His Only Son
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100RecommendedThis film
- 60–79Good overall
- 35–59Think it through
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
HeartGuard score
How suitable a title is for Christian viewers, from 0 to 100. It weighs the content meters and the worldview.
- 80–100RecommendedThis film
- 60–79Good overall
- 35–59Think it through
- 15–34Strong caution
- 0–14Not recommended
Worldview score
What the story celebrates or condemns.
Why +2 for this film
The story honours Abraham's costly trust in God and his promises, and points directly to Christ's sacrifice, affirming the Christian faith.
- +2Affirms faithThis filmPresents faith in God positively and as true
- +1Positive valuesHonesty, sacrifice and family win out
- 0Mixed or neutralNo clear stance
- −1AmbivalentShows sin without judging it either way
- −2Glamorises sinMakes sin look attractive and rewarding
Age guide
How suitable this film is for each age group.
Why 10+ for this film
A tense scene of a father binding his son on an altar, a brief brothel encounter and some rough handling may upset or puzzle younger children.
- Under 8With a parent
- Ages 8–12With a parent
- Ages 13–15Yes
- Ages 16–17Yes
- AdultsYes
A reverent, low-budget retelling of Abraham's journey to Moriah with Isaac. Its central scene is emotionally intense, but there is little else to concern families.
Watch guide
What's in it?
LanguageNone expected
A reverent biblical drama with no profanity expected.
BlasphemyNone
God's name is used in prayer, worship and sincere speech throughout, never as an exclamation.
Sex and nudityInnuendo, implied
A man at a roadside brothel tries to tempt the travellers with women, and is refused. Abram's union with Hagar is implied, not shown.
RelationshipsMarital strain
Sarah struggles with infertility, and she and Abraham argue. At her suggestion Abram fathers a child with her maid Hagar, which causes conflict in the household.
ViolenceTense, some injury
Guards rough up Abraham and Isaac, and a past battle is recounted. Abraham binds Isaac on an altar and raises a knife in a tense scene.
Frightening scenesDistressing sacrifice
A father preparing to sacrifice his son is upsetting, especially for children, and Abraham's anguish is shown at length.
Drugs and alcoholNone notable
No drug use; any drinking is incidental.
AttitudesMinor friction
A servant is hostile towards Abraham and guards demand payment; these are presented as wrong.
OccultNone
God speaks to Abraham as in Scripture; no occult content.
- To knowContent to know about
- Skip for kidsSkip for younger viewers
- DiscussWorth discussing
- Early
Family conflict
Abram tells Sarai that God has spoken to him and told him to leave his home. They argue, and Sarai's pain over having no child is shown.
- Early
Relationship strain
Flashbacks show Abram fathering a child with Sarai's maid Hagar at Sarai's suggestion. The union is implied rather than shown, and it brings jealousy and strain to the household.
- Mid
Sexual temptation
On the road, a heavily made-up man outside a brothel invites the travellers to enjoy the women there. Abraham's party refuses.
- Mid
Violence
Guards stop the group and demand tithes. A rough confrontation leaves Abraham and Isaac hurt.
- Mid
Faith and anguish
Abraham pleads with God to take his own life in place of Isaac's. His anguish is shown at length.
- Late
Distressing sacrificeSkip if under 8
On the mountain, Abraham binds Isaac on an altar, builds a fire and raises a knife. Isaac's fear and Abraham's distress make the scene very tense.
- Late
Crucifixion imagery
A short closing scene moves to the time of Christ, with a Roman centurion at a crucifixion. Some viewers may find the images upsetting.
How to play
- 1. Draw a cardOne person reads the question out loud.
- 2. Everyone answersThere are no wrong answers. Listen before you reply.
- 3. Pass it onThe next person draws, until the deck is done.
Faith & story
What does it say?
What's it about?The plot, without the ending
God calls the elderly Abraham to take his beloved son Isaac to Mount Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice. Abraham sets out with Isaac and two servants on a long journey. Along the road, around the campfire, he recalls the decades since God first called him: the promise of land and descendants, the long wait for a child, and the trouble in his household. Danger from guards and the strain of the journey test the travellers. The film asks what it means to trust God when his command seems to contradict his promises.
Through a faith lensHow it connects to the Bible
The film retells the call of Abraham, who trusts God's promise of a son through long years of waiting and failure. Scripture counts that trust as righteousness. Abraham and Sarah's attempt to hurry the promise through Hagar shows how impatience brings pain into a household. The test on Moriah asks Abraham to give back the son he was promised, and the New Testament reads it as faith that God could keep his word even through death. Abraham's answer to Isaac, that God will provide the lamb, finds its fullest meaning in Christ, the Lamb God provided, and in the Father who did not spare his own Son. The film's closing turn to the centurion at the cross makes that link explicit. Abraham's plea to take his own life in Isaac's place echoes the substitution that the ram, and later Christ, fulfil.
Fruit of the SpiritWhich fruit does it show?
4 out of 9 fruits ripe in this film
Ripe grapes are shown in the film, buds are missing
- Joy
- Patience
- Goodness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
Abraham shows Faithfulness in trusting and obeying God through decades of waiting and in the hardest test of all. Love shows in his anguish over Isaac and his plea to give his own life instead. Peace shows in his steady calm as he walks towards Moriah, leaning on God's provision. Kindness appears in the way he teaches and speaks with his companions around the campfire. Strife and Jealousy surface in the household when Sarah, Abraham and Hagar are caught in tension over the child, and in a servant's hostility towards Abraham on the road.
The charactersExamples to follow or avoid
AbrahamNicolas MouawadAn old man who has followed God for decades. He is faithful but pained, and wrestles with the command he has been given while he teaches his companions about trust.
SarahSara SeyedAbraham's wife, who struggles with infertility and with her husband's claims of speaking with God. She appears mainly in flashback.
IsaacEdaan MoskowitzAbraham's son, the child of promise. He travels with his father trusting and curious about what lies ahead.
EliezerLuis Fernandez-GilThe chief servant of Abraham's household, whose family is part of the travelling company.
The LordDaniel da SilvaThe voice and presence that calls Abraham, makes promises to him and tests him.
The CenturionScot CooperA Roman soldier who appears in the closing scene, set long after Abraham's time.
How Christians are portrayed
Faith is treated with reverence and seriousness. Abraham is shown as a flawed man who wrestles honestly with God's call rather than a stained-glass figure. Doubters on the road are not mocked, and the film's closing nod to Christ presents the gospel sincerely.
Community
What other Christians think
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Review
Helpful reviewer
The star beside a name
Given to members whose reviews 25 or more people have marked Helpful.
It rewards reviews that help other families decide, not how many someone writes. It's a sign others have found their reviews thoughtful, not a verdict on anyone's faith.
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Details
Film details
- In theatres
- Mar 31, 2023
- On streaming
- May 16, 2023
- Cast
- Daniel da Silva, Nicolas Mouawad, Sara Seyed, Scot Cooper
- Director
- David Helling
- Studios
- RockBridge Productions, Angel Studios
- Genre
- Drama, Fantasy
- Run time
- 1h 44m
- Age rating
- US PG-13
How we analysed this
We gathered the plot and reception, and facts that independent sources agree on, then rated each content area against our rubric and worldview scale, using AI models calibrated on reference titles. Not yet reviewed by our team. Confidence: medium.
Score = 100 − 16 × content concern (1.98) + 8 × worldview (+2) = 84
Updated 2026-10-15