Movie Review - Courageous

I've been known to rave about a lot of different movies. I've also been known to say that every movie I see was "Really good!" In fact, one of my friends recently said, "Is there a movie you've seen and haven't liked?!" There are a lot of movies I've seen that I haven't liked – such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, which I think is overrated – so when I see a good film, I like to give it a little publicity. Admit it – there aren't many good movies these days. Most of my favorite movies are old classics starring nearly-forgotten actors such as James Stewart, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Debbie Reynolds, and Mickey Rooney. The last few "clean" movies I've seen have been few and far between and mostly animated movies for kids, such as Toy Story 3 and Cars 2. I can't remember the last live-action, action/adventure movie that I really and truly liked that didn't have at least one scene in it that didn't need to be there.

Courageous, on the other hand, was a different story.

I think I can safely say that Courageous was the best movie I've seen this year – and I've watched a lot of movies this year.

Here's the synopsis:

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, they are confident and focused, standing up to the worst the streets have to offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood. When tragedy strikes home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a newfound urgency help these dads draw closer to their children? Protecting the streets is second nature. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.

My entire family went to see Courageous yesterday and everyone enjoyed it, even my younger siblings! The only part I didn't like was in the beginning, which before the movie even started. Knowing this was a PG-13 movie and there would most likely be some trailers for other, worse movies, my parents sent me and my siblings out of the theater to wait out the commercials. The trailers ended up being okay, but I agreed that we shouldn't risk it. When the movie finally started, I was on the edge of my seat. I hoped it would be as good as the other movies Sherwood Pictures has done, and I wasn't disappointed.

Everything you could want in a movie was there. There were some very exciting, intense parts that I absolutely loved. The comic relief was so funny, and I actually started crying in one part because I was laughing so hard! Even intrigue and mystery had a place towards the end, and that part nearly made me cry. (Actually, I almost cried a few times in sweet or sad parts, which is something I haven't really done in movies before! I had a tissue ready, but I think my mom needed it more than I did at one especially sad part.)

The main issue that Sherwood Pictures and the Kendrick brothers were trying to talk about was fatherhood, and they showed every single scenario possible – a father in jail, no father, you name it. They also covered a lot of other things too, such as courtship and dating (I loved that scene!), child training, and gangs. My sister said, "You could literally make a seminar out of the whole movie!"

One of the things my family was a little wary of was the rating. PG-13 for "action violence and drug content." This was the first PG-13 movie I've seen without my dad previewing it. Personally, I think it could have gotten a PG rating. True, it was a little intense in a few scenes, but significantly less bloody and intense than, say, Pirates of the Caribbean or Star Wars Episode III. The "drug content" was shown truthfully, laying out exactly what happens when people get mixed up with that sort of thing. (Also, I think I need to mention that there were absolutely no 'bad words' in this movie. At all.)

I don't think I have a favorite character or scene, but I definitely liked the Snake Kings gang scene – my whole family thinks it was the funniest part in the movie! I also liked the last action scene. It was very intense and riveting, which is just what I like.

It's true that the message of this movie doesn't exactly apply to me, being a 16-year-old girl who will remain single until she's married, but I appreciated what the Kendrick brothers were saying to fathers. I hope and pray that fathers (and fathers-to-be, however distant that future may be) will watch this movie and be challenged and inspired to take responsibility for their families. It's what this country needs to hear.

Bottom line: A VERY good movie! This will probably be the first movie I've ever gone to see multiple times in a theater. I'm going to have to pay for my own ticket, though, but that isn't stopping me from wanting to see it again! Please go see Courageous – it's well worth your time! You'll be inspired and challenged.

10 out of 10 (another first for me!)

~Eowyn~