Facing the Giants
by Alex Kendrick
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DVD details
Actor: Alex Kendrick, Erin Bethea, James Blackwell, Jason McLeod, Shannen FieldsDirector: Alex Kendrick
Brand: Team Marketing
Producer: Alex Kendrick
Writer: Alex Kendrick
Producer: Jim McBride
Producer: Brad Weston
Producer: David Nixon
Producer: Michael Catt
Writer: Stephen Kendrick
DVD: Region Code 99
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 5.1; English (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Portuguese (Subtitled); Chinese (Subtitled); Thai (Subtitled); English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1; French (Dubbed), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: Anamorphic Widescreen, 1.85:1
Running Time: 111 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-01-30
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- AC-3; Closed-captioned; Color; Dolby; Dubbed; DVD; Subtitled; Widescreen; NTSC
DVD Reviews of Facing the Giants
DVD Review: Misses its own alleged point
Summary: 2 Stars
Let me start by saying that the creators of this movie had their hearts in the right place. To write, direct, produce and circulate a full-length movie using only church volunteers and a budget of $100,0000 is a grand achievement in itself, and the folks at Sherwood should be proud of that. And as a Christian, I do honestly admire their intentions.
That said, in my opinion, this movie is lacking in just about every way. First, the writing. I understand that the Kendrick brothers wanted to be upfront about the religious themes and not shy away from the movie's message, but seriously, a little subtlety goes a long way. The script seemed determined to beat us over the head with the message at least once per scene, for fear that we'd somehow miss it otherwise. Also, there's very little actual development in the story. For all their focus on the coach's life-saving spiritual awakening, the writers feel perfectly happy to sidestep it; the coach pretty much jumps from being depressed and unfaithful to being fully devoted to God in a few short scenes. It's as though the directors were so eager to show the coach's new outlook that they didn't want to waste time showing us how he got there. A shame, since a spiritual journey of that sort is fascinating and would have added some much-needed complexity to the screenplay.
The rare attempts at humor just feel forced, particularly a dialogue about Charles Schultz that might have been funny had it been edited down to one or two lines (instead, it recycles the same joke for what feels like several minutes). And the plot...well, if you've seen ANY sports movies (or any kind of inspirational movies, for that matter) this movie will hold no surprises for you whatsoever.
Second, the acting. I know the performers were all volunteers with little to no acting experience, so I wasn't expecting Brando. But at the same time, it IS a movie, and the performances matter. For me to care about a character, he/she has to feel like a real character, rather than an actor performing a stale series of line readings.
The reason I gave the movie two stars instead of one is that all in all, it actually looks pretty good. The cinematography and film quality, while nothing creative, is professional and polished enough to never be distracting (which I understand is largely due to the paid services of a Hollywood cinematographer wisely brought in for the football scenes).
But my biggest complaint, for a movie that so many are using as an evangelical tool, is the frighteningly shallow and limited version of Christianity it displays. Before anyone starts flaming, yes, I know the film's message is all about how with God anything is possible, and that we should give Him our all whether or not things work out in the end. And yes, I'm aware that these sentiments are shared by the characters every five seconds or so (with the aforementioned lack of a sense of subtlety).
But it's one thing to have the characters SAY these things -- it's another to see them played out in the unfolding of the story, and the story of Facing the Giants is highly inconsistent with the message its characters claim to preach. God doesn't magically "solve" all of our problems the second we turn ourselves over to Him. Would it have hurt to show ONE of the coach's many struggles not being solved with a neat little bow and matching puppy? If the Kendricks cared so much about trusting in God even when things go wrong, why didn't they offer a single picture of that? Here, when ever anybody starts trusting in God, NOTHING goes wrong. Sure, the team loses a game, and they praise God -- two seconds later, we learn that they didn't really lose the game, but that the "evil" opposing team cheated.
One of the most powerful messages in the Bible is the idea that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. God's ways are not ours. Therefore, His blessings don't always come in ways we would expect. What may seem at first to be hardships are often blessings in disguise. It would have been wonderful and encouraging to show that the main couple's infertility could turn out to be a blessing in disguise; they could either glorified God by adopting a child in need (they hadn't been able to afford it earlier, but the coach did get a raise), or what about starting a foster home? Instead, the couple's problems are neatly and abruptly solved by the wife miraculously getting pregnant, in a shallowly predictable turn of events bound to offend those who have actually had to struggle with lifelong infertility. Come to think of it, that's the way most of the plot points in the film came off -- offensive to anyone who's ever suffered and not had their prayers answered exactly the way they wanted. You know what movies like this say to them? "God didn't help you -- you must not have been praying or trusting in Him enough!" Is that the message we want to send to fellow Christians in need of our encouragement?
Overall, this "little movie that could" has its heart in the right place but just doesn't measure up, spiritually or technically. If you want to see a better football movie, watch Remember the Titans -- just as predictable, but with a better, more complex script and much better acting.
Also, I feel obligated to say that I'm sickened by some of the comments to the negative reviews here. People who profess to be believers have criticized this movie for valid reasons, and consequently been told that they "must not be true Christians" or that they "clearly need Jesus in their lives." Last I checked, the Bible forbids idolatry, and Facing the Giants is a fallible movie that does not deserve to be worshiped. It saddens me that Christians nowadays must have their faith judged by their willingness to heap praise on any family-friendly movie with a Christian sticker.
Description of Facing the Giants
From the award winning producers of FLYWHEEL, comes an action-packed drama about a Christian high school football coach who uses his undying faith to battle the giants of fear and failure. In six years of coaching, Grant Taylor has never led his Shiloh Eagles to a winning season. After learning that he and his wife Brooke face infertility, Grant discovers that a group of fathers are secretly organizing to have him dismissed as head coach. Devastated by his circumstances, he cries out to God in desperation. When Grant receives a message from an unexpected visitor, he searches for a stronger purpose for his football team. He dares to challenge his players to believe God for the impossible on and off the field. When faced with unbelievable odds, the Eagles must step up to their greatest test of strength and courage. What transpires is a dynamic story of the fight between faith and fear. Facing the Giants is a powerful experience for the whole family inspiring viewers to live with faith, hBestsellers in DVD
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