David: South African-made animation delivers powerful and polished cinema

If you’re of a certain generation, chances are you’ll have fond memories of DreamWorks Animation’s The Prince of Egypt, an Old Testament epic that told the story of Moses as a cartoon musical with an all-star voice cast, and released for the holiday season (at least in the US) back in 1998. It’s been a while since audiences had a feature film release of that scope and sophistication on the animated Bible story front, with arguably the closest being The King of Kings earlier this year.

As it turns out, just in time for Christmas (and over the 2025 Hanukkah period), a South African company – Cape Town-headquartered Sunrise Animation Studios – is stepping up to fill the gap with the backing of Angel Studios, and their crowdfunding approach to filmmaking and ticket sales.

Regardless of any feelings you may have about Angel Studios, a “Christian values” company which first made headlines with child trafficking film Sound of Freedom, David is a powerful and polished cinema outing for all audiences – whether families, animation lovers or the faith-driven.

Based on the Books of Samuel, David tells the story of the titular character, a humble shepherd who is identified by the prophet Samuel as the next king of Israel, a figure to lead the people back to God in a way that current king Saul (Adam Michael Gold) has failed to do.

Resistant to such a role, young David (voiced by Brandon Engman) nevertheless finds himself a favourite in the household of Saul thanks to his musical talents, and he steps forward to face Goliath, monstrous champion of the Philistines, in a one-on-one duel that will settle the conflict between the warring nations. In the aftermath of that battle, David’s growing popularity sours Saul against him, forcing our now adult hero (Phil Wickham) to flee for his life at the same time it fractures the Israelites and opens them up to other threats.

If you’re a more secular individual who feels uncomfortable with religion-heavy dialogue, you probably will have a tough time with David. It’s hard to get around that fact. This isn’t to say the film is uncritical, however, as events lead David himself to question the concept of divine justice and unfair abandonment. In addition, the movie’s primary message, of belief serving as a foundation for courage and individual action, even against apparently insurmountable obstacles, is a universal one.

If David at time feels heavy-handed in terms of message delivery, it’s counterbalanced by its creation with a clearly measured, artistic hand. The film is exceptionally good looking, with framing and cinematography choices that add to the visual impact and memorability of key moments.

David is also noticeably intricate in its world creation. Western animation may be a medium associated with stylisation and stripping back of detail, but David pushes in the other direction, with architecture and armour designs reflecting research into the film’s historical period, in addition to hyper-real texturing. David sucks you in as much with its sense of authenticity – a treat for the eyes, without losing its CGI cartoon sense – as its catchy musical numbers from a variety of composers and songwriters.

David is a family-friendly film, though that doesn’t mean it’s dumbed down. While the violence is obviously bloodless and the story stops long before Bathsheba appears, the depiction of the desert-dwelling Amalekites is intense. More importantly, David demonstrates nuance where you least expect it.

Asim Chaudhry’s Philistine monarch is a full-blown cartoon villain, but Saul’s depiction is far more complex, and interesting. Saul doesn’t hate David so much as take his own self-loathing and guilt from pursuing his own militaristic goals in defiance of God, and projects it on his divinely chosen successor. Saul’s son Jonathan also acts against expectation, especially if your mind wanders back to The Prince of Egypt and the dynamic between Moses and Ramses.

It’s the sheer amount of surprise on the character and technical front that makes David worth a watch – especially if you’re looking for something with religious themes better aligned with the reason for our end-of-year festivities. Epic, impressive and audience-pleasing. DM

David is in cinemas. This review was first published on Pfangirl.