Hillsong - Let Hope Rise

"We're the biggest band you've never heard of," laments a member of Hillsong in their new movie Hillsong Let Hope Rise.

The movie takes a behind the scenes look at the band members that make up Hillsong, how they got started and where they are now.

The movie promotes itself as a worship experience and invites you to sing along. I think I knew one song out of the whole movie so that did not happen for me. Which isn't surprising at all when you consider that Hillsong is a group clearly meant to attract young people and only young people. If you are older than 50 and are a traditionalist you simply won't like it.

In the movie we get to see the band members perform and we learn about their personal lives and struggles on the road. I was surprised that a group with so many albums, and that seemingly tours all the time, makes no money (as they claimed in the movie) to support themselves. A worker is worthy of payment and these young people certainly put their all into their ministry and if they aren't getting paid they should be. And that is one of the most confusing aspects about this documentary. Where does all the money go if they aren't getting paid?

All of the band members seem to be very close to one another and encourage each other in the faith and while it is clear they love the Lord and enjoy leading their  audiences to Him in adoration, the movie didn't really speak to me and I found myself wishing it was over when I was about 15 minutes in. It was a so-so documentary about the popularity of a Christian group, but not something I would pay to go and see. I give it 2 stars as it jumped all over the place and was at times very confusing.

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