The Forge

This is so good I plan on seeing it again.

Looking back I couldn't help but think about all the people who took an interest in me and helped shape the way I'd be as a successful person. The Forge is the kind of film that hits close to home in the sense of hope. The world is a selfish place to live these days and without the guidance for our young people it's easy to see where they could end up.

While it is a faith based movie- no secret in the advertising, I found it had something for everyone. This is a true underdog Rocky story with humor and I found myself cheering that conclusion.

The Kendricks have always made good movies in my opinion and this is another perfect movie you can take your family too. Warning: you might actually really enjoy it.

It's good to see characters from past Kendrick movies all pop up here. It's like they're all in the same universe and pushing along together. The story is simple, a young no direction man lands a job that turns into a mentorship and changes his life physically and spiritually. Cameron Arnett is terrific as the role model here in a very moving and powerful story. A definite winner.

This movie was an enjoyable watch - the cast was great top to bottom and the filming and sets looked crisp. The story, of a down and out young man looking to turn his life around with no real motivation to do so, is a good one.

Thanks to God, prayers of family and a great mentor figure things start to happen. The mentor is firstly a great actor, but the wisdom dispensed in this movie might be simple at first glance but is also invaluable. We'd all like a mentor like that man (hes a bit fantastical, but worth it) Its worth a watch, Christian or not just for that. Ofcourse it's made for Christians and im glad it doesnt shy away from it's faith themes but is watchable even if not christian. The scene with a bit of robot speak is a bit weird, but overall I enjoyed this film - a great one for young kids to direct them on the path.

Over the years, the Kendrick brothers have brought Christian movies to the forefront. I wouldn't call myself religious, so I know these movies aren't really aimed toward me. Still, I gotta do my duty as a movie critic and see every movie I'm able to, to feed my never-ending love of movies, and for you guys of course. Their newest movie is actually a spin-off of their earlier film WAR ROOM, which I actually watched afterwards, for research purposes. THE FORGE is a movie about 19-year-old Isaiah (Aspen Kennedy), an irresponsible boy who plays basketball with his friends and plays video games "too much". Raised by a single mom (Priscilla Shirer) who has had it with his bull, gives him 1 month to find a job. This leads Isaiah to meet Joshua (Cameron Arnett), an older man who gives him a job and becomes his mentor, in the company and in life. You can definitely tell the director is a preacher. I know the powerful religious message is important, but it completely overshadows any resemblance of a movie. This felt exactly like WAR ROOM, with lower stakes. Sermons and melodramatic praying out loud for most of it, then they remembered it needs to be more than just a bible study, so they have a nearly impossible task that the company needs to accomplish, or they lose the business. The balance between message and movie was way off to one side. I will say though the acting is very good, leading to me getting a little emotional during some scenes (leave my heartstrings alone). While THE FORGE has many obvious tropes, I think Christians will enjoy this sermon, not as much for film critics. No wonder it doesn't have a critic's score on Rotten Tomatoes yet.

Thus movie hit home with me simply because I was actually 19 when I came to God and He changed my life! I like how they're not ashamed but straight-foward with it being a Christian movie. But on the flip side, they're not making theirselves to look better than non-believers. It has something for everyone! It's very encouraging and gives us a new perspective on how our lives could be if we change with God! What brings this movie alive is the fact that these type of changes happen to people everyday and it's reality! Like I said, it previously happened to me! Now I look back at my life and am truely thankful that through God I got another chance! This movie is a reminder of our testimonies of what God can do! It's an offer of hope to those that need it! Great movie! Thank you to everyone that played their roles and made this movie possible! We definitely need more movies like this! 🙏

I was sitting alone in my grief from just experiencing my first Christmas since the loss of my older daughter, who passed suddenly without warning at tge age of 35 in January 2024. I was doom scrolling through available movies, looking for a lost blockbuster. I don't know why I decided to give The Forge a watch. Maybe just the hope for a better future through each one of us choosing to make a difference, even if just for one of us. Without exposing spoilers, there were surprising moments that resonated deeply. I am a Christian, but far from what the Lord wants me to be. This film speaks to people like me and people looking for a path.