Movie Review
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David 2025: A Revolutionary Rewrite of the
Book of Samuel
Christina Herath, Sri Lanka
The animated film waters down the truth
One such film is David (2025), an animated biblical musical based on the Book of Samuel. It is described as a “coming-of-age comedy drama film.” Firstly, when “biblical” and “comedy” are in the same sentence, we already know what we can expect. Secondly, the “coming-of-age” warns us of what we will find: the story of a wide-eyed cartoon teenage boy looking for adventure set to sentimental scores of pop music.
The animation style of David is purposefully light and joking, inspiring laughter to keep the attention of the viewer rather than teach something long-lasting and profound. Any serious Catholic viewer is not moved deeply or stirred to any devotion. The use of slang and modern words causes the characters to look very “gen z” and immature, stripping the film of any seriousness. It is also historically inaccurate: The People of God did not talk, dress or act in the manner portrayed in this film. In short, I found it boring and quite hollow, lacking anything that inspires the love and fear of God.
In fact, the movie is so far-removed from the true life of David that to offer this watered-down version of David to a child seems a way to destroy, not build his faith.
David & the lion & bear
In the Biblical account of this episode, David tells King Saul that whenever a lion or a bear snatched away a ram, he “pursued after them, struck them, and delivered it out of their mouth: and they rose up against him, but he caught them by the throat, strangled, and killed them.” (1 Sam 17:35)
David does not slay the lion, but releases the grateful beast from a crevice
However, in the movie, we are given a complete retelling thereof. First, there is no fight with the lion. The lion comes and scatters all the sheep, and as it approaches one in labor, David collides with it and is knocked unconscious; when he comes to, the sheep is gone and he sits weeping until the sheep appears from the bushes with its newborn lamb. David hears a sound and sees from afar the lion from wedged between two rocks. He then sets it free.
The whole chapter is rewritten; there is no virile and militant David, but an effeminate and weak boy who would never hurt a beetle, much less kill a lion.
The Prophet Samuel anoints David
The Prophet Samuel in the house of David’s parents is vain, proud and unserious. David’s family is likewise without reverence or gravity. Meanwhile, David is out with his sheep prancing about and singing to them a pop-teen tune about his search for adventure and love for the wilderness.
David & his sheep rampage the house & land before the prophet Samuel, who asks ‘Are you ready for an adventure?’
David replies: “I don’t wanna be King.” Notwithstanding the Prophet anoints him with oil; afterwards, there is a knock on the door and David is whisked away by an angry guard.
In the Biblical account, the hand of the Lord was present in the selection of the youngest son, David, who is called in from the field. When David is brought before Samuel, the Scriptures say: He was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he. (1 Sam 16:12). Everything is serious and sacral.
David before Saul
Holy Scriptures tell us the spirit of the Lord left King Saul and the Lord sent him a troubled spirit. David, known as a skillful harpist, was called and his music brought the King peace. “And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him exceedingly, and made him his armor bearer.” (1 Sam 16:21)
In the movie we find David auditioning for the part. When his turn comes, David sings and is chased away by Saul; he returns with a harp and sings another song, which makes the King feel “free.” He orders David to return to his field and write a victory song to sing after the war against the Philistines.
David & Goliath
After killing Goliath, the victorious David and army parade through the kingdom while David attempts to tell the crowd to look at God instead of himself. Ironically, he does this by singing a song that does not mention God except through vague reference, which hardly describes the just God of the Old Testament.
He sings of “following the light to find true freedom” and how “the rush of the wind feels as you run into the wild.” One cannot help but wonder why the theme always returns to freedom and the wilderness…
The young David
Following the defeat of the Philistines, the real Biblical account then describes how King Saul’s heart turned against David through jealousy, and how he planned to make him fall into the hands of the Philistines. We read of King Saul’s many failed attempts to kill David, foiled always by the glory and providence of God in rescuing and guiding his faithful servant. David, always loyal to his King, becomes a fugitive of sorts, fleeing from place to place (Ramah, Nob, the wilderness, and so on) to avoid the anger of King Saul.
David ‘infiltrates’ the Philistines & then, weaponless, fights with the Israelites
All this is inaccurate. In fact, David did live among the Philistines and was expected to fight with them against the Israelites, but the Philistines lords did not trust him to do that. (1 Sam 29:4) There was no infiltration.
In the movie, during the fight David’s troops look behind them and see their city of refuge on fire, and many rush back to rescue their families. But it is too late: The city is laid to waste and all their families taken captive by the Amalekites. So, David’s men turn against him.
In an emotionally intense moment, David rips off his armor, and falls to the ground. Then he recalls the words of Samuel during his anointing, gets up and decides to walk alone after the Amalekites and bring them home as a peaceful shepherd would his scattered sheep.
However, in the Scriptures, it was not as emotional or dramatic as this. But David took courage in the Lord his God. (1 Sam 30:6) David’s strength came interiorly and from prayer.
David faces the Amalekites
The next part of the movie is mostly fictional. David walks off into the wilderness, leaving his men behind. He walks bravely into the midst of the Amalekites, singing to the captive Israelites, bidding them to stand up for themselves. His pacifist efforts are met with violence as an Amalekite soldier strikes him down and ties him up to a tree in the form of a crucifixion. David’s mother appears and looks on in terror. It is a serious matter to make false scenes like this mock crucifixion that can remain forever in the minds of children.
David awakes from his coma to be acclaimed King
Scriptures tells a different account than a singing David: “And David slew them from the evening unto the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them… David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken.” (1 Sam 30:17-18)
In this film the future King David is presented as a type of hippie pacifist shepherd; in reality he was a skillful warrior, who put his faith and strength in God. He did not make a peaceful protest, but led his forces to a great military victory after personally slaying many of the enemy.
Conclusion
To conclude, David (2025) is not a faithful retelling of the Sacred History found in the Scriptures, but rather a modern reinterpretation that prioritizes amusement and emotional appeal over truth, reverence and biblical integrity.
While there is a small semblance of truth regarding names and events, as a whole it alters, omits and replaces so much of the original narrative that in the end we are left with a fundamentally false David, who is pacifist and adventurous, instead of the great serious warrior King, who God raised up to save the Israelites. For young audiences unfamiliar with Scriptures, this movie will mislead them with this unfaithful retelling of Samuel and the foolish portrayal of David.
When all is said and done, parents will be held responsible for grave negligence in allowing their children to be misled in matters of our Holy Faith. So, may they please take heed in providing their charges with a sound knowledge of God and His Chosen People, and not with glamorized versions presented in films like David.
Constantly singing for freedom
& adventure in the wilderness
Posted April 13, 2026
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