not just as the focal point of a major motion theatrical release, but to hear both eras of Petra- the John Schlitt and Greg Volz eras of Petra- getting played during the film.
If you’re a Petra fan, you’ll love this movie. If you’re a fan of Christian movies, you’ll love Beyond Belief. The original music is catchy and stands out and the characters and story are relatable and easy to connect with.
They also leave the door open for a possible sequel at the end, which we all hope they do, because there are so many Petra songs that would fit well into this story that didn’t get used, and there is a lot more of the story from the movie that can be told.
The project was announced around 4 years ago, so the anticipation was huge, but Beyond Belief lives up to expectations and the hype and is a feel-good movie with strong antagonists and protagonists and you’ll find yourself hooked from the start of the opening scene. Most importantly, they do treat the Petra legacy and music with respect and do it justice. This is a movie that Petra fans will love.
Rating: 9/10
-Reggie Edwards