Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		2.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Facing the Giants Blu-ray Movie Review

This small budget film makes a big impact.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 4, 2009

If we win, we praise Him. And if we lose, we praise Him.

The Old Testament book of 1 Samuel recounts the story of David versus Goliath, perhaps the first true underdog tale ever recorded. The weaker Israelites were starring down the barrel of a stronger Philistine army in the Valley of Elah. Goliath -- the greatest of the Philistine warriors and believed to be several feet taller and far stronger than any normal human being -- challenged the Israeli army to send to him a lone warrior for a one-on-one confrontation that would determine the outcome of the battle. A young, unassuming shepherd boy, David, was bringing supplies to his brothers who were amongst the Israeli ranks and, when he learned of the giant's proposition, he asked for permission from Israel's King Saul to meet the challenge. Seeing as nobody else in the Israeli army was crazy enough to face the behemoth, Saul agreed. David chose five smooth stones from a nearby stream and stared down the giant not with sword and shield, but with a slingshot and confidence in God's ability to win the day for him. Indeed, David managed to strike the giant in the forehead, causing him to tumble before the Israelite, who subsequently beheaded his fallen opponent. Several years later after facing his giant, David -- the runt of the family, believed to be of no value except as a herder of sheep -- was anointed King of Israel.

In the Word.

Six years ago, Shiloh Christian Academy hired a new head coach, Grant Taylor (Alex Kendrick), to turn its fledgling football program around and deliver a winning season. The school's still waiting. People around the program are getting antsy, and their concerns aren't assuaged when the team once again looks like it's headed nowhere fast, losing even to teams weaker than they. Word has it that Taylor's on the hot seat and boosters are angling to get one of his assistants to help in a coup to remove him for good. On top of a losing season, Taylor's personal life is suffering. He and his wife Brooke (Shannen Fields) are barely getting by on their combined salaries. The family car is on its last legs, the stove is broken again, and to top things off, a mysterious foul odor has seeped into the house. Despite their hardships, Brooke and Grant want nothing more than to have a baby. They've been trying for four years, but to no avail. Though he's always been a Christian, Grant's been neglecting his relationship with God. He turns to the Lord when all hope seems lost in both his personal and professional life and asks Him to take control of his life during an all-night Bible study and prayer session. He develops a new coaching philosophy that puts God first, ahead even of wins and losses, asking his team to show character, hard work, and determination on the field that reflects their personal walk with Christ. Can the Shiloh Eagles overcome their physical deficiencies, small roster, and lack of confidence to reflect the power of God and His ability defeat even the biggest of Giants?

Facing the Giants uses football as a metaphor to demonstrate the power of God in all situations. Like all good movies of this sort, however, it's not really about football; the game is simply a means to an end to convey the broader and far more important message on faith; spiritual well-being; mental toughness; teamwork; and a positive, Christ-like attitude not only in church or on the gridiron but in every area of one's life. Although the overreaching story arc revolves around football, each primary character has their own giants which need be conquered in order to help bring them all together under one unified banner of faith to turn things around on the field. Coach Taylor's problems are well-documented above, but several other characters deal with an array of personal problems that only through trust in God and under their coach's spiritual guidance can they slay. One character struggles with a poor relationship with his father; another is gifted with leadership qualities but fails to use them; yet another lacks confidence in his ability to perform on the field. It's never at all difficult to see where Facing the Giants is headed, and it takes but a few minutes to know exactly how the movie will end (and not only in predicting that the team will literally defeat the Giants). Nevertheless, its strength lies not in its ability to keep audiences on their toes but instead to shine a light on what it takes to tackle life's problems: absolute faith in God.

Although Facing the Giants is as predictable as they come, it's impossible to not only cheer on the team during the big game but to also become emotionally involved in the subplots that truly define the film. Facing the Giants does a superb job in pulling at the heartstrings even in the midst of cliché and predictability not because of some brilliant filmmaking technique or Oscar-worthy acting but because of the film's simplistic yet honest and unabashed storytelling approach. Never once does Facing the Giants shy away from its message. Although the spiritual content dominates the film once Taylor rededicates his life to the Lord, it never feels preachy but instead perfectly natural and completely uplifting as the power of faith and God goes to work in the lives of each primary character and, subsequently, as He guides the team to the inevitable showdown with its own giant. Coach Taylor makes for a fine role model for all audiences. He's a good but not perfect man, but his renewed faith in God proves to be an inspiration not only for his team and those around him but to the audience that cannot help but to become moved as his dedication to leading the team both on the field and in their spiritual walk begins to have a positive effect on the squad, the school, and in each player's own life as one giant after another falls to the power of belief that's best exemplified in the scripture that closes the film: "With God all things are Possible" (Matthew 19:26).

