Movie writer and executive producer Alex Kendrick wants Christians to do more than enjoy an uplifting story as a new version of FLYWHEEL heads to theaters. He wants them to take an honest look at their own lives.
“We do not need more lukewarm Christians,” Kendrick said in a CBN News.
His message comes ahead of FLYWHEEL: IGNITION OF THE SOUL, a Brazilian remake of the brothers’ 2003 debut movie. The official movie website confirms an Oct. 16 U.S. theatrical opening.
“What we need is Christians who are sold out and truly followers of Jesus Christ,” Kendrick emphasized.
Kendrick connected that commitment to integrity, not simply religious language. He said people looking at a Christian’s life should see someone living for a higher purpose, with choices that reflect a relationship with God.
The new movie puts that question inside the home and business of Noah Silva, a smooth-talking used-car salesman in Rio de Janeiro. According to the official synopsis, his determination to get ahead begins costing him at work and with his wife and son.
Related: First Look at Kendrick Brothers’ New Movie FLYWHEEL: IGNITION OF THE SOUL
Noah must face what his decisions have done and begin rebuilding his integrity. Kendrick hopes viewers will recognize something of themselves in the character, rather than keep the spiritual questions at a comfortable distance.
It is a familiar hope attached to a very different production. Kendrick recalled making the original FLYWHEEL in standard definition more than two decades ago, with results so rough that he nearly decided not to release it.
“The only thing I did right was beg God to use it,” Kendrick said, recalling those early efforts.
He recalled his brother, executive producer Stephen Kendrick, encouraging him to pray Ephesians 3:20, which points to God’s ability to do more than believers can ask or imagine. Alex said audiences eventually looked past the modest production quality and responded to the story.
The opportunity to revisit it grew out of the brothers’ trip to Brazil while promoting THE FORGE. Alex told CBN that they worked with young Christian movie creators there, and that prayer and those connections helped the remake take shape.
Movieguide® previously reported on Stephen’s account of the Brazilian collaboration. The newer interview turns the attention toward what Alex hopes the story will prompt in viewers: wholehearted faith that reaches marriage, parenting and everyday responsibilities.
Director Alessandro Barros helms the remake from a screenplay by Alex, who also appears in the cast. The production used Portuguese, with English audio featuring actors Brett Varvel, Masey McLain, Todd Terry and Lara Silva, among others.
Fandango lists the movie as PG, with a running time of one hour and 50 minutes. Those details help families plan a theater visit; they are not a substitute for a content review.
Kendrick’s challenge reaches beyond opening weekend. A story about a salesman trying to repair his reputation can invite an uncomfortable but useful question at home: Does what we say about following Jesus match the way we treat the people closest to us?
Read Next: Why the Kendrick Brothers Remade Their Iconic First Movie, FLYWHEEL
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