The Original is Hard to Beat

With the anticipation of the new live action version of How to Train Your Dragon set to come out soon, me and the family decided to watch the animated version. So lately, I’ve been thinking about how many classic animated movies have been remade in live action over the past several years. The Lion King, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and plenty more have all gotten the Hollywood update — new special effects, reimagined visuals, and a fresh coat of CGI polish. And while they’re visually stunning and enjoyable in their own right… I often find myself walking away thinking, you know, I still like the original better.

There’s something about the original version that sticks with you — the voice acting, the hand-drawn animation, the music just the way you remember it. It might not be as flashy or “realistic,” but it’s the version that first stirred your heart. It’s the one that made you fall in love with the story.

That got me thinking about faith. Sometimes we try to remake or modernize the gospel — not always in bad ways, mind you. We want it to be more appealing, more relevant, more palatable. We wrap it up in trendier language, present it with high production value, and maybe smooth over some of the harder parts. And yet… there’s no improving on the original.

The good news of Jesus doesn’t need a remake. It’s already powerful. Already beautiful. Already deeply human and deeply divine. It speaks to who we are and who God calls us to be. The love, the grace, the challenge, the cross, the resurrection — nothing we add or adjust will ever match the simple power of that story told in scripture, lived in community, and practiced in everyday faith.

So, let’s not forget the original. Let’s keep returning to it — not just out of nostalgia, but because it still speaks. Still saves. Still stirs the soul. And yes, I might still go see the next remake that hits theaters… but afterward, I’ll probably go home and queue up the animated classic again.

Rev Chris Hester