David Movie Review

Release Date: December 19, 2025
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1 hr 55 min
Studio: Angel Studios
Directed by: Phil Cunningham, Brent Dawes
Written by: Brent Dawes

A Film After My Own Heart

Love Thy Nerd was given an advance screener of David in order to give it a review ahead of its theatrical release. 

Angel Studios’ David is a beautifully crafted animated retelling of one of Scripture’s most familiar stories, and it stands as one of the strongest faith based animated films in recent years. From its visual style to its musical ambition, the film aims high and largely succeeds, delivering a reverent, engaging, and family friendly experience.

The animation is immediately impressive. Stylistically, David lands somewhere between The Star and The King of Kings, blending expressive character designs with cinematic scale. The environments feel lived in, from quiet pastures to imposing battlefields, and the animation consistently supports the emotional weight of the story without becoming overwhelming. It is polished, confident, and visually appealing for both children and adults.

The true standout, however, is the music. The film leans fully into its musical identity, and it works wonderfully. The songs are worshipful, powerful, and genuinely inspiring, carrying a tone that feels closer to classic Disney storytelling than to many modern faith based productions. The music does not feel like an interruption to the narrative but instead serves as a natural extension of the story, deepening character moments and reinforcing the spiritual themes at the heart of the film.

Narratively, David follows the biblical account from David’s early days as a shepherd through his anointing by Samuel and onward to the moment when his calling as king begins to be realized. Along the way, the film faithfully depicts many key moments from Scripture. We see David protecting his flock from a lion, standing courageously against Goliath, soothing King Saul with music, forming a deep friendship with Saul’s son Jonathan, and eventually becoming a target of Saul’s growing jealousy and rage.

One of the film’s greatest strengths is its handling of Saul. Rather than portraying him as a simple antagonist, the movie presents Saul as a deeply conflicted and tragic figure. His descent is framed not as villainy for its own sake, but as the heartbreaking result of fear, pride, and spiritual turmoil. This nuanced portrayal adds emotional depth and avoids flattening the story into a simplistic good versus evil narrative.

Inevitably, animated biblical films invite comparisons to The Prince of Egypt. While many films in this genre struggle under that comparison, David feels closer to a true spiritual successor than most. It shares that film’s reverence for Scripture, its commitment to musical storytelling, and its willingness to trust young audiences with emotionally rich material.

The depiction of the Amalekites is particularly striking. Their design evokes imagery similar to the Tusken Raiders from the Star Wars saga, making them visually distinct and genuinely intimidating. Parents should be aware that scenes involving them may be a bit frightening for younger children, even though the film remains firmly within family friendly bounds.

The movie does take a few creative liberties, primarily to soften some of the harsher elements of the biblical account for younger viewers. The most notable example is Goliath’s defeat. Rather than showing David beheading him, the film opts for a less graphic resolution, with Goliath’s helmet being brought back to Jerusalem instead. While this is a departure from Scripture, it is an understandable choice given the intended audience.

Overall, David is a well written, beautifully animated, and thoughtfully produced film. The voice cast delivers strong performances, the soundtrack is inspired, and the storytelling balances faithfulness with accessibility. It is a near perfect family movie and a rare example of a faith based animated film that feels both artistically confident and spiritually grounded. In theaters today, December 19, David is an excellent choice for a meaningful Christmas movie going experience.

All images provided by Angel Studios.