Movie Review: War Room

War Room

Recommended For: Ages 12 to Adult

Rating: PG (for thematic elements throughout)

Filled with heart, humor, and wit, War Room follows Tony and Elizabeth Jordan, a couple who seemingly have it all-great jobs, a beautiful daughter, their dream home. But appearances can be deceiving. In reality, their marriage has become a war zone and their daughter is collateral damage. With guidance from Miss Clara, an older, wiser woman, Elizabeth discovers she can start fighting for her family instead of against them. As the power of prayer and Elizabeth's newly energized faith transform her life, will Tony join the fight and become the man he knows he needs to be? Together, their real enemy doesn't have a prayer.

This was the first Kendrick Brothers movie I have ever seen in theaters. And it was entirely worth it.

Technology: 4.75/5

This movie was superbly done. The Kendrick Brothers have learned a lot since the making of Flywheel, which had a great story, but bad acting. This time, it was almost perfectly well-acted. My one complaint was the robber. He wasn't very well-acted. He wasn't mean enough or threatening enough. But they've improved greatly if they only have one instance of bad acting in the movie. As always with a Kendrick Brothers movie, the movie is chock-full of well-placed humor while having a dozen heartfelt moments as well, a couple of which I had tears in my eyes for. And since I almost never cry over fiction (Last of the Mohicans and an episode of BBC Sherlock), this is a big deal.

Setting: 5/5

This is the first Kendrick Brothers movie not to be filmed in Albany, Georgia! Instead, it was filmed in North Carolina. The place is never said in the movie, although it is obviously down South. It is just a typical normal-world environment, filmed on location in the real world. It's hard to go wrong with a setting like that.

Plot: 5/5

Wow. I mean wow. It's definitely not an evangelistic movie, geared more towards getting Christians to stand up and fight the right way: with prayer. That is something that is desperately needed in today's world. And it wasn't preached at you or thrown at your head, either. It was tastefully done in a way everyone can appreciate and woven into the plot with the skill of an expert craftsman. Superbly done.

Characters: 5/5

Thumbs up to the Kendrick Brothers for not making the mentor just a boring, preachy character. Miss Clara was amazingly done, full of wisdom, yet hilarious in a way only little old ladies can be. Elizabeth was well done. Her character arc was supreme, and Tony SPOILER turned around in a completely awesome and wholly believable way. END SPOILER I love Danielle, and Jennifer is hilarious. What Tony's boss did was rather predictable, but that was mainly because Alex Kendrick played him, and Alex Kendrick's characters always do the right thing in the end. 

In short, go see this movie right now. Parents be warned, Tony almost cheats on his wife, so use your discretion on that. Plus younger children are likely to find it boring. But everyone (and I mean everyone) should go see this movie. It was completely amazing, and also the first movie I've been to where the people watching applauded at the end. Entirely recommended.