War Room Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: War Room
Year: 2015
Director: Alex Kendrick
Country: US
Language: English

In September 2015, a Christian film called War Room was #1 at the box office, and has since gone on to become the top-grossing independent evangelical Christian movie ever in North America. This is surprising, because my encounters with "Christian" flicks seem to leave me underwhelmed. They often try to reach a broad audience, but non-Christians find them preachy, near propaganda, too sentimental & condescending. Many don't show a realistic internal struggle that comes with either having or questioning faith. Pictures like Grace Unplugged depict faith as how rich white men experience it, not how it really is. Thought I respect the religion, I don't identify as a Christian. I'm more of an agnostic who wants to believe in God but isn't ready to take the "leap of faith". Here is my review of War Room
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 The picture follows Tony and Elizabeth Jordan, a couple who seemingly have it all-great jobs, a beautiful daughter, their dream home. Unfortunately appearances can be deceiving. In reality, their marriage has become a war zone and their daughter is collateral damage.

"Victories don't come by accident"  Ok, but sometimes victories in war don't happen at all (as the case with Vietnam & the Iraq war). Sometimes victories happen at the cost of millions of lives. Sometimes we have to nuke Hiroshima & Nagasaki in order to win the war. Is this film going to end with the nuking of a spiritual Hiroshima? I hope not. 

On a serious note, what did I just watch? The husband is cheating on his wife and the WIFE is asking for forgiveness? Yep, it's a pretty sexist picture where the entire relationship depends on the woman & how she needs to gain more faith in God despite the husband being the problem. "How can I submit to my husband?"  Course the problem isn't him and his verbally abusive ways, no it's THE DEVIL who is purposefully messing with her mind. What the hell!? (pun intended!)

Ridiculously preachy, War Room is about as subtle as a napalm enema. "Go to hell and leave my family alone!" *triumphant music* Hey did you know that if you shout "in the name of Jesus!" to a mugger he'll leave you alone? Admittedly I didn't fully understand the concept of "faith" and "grace" before I watched the movie, but I feel this film reduced my understanding. Forget marriage counseling, PRAYER is what you need.

Perhaps the biggest sin this picture commits is the fact that it makes light of abuse. There's no other way to put it, her husband is an asshole and she constantly is apologizing for it. "I shouldn't be the judge, GOD is his judge!" Certainly one should work at their marriage, but we shouldn't be encouraging victim blaming. Granted the  husband does repent (seemingly out of the blue with no build up) , but the film suggests it's because of the wife's faith. "I will fight for our marriage because I love Jesus" Blah, I'm glad I didn't pay to see this. 0.5/5