“We must make sure we are right with Him and seeking His involvement in our culture, government, churches and families”.
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In an exclusive interview with Austin Movie Examiner, Ms. Abercrombie has told how she has appreciated performing old-soul characters with their depth and breadth of wisdom. “It will challenge you spiritually and touch you emotionally”.
The Kendricks’ concept of refocusing one’s heart and mind to achieve a happier life is noble and realistic, but are the film’s proponents truly OK with a story in which proof of God is illustrated by the Almighty giving someone food poisoning upon request?
Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research, noted. The couple experience a crisis that brings the film’s plot to a head – and sends Elizabeth to the “war room”. The movie’s Twitter account shows the excitement that has been building up over the release of the Kendrick Bros. latest offering about the power of prayer and early enthusiastic reviews by viewers who caught the early release showing on Thursday night or the opener on Friday.
What Elizabeth apparently needs is a quiet space where she can ask God to help her husband stop being a work-obsessed jerk; the responsibility for that change is on her, via The Lord when asked properly. The secondary emphases are on the importance of wifely submission in the midst of marital difficulty, the unthinkability of divorce, the desirability of children addressing their father as “sir” and-in an aside establishing Clara as a nice, proper lady -that it’s a shame so many young people these days have “sloppy hair and trousers around their knees”.
“Fight your battles in prayer first”, he said. “You meet with the Lord first”.
The film is rated PG for adult situations.
Film critic Phil Boatwright also finds merit in the movie’s inspirational elements. Specifically, War Room advocates the practice of becoming a “prayer warrior”, i.e., praying to God on behalf of oneself and others to accomplish specific goals. As I recall, it is some sort of closet where he can shut out the world’s distractions and focus on spiritual matters. And we see that throughout the Scriptures.
“‘War Room’ is the ideal addition to our August slate, following in the footsteps of last year’s hit, Heaven is For Real, which had a $12 million budget and grossed more than $100 million”, said Rory Bruer, President, Worldwide Distribution for Sony Pictures.
“He [God] gave us the analogy of the war room”.
War Room ranked at a 68 percent approval rating with the general audience 76 percent with females over 25 which coincides with the demographics for the majority of moviegoers on its opening weekend.
Combine such an odd turning point with the expected barrage of caricatures, manipulative music and easy transformations that cheapen the film’s well-intentioned message and “War Room” does little but exist in an echo chamber.
The movie’s release coincides with the release of a novelization of the movie, written by Moody Radio host and award-winning author Christ Fabry and published by Tyndale House Publishers.
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“There is power in unity, we can accomplish so much more, not just personally but corporately when we pray”, Kendrick states.