This faith-based motion picture, produced by Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, and starring members of the congregation, was filmed for a "measly" $100,000 but the production doesn't suffer as a result of the small budget. There are no name actors to speak of in the film, though leading man Alex Kendrick has appeared in the two other films the church has produced: 2003's Flywheel and 2008's Fireproof. Starring volunteer church members, Facing the Giants doesn't feature the best acting ever committed to film but it's remarkably solid through the ranks of the primary characters. Kendrick truly surprises throughout; his ability to draw on several levels of emotion and, most importantly, showcase a genuine Christian spirit elevates the film several notches. The strength of not only Kendrick but the entirety of the primary cast lies not in raw acting talent but instead in their genuine embrace of the thematic material that's central to the film. It's easy to see their real-life faith shine through into their performances, and while there's no future Patrick Stewart among them, each of these volunteer actors gives a moving and genuine effort that, at least for one film, makes stars of each and every one of them. Technically, Facing the Giants never has a problem in overcoming its shoestring budget. It takes on the look of a far more expensive production, highlighted by wonderful cinematography courtesy of former NFL Films D.P. Bob Scott, whose film credits include Any Given Sunday and Friday Night Lights.

Facing the Giants Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Facing the Giants suits up on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 1.85:1-framed transfer. Shot on HD video and with a shoestring budget, it's impossible to expect Facing the Giants to look like The International, and while this is far from being the most impressive 1080p image out there, it looks just fine considering its source. There are a few times where the image takes on a somewhat muddy, undefined appearance, particularly during some of the nighttime football games or in particular bright outdoor shots where clumps of trees and green grass look like an indistinct mass of color rather than appearing as sharp, lifelike, and natural. Facing the Giants does have a few very nice-looking shots up its sleeve; foreground objects generally appear as acceptable in quality and fine detail impresses more often than not. The color palette varies a bit; bright primaries, for instance coach Taylor's red polo shirt, or a purple sweater his wife wears in one scene, stand out from the rest and tend to appear more overblown than the lesser, more mundane shades found throughout. Black levels are generally fine if not a slight bit too bright, and flesh tones never appear as overtly problematic. While Facing the Giants' 1080p transfer lacks compared to the best Blu-ray visuals available, it's rather good in context and never detracts from the quality of the film.

Facing the Giants Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Facing the Giants fumbles with a mediocre Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Unfortunately, there's no oomph, verve, or vigor to this one. Like the video, however, it's more likely due to the film's limited budget, but it's hard not to notice just how pedestrian this Blu-ray sounds. Despite the football sequences, this is still a primarily dialogue-driven drama, and at least that aspect of the soundtrack never disappoints. Still, the football scenes sound incredibly weak. There's no sense of space or atmosphere. It's front heavy, rather puny, and not at all invigorating or immersing. The band is heard but with little authority to the music they play; crowd noise is palpable but never comes alive; and the hits on the field fizzle. There seems to be more surround activity in some of the more dramatic moments than there is during the games. In the aftermath of the first game, listeners will hear starting cars, fan chatter, and footsteps scattered all around the soundstage as a disappointed crowd begins the return trip home. The music -- including a few top-rated Christian songs -- plays with an appropriate level of volume and clarity. Otherwise, there's very little to this one. It never interferes with the film, but it never does much of anything to bring it alive from a sonic perspective, either.

Facing the Giants Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Facing the Giants contains several extras, first among them a commentary track with Writer/Producer Stephen Kendrick and his brother, Writer/Producer/Director/Actor Alex Kendrick. They discuss a nice array of topics, including how they shot football sequences, the many people that made the film possible on both sides of the camera, plot points, editing the film for pacing, rearranging scenes, and more. Of course, there is much discussion on faith, God, His role in making the film come together, how He works in the lives of the characters in the film, and the lessons to be learned through both the film and scripture. Fumbles, Funnies, and Other Stuff (480p, 11:35) is a collection of bloopers from the set. Next up is a collection of 13 deleted scenes (480p) with a brief director introduction. Behind the Scenes of 'Facing the Giants' (480p, 7:21) is a brief piece that looks at the themes of the film through cast and crew interview clips, behind the scenes footage, and shots from the film. It also examines the film's purpose, the church's role in producing the film, the volunteer work of the cast and crew, and more. Interview with Mark Richt (480p, 3:44) is a brief conversation between Alex Kendrick and University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt, who makes a cameo appearance in the film. Also included is the "With You" music video (480p, 5:58), BD-Live functionality, and 1080p trailers for Facing the Giants and Fireproof.

Facing the Giants Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Facing the Giants is a positive, uplifting, and family-friendly motion picture that not only entertains but delivers an important message on the power of faith and placing God first, whether in the classroom, on the football field, in the home, or wherever life may lead. Despite a predictable plot, Facing the Giants works extraordinarily well for what it is, a faith-based movie that's bound to touch the lives of all who watch. Sony's Blu-ray release of Facing the Giants delivers a decent high definition experience. Though it features a 1080p transfer that's fine within the limitations of the source, the lossless soundtrack is something of a disappointment. The disc does, however, comes with a decent array of bonus materials and, based on the strength of the film and the importance of its content, Facing the Giants comes with a strong recommendation.