Movie Review: Facing the Giants

Stars: 3 out of 5

Pros: Story actual made me care about the outcome

Cons: Predictable, poor acting, poor theology

The Bottom Line:

I did care a bit

But it could have been better

Theology bad

Bad Acting and Poor Theology Tower Over This Movie

Facing the Giants is a Christian sports movie. Yes, everything that phrase implies is 100% true. I could quite now and this would be the shortest review ever written. But I'm going to keep going and explain just how this particular movie falls into these stereotypes.

Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick) is the coach at Shiloh Christian Academy in Georgia. Unfortunately, his life just isn't going right. Not only does the team lose their most promising player at the start of the season, but they can't win a game. His home life isn't any better. His house is falling apart, his car only runs when it feels like, and he and his wife (Shannen Fields) can't get pregnant.

Working late one night, he stumbles on a meeting of parents. The group is trying to oust him.

Ironically, this is the turning point in his life. Crying out to God, he discovers what has been missing in his life. Instead of trying to do things on his own strength, he turns everything over to God and vows to praise Him no matter what. He shares his new outlook on life with his team, and the results are almost instantaneous. How far with their new attitude take them?

Okay, so how does my first sentence play itself out here? First of all, this is a sports movie, so just about every cliche from that genre is here. The plot is hardly original, but since 99% of all sports movies have the same plots, that can't be held against this film.

This is a Christian film. Actually, the writing is surprising good considering that. The acting is as bad as I have come to expect from the genre. The film was made on a low budget, the actors are volunteer, and very few of them have any training. Considering all that, they do a remarkably good job. This isn't Oscar worthy, but I have seen worse. The exception to that are most of the scenes between the coach and his wife. I don't know why, but any scene with those two was cringe worthy.

Despite the fact that it is a low budget film, it looks great. There aren't an abundance of effects or stunts, but what is there works. The filming, while not outstanding, is quite competent.

And maybe that's why I got pulled into the story. I really was trying to not get sucked into the story, but it won. I cared what happened. There were a couple plot bumps I didn't see coming, and they caught me off guard. I was actually trying not to cry at the end. (I was on a youth retreat and had to stay the tough youth leader.)

But then comes the message of the film. It seems to say, "Turn your life over to God and everything will go your way." Yes, I get the fact that this is an inspiring movie. But that is shallow theology and it really bothered me. Granted, I wanted the inspiring ending. But the result borders on a Prosperity Gospel (follow God and you'll be rich). This is hardly the Gospel presented in the Bible and I don't like seeing it shown in movies.

Because Facing the Giants pulled me in, I was willing to overlook the poor acting. But the theology really does bother me.