The aroma of buttery popcorn and sweet treats greets you when you open the door.  The carpet retro floor and the air hockey table make the theatre feel like a retro bowling alley. Popcorn in their laps, drinks in their cupholders, children are told to patiently wait for the movie to start playing. Finally, the lights dim and all chatter settles down. The machine’s whirr and the movie lights up the theatre.

There is an incredible magic that comes with watching new movies in the theatre. But there is an even greater magic when a movie rated PG pegs the interest of individuals of all ages.

David is an animated family-friendly production that tells the biblical story of David from the Book of Samuel in the Bible. The film follows the journey of David as a young shepherd boy with unshakeable faith, driven with purpose, to him becoming a faithful king. It focuses on themes of faith, courage and love, as he battles to save a kingdom lost in the hands of an evil king.

David was released by Angel Studios, a media company known for the 2023 film Sound of Freedom and The Chosen and features Phil Wickham (David), an American contemporary Christian singer-songwriter.

One older viewer, Owen Guisbrook stated that it was nice to leave the theatre elevated and edified, rather than diminished and feeling depressed.

“You watch so many shows that are so dark these days, it’s nice to see something that leaves you feeling uplifted.” 

The storyline itself isn’t just what makes this movie uplifting. The bright and cheery music choice creates a clear and wholesome experience that focuses on peace and courage as well as encouragement. The soundtrack contains all original songs and brings to life the story of David in the book of Samuel and the Psalms he wrote during his life. The track takes on a modern musical approach that makes them catchy and likeable and easy to understand. The style of this music seems to play on the music style from tangled keeping it fun and colourful.

In an article written by Animation magazine Keeping the Faith: ‘David’ Directors Discuss Their Old Testament Animated Success, on Dec. 23, 2025, Phil Cunningham, one of the main directors of the film stated, “great faith-based stories respect the viewer and leave them room to answer their own questions rather than trying to tell them what they should think. Told well, they can resonate and inspire.” 

David is a film that offers individuals the experience of an uplifting film with good moral lessons for younger audiences and motivations that older generations can pick up on as well.

“My favourite part is where David has this opportunity to knock off Saul in the cave and he doesn’t take it. He was out there trying to communicate, trying to support the king.” Guisbrook is describing a scene where David had the opportunity to kill the king who had been chasing after him for some time. David takes a sword and comes behind him to kill him, but choses not to. Instead, he takes a piece of his robe and tells the king that he isn’t trying to harm him but only wants what’s best for the kingdom.

Another young viewer, Jayden Voorhorst stated his favourite part was the battle of David and Goliath. He stated that his favourite part was when David struck down Goliath.

This scene is interesting because the attention to detail in the animating is very apparent. Each step that Goliath takes, the grass trembles, the wind blows.

The making of David involved about 50 animators in several countries. The animation director, Dan Barker told everyone to shoot reference shots for their animation ideas. The animators went with traditional computer-generated animation keeping the images realistic with both lighting and texture. The creative team referred to animated touchstones and live-action films in similar genres when building this film.

The directors took four research trips to get a feel of what ancient Israel looked like and they collaborated with an archaeologist. The production designer poured himself into researching for an authentic experience. He considered how the pots would have looked, the color of the dyes, the grass, the fabrics.

They took a trip to the valley of Elah (where David fought Goliath) and what they found there, ended up in the film. The battle of David and Goliath in the movie shows thick green grass and bright red flowers blowing in the wind, just as they found on their research trip.  

The film’s animation style has in some cases been compared to Pixar or Disney’s animation due to its attention to detail and texture as well as its colours and expressive designs.

From the wind in the grass, to each flower pedal that falls to the ground during processions or celebrations, a lot of time and effort went in to creating an animated film that not only looked incredible and had a strong message, it also makes viewers fall in love.

Overall, this film was produced with all audiences in mind, and seeks to empower individuals to promote what is good, to seek peace and to live courageously.