New Under-The-Radar Historical Movie Earns Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Despite flying under the radar, a new historical movie is earning immense praise from audiences.

Four months into the year, 2026 has already seen the release of several historical movies that have flown under the radar, such as Prime Video’s swashbuckling pirate film The Bluff, starring Priyanka Chopra and Karl Urban, and A Great Awakening, which follows the friendship between two important American historical figures. However, only one of these movies has been particularly beloved by audiences.

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A Great Awakening Earns Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

After a quiet theatrical release, A Great Awakening is turning heads with its audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Written and directed by Joshua Enck, the film follows the unlikely friendship between Benjamin Franklin and Reverend George Whitefield, and the latter’s impact during the Great Awakening religious movement, which turned out to be one of the most defining moments in American history.

The cast includes John Paul Sneed as Benjamin Franklin, Jonathan Blair as George Whitefield, Josh Bates as Alexander Hamilton, Stephen Foster Harris as William Blount, Zac Johnson as Caleb Strong, and Matt Meyer as Robert Yates. A Great Awakening was quietly released in theaters on April 3 and has grossed only $2.1 million at the box office.

Now, shortly after its theatrical release, A Great Awakening has earned a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has 250+ verified ratings at the time of writing, so its score is subject to change as more are submitted. With only 12 reviews, A Great Awakening also has a 67% score from critics.

What Audiences Are Saying About A Great Awakening

Audiences describe A Great Awakening as an uplifting faith-based historical drama that left them feeling inspired and emotionally moved. Many praise its performances and production quality, saying the story of Benjamin Franklin and George Whitefield feels vivid and engaging. Several note that they learned new historical details and appreciated how the film connects their personal relationship to broader events in early America.

Others emphasize the movie’s strong spiritual tone – calling it powerful, inspirational, and even life-changing in how it portrays faith’s influence on the nation’s founding. Some viewers report emotional reactions like tears, awe, or renewed pride in American history. A few detractors mention it can feel overtly preachy or uneven in focus, but overall sentiment remains strongly positive toward A Great Awakening.

Release Date

April 3, 2026

Runtime

129 minutes

Director

Joshua Enck

Cast

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  John Paul Sneed

  Benjamin Franklin

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  Jonathan Blair

  George Whitefield

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  Josh Bates

  Alexander Hamilton

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