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The Forge
Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:
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Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:
AV NIRVANA is member and reader-supported. When you purchase an item using our links, we might earn an affiliate commission.
I’m going to admit that even though I’m a deeply religious person, I sort of hate watching these faith based movies. Not because I disagree with the message or am ashamed of what I believe, but the exact opposite. I love my faith, but I also love GOOD movies, something which most Christian film makers have struggled on. Much like Christian authors, Christian film makers are very passionate about their works, and try their absolute hardest to get the message across. Only thing is, that’s sort of the problem. The message tends to be all that gets across, even if it hits you upside the head with a sledgehammer, and usually at the expense of proper narrative, good acting, and decent set pieces. As famed C.S. Lewis once said “we don’t need more Christian books, we need more Christian writers”. That being said, the Kendrick brothers have sort of carved out a niche for themselves in that type of film making, pumping out faith based movies that preach straight to the choir, but manage to be above average in terms of film making and writing with films like Courageous, Facing the Giants, Fireproof and War Room. None of them are going to set the world on fire with their skill and quality storytelling, but they’re decent enough family centered faith based movies that are safe for Christians who are sensitive to the more secular world of films.
Isaiah Wright (Aspen Kennedy) has some growing up to do. He’s a year out of high school with no direction in his life. He sits home and plays video games all day, and frustrating his single mother to death as she just wants her son to grow up. At 19 Isaiah would rather go play basketball with the boys and mess around online than do anything productive, and he resents his mother for forcing the issue. Fed up with her son’s inability to get a job or do anything she resorts to prayer, and voila, Isaiah realizes he probably SHOULD start looking for a job. He just so happens to run across a local gym named Moore Fitness only to find out that providence has struck. Turns out the CEO knew Isaiah’s uncle and helped him out years before, so in a gesture of goodwill, offers the young boy a job.
As I said above, I’m almost never very impressed with faith based movies as a general rule. The message for The Forge is perfectly fine, but as a film it feels ham fisted and overly cliched. Things come a little too easily for the young man, and his conversion is one that is truncated heavily to fit in a 2 hour run time. On the other side of the coin, it’s actually competently enough done to where I didn’t hate it. If you’re “one of the target audience” (essentially preaching to the choir vs. evangelizing to the world) it’s a comfortable and safe film that teaches the meaning of prayer, conviction and the need for others in your life who can sharpen you and give support. Like usual, acting is mid grade, and the end of the story comes to NO shock to anyone at all, but for the faithful, this is what I would consider safe comfort food.
Rating:
Rated PG for thematic elements
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
• Commentary with the Kendrick Brothers
• Discipleship in The Forge
• Bloopers
• Follow-Up Resources
• Deleted Scenes
Final Score:
I mentioned this in my opening paragraph, but I HATE to actually give middling reviews for these films. I would genuinely LOVE for more Christians to get into the film making world and produce films that are positive and showcase our faith more clearly. Unfortunately most of these efforts turn out to be a Sunday School lesson wrapped in the most holiest of holy wrappers that fails to really reach anyone outside of those preaching it. As such I feel a sense of frustration and conflicted desires when watching them. The critic in me has to critique the film as an actual film, but I do have to admit that the Kendrick brothers have done a decent job at carving out a very successful niche for themselves much like the old Magee and Me films of the 90s. Modest budgets, making solid revenue back with positive messages that are about as squeaky clean as they get. Sony’s Blu-ray looks and sounds great though, and even has a solid amount of extras on board too. So if you’re a fan of the Kendrick brother’s movies, this should be a solid watch for you, other people may want to proceed with caution, so to split the difference I’m going to recommend this for a rental.
Technical Specifications:
Starring: Camerono Arnett, Priscilla C. Shirer, Aspen Kennedy
Directed by: Alex Kendrick
Written by: Alex Kendrick, Stephen Kendrick
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DD 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, English, French, Spanish
Studio: Sony Pictures
Rated: PG
Runtime: 123 minutes
Blu-Ray Release Date: December 3rd, 2024
Recommendation: Rental