Fireproof–The Review
Posted byWhile attending the 2008 annual convention of Southern Baptist, I was privileged to view the upcoming film Fireproof. On the way to the viewing I ran across Norman Jameson the editor of the North Carolina Baptist paaper The Biblical Recorder. Brother Norman asked if I would write a review for the BR and jokingly, I thought, agreed. When I returned home he called to ask about the review and that was when I realized he was serious. As I sat down to the task I realized that I had not so much read reviews of movies much less written one. This movie is scheduled to be released on September 26, 2008. I would encourage you to contact Sherwood Baptist if you desire some promotional material.
I owe much credit to my new staff member Rev. David Stanford for his valuable assistance. He is an avid reader of movie reviews and is also working on his PhD. in Apologetics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Also, I owe many more thanks to Brother Norman and his staff at the BR. They were able to edit this review into something that actually looks like a movie review. Well, enough about why I was not worthy to write about this and on to the review. As I understand, this review will be published in the next issue of the Biblical Recorder. You can access their website at www.biblicalrecorder.org. It should be on line soon.
Sherwood Church produces hit that may fireproof marriages
By Tim Rogers
A story is told about French author Victor Hugo anxiously asking his publisher about sales for his new book Les Miserables. Hugo sent a telegram that said simply, “?”. His publisher sent this response “!”: a lesson on brevity I apply to my task of reviewing the upcoming release of Fireproof.
Fireproof is the new movie presented by Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Ga., the same church that released the 2006 success Facing the Giants, which grossed more than $10 million at the box office while spreading an encouraging Christian message. While at the SBC annual meeting in Indianapolis, my family attended a special screening of this new family friendly film.
I am not a professional movie reviewer, nor do I attend many movies. Thus, the following is only the impressions of a preacher who saw a movie for free that he believes is worth spending money to see again.
The plot keeps you engaged as it follows the main character, Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron), as he embraces the lie of materialism. Cameron’s character is struggling to save a failing marriage, maintain a successful career as a fireman, and dealing with a flawed perception of a nagging mother, all while making life peaceable.
In the midst of this chaos, he finds anchors in a father and a friend who openly, but not obtrusively, share their faith. As you watch, you will notice how well the movie engages real life. It kept this viewer embracing his daughter, holding his wife’s hand, and all the while wiping tears that came both from laughter and emotional empathy.
If you see this movie, you will be drawn into the amazing intensity of dramatic rescues. You will also find yourself laughing hysterically at the antics of firefighters in the fire house, along with the attitudes of nosey neighbors.
The salvation scene is especially moving. I felt like shouting as the camera panned to the cross. Many people did shout at the screening.
The production values for this movie while professional, also endure some amateurish glitches. But those scenes are not so problematic that they detract. However, you may notice some halting between lines and awkward movement between some scenes.
Those who saw Facing the Giants will notice a return of some characters; a reminder that Hollywood did not produce this movie. Overall, the production leaves room for improvement, but the discrepancies did not detract from the movie.
This movie is a “must see” for everyone, but especially for couples. It reminded me that I have stopped dating my wife and I came away from that movie with a renewed passion for a return to dating her again.
A production package was made available to pastors to enable us in promoting this movie, something our church is praying about. Other churches can get the same promotional material.
What can I say about this movie? I simply remind you of the brevity and insight of Victor Hugo’s publisher. !
18 Comments
June 20th, 2008 at 6:39 am
Can’t wait to see it. Thanks for the review.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Just saw the movie at a local screening last night. Amazing movie in my opinion. It was done in such a way that anybody, saved or unsaved, married or single, good or bad marriage, ought to be able to find a point of connection with the movie. The screenplay did a great job of dealing with real-life issues but yet doing so in a tactful and family-friendly way. And the message behind the movie is excellent as well. It truly is a challenge to ANY one who desires to have a healthy, happy marriage and family. I can’t wait till September to take my wife so we can see it together.
June 20th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Brother Todd,
I would encourage you to get your church involved in this movie.
Brother Jeffery,
This is a great movie as you know. I also would encourage you to get your church involved in promoting this movie. When The Passion of Christ came out we bought out a showing of the movie in our local theater. I had that theater time and offered an invitation. As you know from the movie it really was awkward as the movie ending was not conducive to people’s minds being one of mortal issues. However, Fireproof is one movie that stirs the soul to thinking about eternal issues, but also about how life is lived to the fullest. I believe an invitation will go well with this movie at the theaters.
Blessings,
Tim
June 20th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Tim: While I appreciate the surprisingly good quality and obvious passion for the Gospel from the folks behind Facing the Giants, I found one of the messages of the movie troubling. It was “come to Christ and all your problems will be solved.” Every single problem faced by the protagonists in the film were happily solved as a result of their commitment to Christ, right down to finding the rat. We have many many frustrated and resentful Christians in our churches as a result of this kind of message, because their problems don’t always ( or even usually) go away when they become a Christian or recommit to Christ.
What is your take on the new movie from that perspective?
June 20th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Brother Bill,
I agree with that flaw that you voice concerning the films. I do pray that as we begin to deal with these issues through film, the producers take that to heart. Also, do you realize they have a blog? Just Google “Fireproof” and the search will reveal the movie website. You can find the blog from there. I believe that would be good interaction for the producers to realize how now so real to life the endings sometimes are. However, I believe that these endings are more of the rule and the endings where things do not work out and the rat just stays in the house until is stops stinking is the exception. But, that is just me.
