WAR ROOM: Disappointing Critics, But Warming Hearts in Theaters Across America

Last updated on: September 9, 2015 at 2:09 pm by Kathy Schiffer

WAR ROOM: Disappointing Critics, But Warming Hearts in Theaters Across America 2015-09-09T14:09:30-05:00 Kathy Schiffer

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

I was going to completely ignore the Kendrick brothers’ newest movie WAR ROOM. I’d read some sullen reviews by critics who complained that its religious theme was a no-brainer (“Prayer is good”). Its simplistic plot, said those critics, failed to engage the viewer, offering pablum instead of a respectable plot with a climax and denouement.

But then the film opened across America, and acclaim from viewers began piling up in social media–on Facebook and Twitter. Entertainment critics touted it as a “box office success” and “number one in theaters.” I was ready to judge for myself, so my husband and I went to see it over the Labor Day weekend.

And here’s the thing: We really liked it!

I’m not a fulltime movie critic, just an ordinary wife and mother who sometimes plays one on the Internet; but I know what I like. WAR ROOM was church-y, as its most vociferous critics claim; but we liked it nonetheless. Frankly, I’m having a hard time seeing why its theme of faith and the power of prayer is something to be scorned. And the moviegoers who filled the theater Sunday evening seemed to agree with me! The crowd whooped and hollered and applauded all through the film, enjoying its comedic moments and its lip-smacking good message.

When we left the theater, cheeks slightly sore after two hours of smiling, we bumped into groups of movie fans in the hallway, talking about Jesus. So what’s not to like?

I’d like to have a word with those critics (I won’t name names) who bemoan what they consider a saccharine-sweet lowbrow production, who demand to know why a movie like this should even be made.

I don’t go to movies that are violent or X-rated. I don’t go to cartoons. I wandered around the 20-theater complex, looking at movie posters and trying to spot another film I might enjoy on another day. I didn’t find one.

The mega-theater where WAR ROOM was playing was at the same time showing eight (EIGHT!) R-rated films which I would not see, as well as “Ant Man” and “Fantastic Four” and “Jurassic World” for kids or sci-fi lovers. WHY SHOULDN’T THERE BE A CLEAN, FAMILY-FRIENDLY, FAITH-BASED MOVIE FOR THOSE WHO WANT IT?

This week’s box office results are proving that there are MANY people who feel un-served by Hollywood, and who want exactly this type of film. There are plenty of us who don’t enjoy cutting-edge dirt.

So go on, exclaiming about how uncultured are the people who like message films. I’m not listening.

Previous Post

September 6, 2015

Joke With the Pope! New Website Wants YOUR Joke About the Pope and the Catholic Church

Next Post

September 9, 2015 Saintly Scammers! Faux Nuns On Doorsteps in Florida

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #Synod14 Abortion Abstinence Abuse Addiction Adoption Advent Adventure Advertising Aging Agnosticism All Saints Day All Souls Day Amish Anathema Angels Anglican Animals Annulment Annunciation Apocalypse Apologetics Apostles Apostleship of the Sea Apparitions Archangels Archbishop Cordileone Archbishop Dolan Archbishop Vigneron Archeology Architecture Art Art Buchwald Ash Wednesday Assisted Suicide Astronauts Atheism Athletes Babies Baptism Beatification Beauty Bible Biochemistry Bioethics Birds Bishop Lori Bishops Blasphemy Books Canon Law Canonization Capital Punishment Cardinal Burke Cardinal Dolan Cardinal George Caritas Catechesis Catechism of the Catholic Church Catholic Catholic Education Catholic Higher Education Catholic Social Teaching Celibacy Cemeteries Character Charity Chastity Cheapskate Christian Unity Christmas Churches Civil Rights Cloning Comedy Communion of Saints Community Kitchens Confession Confirmation Conscience Consequences Consistory Constitution Contraception Conversion Cooking Councils of the Church Creativity Criminal Justice Cristero War Crucifixion Crystal Cathedral Culture Death Death and Dying Death Penalty Department of Health and Human Services Diaconate Dictatorship of Relativism Dignity Disability Discrimination Dissidence Divorce Doctors of the Church Early Church Fathers Easter Economics Ecumenism Education Encyclicals Environmentalism Episcopal Church Eucharist Euthanasia Evangelism Evangelists Evangelization Evolution Excuses Facebook Faith Families Family Fashion Fasting Fatherhood Federal Government Feminism Fiction Film First Amendment First Communion For Greater Glory Forgiveness Free Speech Friends Friendship Gender Discrimination Germany Gnosticism Good Friday Government Grace Greed Gregorian Calendar Happiness Health Heaven Heresy History Holidays Holiness Hollywood Holy Land Holy Saturday Holy Spirit Holy Week Holy Year Home Sweet Home Homosexuality Hope Humanism Humility Humor Imagination Immaculate Conception Immigration Impulsivity In Vitro Fertilization Incarnation Indulgences Infallibility Internet Islam Italy Jerusalem Jesus Judaism Justice Kathleen Sebelius Labor Movement LCWR Lent Life Literature Liturgy Lourdes Love Magi Marketing Marriage Martyrdom Martyrs Mary Mass Media Medical Ethics Mexico Michigan Miracles Missionaries Modernism Modesty Monks Monothelitism Motherhood Movies Mushrooms Music Muslim Mystery Mysticism Mythology Nativity Natural Law Nature New Evangelization New Media New Year New Year's Resolutions Nostalgia Obscenity Occult Old Testament Origen Orthodox Orvieto Pallium Papacy Parenting Patience Patriarch Bartholomew Patriotism Peace Peace and Justice Penitence Pentecost People Persecution Philosophy Poetry Political activism Political Correctness Politics Polls Pop Culture Pope Benedict XVI Pope Francis Pope John Paul II Pope John XXIII Pope Paul VI Pope St. Pius X Pope Urban VII Population Prayer Preaching Prejudice Pride Priesthood Pro-Life Protestantism Psychology Purgatory Queenship of Mary Racism Rape Real Presence Reconciliation Reformation Relics Religious Religious Liberty Reliquary Renewal Reproductive Technology Resurrection Rights Romance Rome Royalty Sacraments Sacred Heart Saints Satanism Science Science Fiction Scripture Seal of Confession Secularism Seniors September 11 Seventy Times Seven Sexuality Sharks Sin Smoking Social Communications Social Justice Social Networking Social Sciences Space Exploration Spirituality Sports St. Luke St. Patrick's Day St. Paul St. Peter St. Teresa of Avila Stations of the Cross Steve Jobs Superstition Supreme Court Symbolism Synod Technology Teen Rebellion Television Terrorism Thankfulness Thanksgiving Theology Think This, Not That Tobit Toilets Toys Tradition Traditions Transplants Travel Trinity Twitter U.S. Air Force Uncategorized United Nations USCCB Valentine Vatican Vatican Archives Vatican Blogfest Virtue Vocations Where We Pray White Heart Women World Day of Social Communications World Meeting of Families World News World Youth Day Worship Writing Year of Consecrated Life Year of Faith Year of Mercy Youth

Select a Month December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What did Jesus use to heal blind man?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Water Oil Mud and saliva Cloth