Mena Massoud has traded Aladdin's magic carpet for the blazing furnaces of Babylon, but his new biblical epic is already producing dramatically different reactions.
Daniel and the Fiery Furnace opens in theaters across the United States and Canada today, September 18. Massoud stars as the young Jewish exile Daniel and also serves as one of the film's producers, giving the former Disney leading man a considerable personal stake in the independently financed production.
The PG-13 drama follows Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah after Jerusalem falls to Babylon. Forced to serve King Nebuchadnezzar, the young exiles must decide how far they can cooperate with the empire without surrendering their allegiance to God. The crisis reaches its climax when Daniel's three friends-better known by their Babylonian names Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego-refuse to worship the king's golden image.
Although the trailers promise an epic confrontation between faith and imperial power, the first reviews reveal a fiery critical divide.
Christianity Today described the production as a "major accomplishment" for filmmakers Daniel and Matthew Kooman and called it worth seeing. The review particularly praised Elijah Alexander, known for playing Atticus in The Chosen, for portraying Nebuchadnezzar as more than a one-dimensional villain. His king can be vain, violent and terrifying one moment, then fascinated by Daniel's God the next.
The New York Times, however, was considerably colder. The paper argued that the film leans on biblical-movie clichés, criticized portions of its dialogue and joked that the fiery production "barely manages to reach room temperature." The review also questioned the computer-generated spectacle and the film's Christian framing of its Old Testament material. The New York Times
That split may only increase curiosity among Christian audiences eager to judge the movie for themselves. While mainstream critics may focus on visual effects and genre conventions, faith-based reviewers have responded more warmly to its themes of prayer, cultural pressure and public resistance.
Plugged In praised the film's spiritual message while acknowledging uneven storytelling. The outlet also cautioned parents that this is not a gentle Sunday-school adaptation. The PG-13 rating reflects strong violence and bloody images, including disturbing depictions of Nebuchadnezzar's cruelty. Plugged In
The filmmakers have also spoken about an extraordinary spiritual experience during production. They claim that while filming a scene involving Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, cast and crew sensed what they believed was a powerful manifestation of God's presence. The brothers said the atmosphere surrounding the scene appeared to change as the biblical prophecy about God's coming kingdom was spoken.
Another surprise arrives through the film's framing device. Daniel's story is recounted by a mysterious bearded traveler sitting beside a fire, and his identity is withheld until the conclusion. Reviewers have hinted that the reveal connects Daniel's visions directly with the New Testament. Viewers may also want to remain through the closing credits.
That is because Daniel and the Fiery Furnace is apparently intended to launch a larger biblical franchise. The filmmakers' crowdfunding materials reveal plans for a second movie centered upon Daniel in the lions' den, while the current film reportedly plants clues about what will happen under Babylon's successors.
The new movie also makes several additions to Scripture. Daniel assists with the design and construction of Nebuchadnezzar's statue before refusing to worship it, creating an intriguing moral conflict: How can believers participate in the systems of "Babylon" without becoming subservient to them? The adaptation also compresses several Babylonian invasions and Judean kings into a streamlined opening sequence.
Massoud's casting adds another layer of interest. After the enormous success of Disney's Aladdin, the actor spoke publicly about having difficulty securing another major audition. Now he is placing himself at the center of an independently produced biblical epic-both in front of the camera and behind it.
Filmed in India with numerous local actors, Daniel and the Fiery Furnace looks noticeably different from biblical productions traditionally shot in Israel, Italy or Morocco. The score was composed by Tyler Michael Smith, son of Christian music veteran Michael W. Smith, who serves as an executive producer.
The critics may be divided over whether the movie generates enough cinematic heat, but its message is unmistakable: when an empire demands worship, faithfulness may require standing while everyone else bows.
Daniel and the Fiery Furnace is now playing in participating U.S. and Canadian theaters. The movie runs 108 minutes and is distributed by EKKL Entertainment.