Blessings,
Tim
June 20th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Brother Bill,
One other thing. I believe it would make a great follow-up to Fireproof for there to be a movie that helps deal with the baggage from the sin that enters a life that comes to Christ. As you said, it is not always the good guy gets the girl ending that we are sometimes led to believe.
Blessings,
Tim
June 20th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Tim, I agree on that one.
As an unpublished novelist, I find myself struggling to determine how blatantly Christian or how brutally realisitic my writing should be.
Should I write the way things are or the way they ought to be? Should I tie everything up into a neat ending or should I leave things a little messy?
Facing the Giants was a nice movie. It leaned toward the idealistic and even perhaps a little utopian.
I would love to see Christians do quality, entertaining movies (like these ones) that perhaps do not tie up all the loose ends quite so neatly.
But, compared to most of the junk that is out there, this church’s movies shine pretty brightly.
June 20th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Brother Dave,
I will be honest and tell you that Fireproof does tie everything up neatly. I wonder, as I said above, if the producers have ever considered doing a sequel to this movie showing how all of the baggage need to be unpacked.
Blessings,
Tim
June 20th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
I think the purpose of this church in doing these movies is alot like the old Billy Graham movies – an overtly evangelistic purpose.
Because of that, they are going to lean to the neat wrap-up.
I loved the Prodigal and some of the other Billy Graham movies, but they also wrapped things up.
I don’t think the church is trying to win an Oscar, but to share the gospel.
But I do think you are right that a “Christ is Lord even when life is a mess” movie would be great.
June 20th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I laughed. I cried. I rejoiced. I will go see this movie again, and I will encourage my church and everyone else to go and see it…especially the people who have troubled marriages.
David
June 22nd, 2008 at 12:36 pm
okay, Tim. I’m sold. will go see the movie. and send tickets to some friends of mine. selahV
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Sister Harriette,
You will not regret seeing the movie or the money you will spend to get others there. It will move you.
Blessings,
Tim
August 19th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Yes! Very much a movie needed these days! With the loss of the concept of “covenant”, marriage is often seen as a stage in life, certainly a preferred stage, but one that we can leave if it doesn’t work the way we expect. From the short trailer I saw, the movie stresses the point that a good marriage takes commitment, it takes work – and it’s worth it.
Howeverrrrr . . .
There’s the point that Christ doesn’t solve all problems the moment He adopts us, He brings us through them. Tim and Dave were bothered by the underlying message of “say a prayer and everything will be groovy.”
Along with that, whose fault is it that this fireman’s marriage is breaking up? From what I’ve seen, both observing breakups and from my own marriage, both spouses have some fault here. I have not seen the movie, and a trailer can’t help but be incomplete in a 2-minute snippet, but it appears to put all the blame on the husband. We hear that from the feminists; it’s all the husband’s fault, therefore anything the wife does that looks bad is completely justified.
Agape – sacrificial love, on which marriage is based – is risky. As a husband, I feel safer showing agape to my wife when I know that she won’t take advantage of me. It takes trust, it takes work. And I hope the movie shows the fireman’s wife asking “what can I do to help us make it?” And both of them making the efforts and adjustments necessary. And seeking God in the process, because He’s the great heart-changer.
August 19th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Ron,
Go see the movie, then comment. The wife has some of the blame as well. You will have to see it.
David
August 19th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Brother Ron,
Brother David is correct. She does shoulder some blame. However, you do bring out a valid point. One thing about this movie that I have been critical of in Facing the Giants is that every thing works out in the end.
While that give great moving, tear-stained shoulder, and hope for a future, it does not always work out that way. I will tell you that a divorce notice is served and it does seem that he has lost her. However, if you remember Facing the Giants, the coach won the championship and his wife became pregnant. Sometimes coaches get fired and wives never get pregnant. I am waiting for the people at Sherwood to make a movie with that kind of ending. That is where serving God is real.
I do encourage you to see the movie.
Blessings,
Tim
September 19th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
I am a prior member of Sherwood that moved away years ago. Several of my family members are in the movie and I am looking forward to seeing it.
However, I have to agree with the comments in this forum. Things do not always turn out “wonderful” as long as you believe. It follows the health and wealth gospel that is destroying true christian doctrine. Just tell Paul, Peter and all the other disciples that if you believe you will be saved from bad things.
It is my understanding that the Kendrick’s have contracted to do five movies with Sony. If that is true, I challenge them to script a movie that leaves the movie viewer with “Where is God when it hurts?”….that things don’t always turn out great. Not to be morbid, but if Caleb would have died in a fire before he had a chance to see his marriage come through, wouldn’t that be more of a reality that Christians see everyday?
September 25th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Hi, I previewed the movie several months ago along with my husband…for both of us, it is our second marriage. We both cried and were overwhelmed by what we experienced and as a result were very instrumental in bringing it to our town. I have read the comments regarding the movie and note the concerns about everything being wrapped up neatly in the end. Are we forgetting that there is a happy ending when we follow Christ! Though the road may be rocky and difficult along the way, if we choose to follow Christ, when we DO get to the end, Christ is waiting for us with open arms. And I want to emphasize that this movie gives us an element of hope! Without hope, why bother! I gave up hope in my first marriage and I quit on not only my spouse, but God too! But God did not give up on me and that is what this movie is about…Do not give up even when things don’t work out the way we THINK they should. God still has a plan! If we all saw things the way God does, I think we would realize that things are more neatly wrapped up than we think! In any way you look at it…we can all learn the lesson of loving unconditionally, the only way Christ has loved us and we have the promise of being loved in return!
October 28th, 2008 at 12:16 am
I just got back from watching Fireproof… it was great to see such a different-flavored movie on the regular, big screen