Christian or Not, the Movie "Facing the Giants" Sucks

Let me start out by stating, up front, that I am a Christian and I am heterosexual. I say this because, before I did this review, I did some research about other reviews and opinions about the Christian sports movie called "Facing the Giants." It seems that nearly every critic agreed with me, that it's a really bad movie, but then each of those critics was, in turn attacked by a supposed Christian wanting to champion the movie. While some attempted to make valid, well-thought-out points, most simply accused all critics of being "homosexual" and worse by using even worse and less politically-correct terms.

The story of "Facing the Giants" is a pretty remarkable one. So impressive, in fact, that a documentary about the making of the movie would probably be infinitely more entertaining and compelling than the finished project itself. It was financed on a shoestring. It was directed by the man who stars in it. It was filmed in a small town with most of the cast and crew volunteers from local churches. It was released in a few theaters, then began a rigorous and constant touring schedule, playing at local churches. It made back the money it cost to finance the picture and more, grossing over 10 million bucks for a movie that cost about as much as your average student fillm.

The movie itself, is a sports cliche from the get-go. It focuses on a small school football team, coached by a man who is trying hard with his wife to have a baby. He has a car that breaks down. His football team has not won anything in many seasons and this causes many of his good, senior year players to actually move to other towns to play at other, bette, schools so they can be recruited by big colleges and pursue football careers. Things look bad for the new year when the students discover yet another player has defected to another team. The coaches all know they are in for a long season and a disastrous one.

Then, one day, the coach meets up with an old man who is known for walking the hallways, pausing at each locker, to bless the locker, and the students. He prays for these kids. He is, as you might expect, considered a bit of a nut. He talks with the coach and, soon,the coach has received a kind of epiphany. He is going to throw out the standard playbook and start preaching a faith-based way of coaching and playing. Yes, he and his players are going to, essentially, try to pray their way to the state championship.

Does it work? Does the Pope wear a funny hat? Would this movie try to do something different like, say, have the team lose and yet still have them keep their faith? Heck no. Will there be games that come down to the wire and require impossible feats of athletic prowess that could only be accomplished through a miracle? You had better believe it, buddy. Does any of it remain entertaining, interesting or remotely originaly? Not on your life.

It seems that Christians are clamoring for quality entertainment. They want films that will have Christian values, avoid excess violence, sex, nudity and cursing. They want to be entertained as much as the rest of the movie-going public. However, I can't help but think they should be entertained by something that is not so badly written, poorly acted and riddled with every single solitary sports-movie cliche as "Facing the Giants" is. In fact, this movie has a final scene involving a kicker who cannot kick more than 20 yards attempting a kick, into the wind, of over 50 yards to win a big game. Not only does the preaching start, but the boy's father, bound to a wheelchair, even stands up, holding onto a fence, as the music swells and the announcer over the radio gratefully steps in to fill us in on what's happening on the field. It's a scene that practically steps down off the screen, grabs a Bible along the way, and then beats you over the head, screaming "WEEP! FEEL THE EMOTION! FEEL ME TUGGING YOUR HEART STRINGS! FEEL INSPIRED!"

I know the actors were amatures. I know that the budget was a shoestring, but I also have seen movies with a similar starting point turn out into remarkable pieces of film. Take a look at Gus van Sandt's "Elephant" for a powerful, distrubing and shocking movie that you will not soon forget.

If you want a great sports movie check out "Hoosiers" which has kind of become the recent grand-daddy of sports movies and underdog stories. Let's not forget that there is even a key scene where the Christian player grabs the hands of the boy about to make a free-throw and prays over them. The Christian in that movie is not mocked or discounted. It is not, strictly speaking, a Christian movie, but it has Christian elements and it is far more entertaining.

I think Christians do deserve to have their own movies, but it does make you wonder about the purpose of such films. If there are Christian films just made for Christians, isn't that just preaching to the choir, perhaps literally? Wouldn't it be better, and more in keeping wit Christian doctrine, to make movies with more subtle themes and preachings and make them good, quality entertainment so that, perhaps, you could show them to the un-converted without embarassment? Won't the Christian audiences watching "Facing the Giants" already know and believe the elements preached here? If so, don't they at least deserve to be entertained with a better movie?

"Facing the Giants" is now available on DVD and cable. Is it worth the investment to buy the movie and the time investment to watch on cable? I have to vote no. I think, if you are a Christian, you would be better served by going to church or talking with your pastor or priest. If you are a non-Christian, all this movie will do is provide you with further proof that Christians are preachy bores and that you shouldn't bother with us.