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"Facing the Giants" REL3111

"Facing the Giants" REL3111

Film Analysis

“If we win, we praise Him. And if we lose, we praise Him. Either way we honor Him with our actions and our attitudes. So I’m askin’ you… What are you living for?” is a central and common theme not only in “Facing the Giants”, but also the religious background in which the movie focuses. This film stresses that with God anything possible and capable. If you’re looking for a film with a positive message, safe for the family, or has active and drama then “Facing the Giants” is a more than suitable option. However, if you aren’t in agreeance with the beliefs of Christianity than you may find yourself stressed and upset throughout the film. The film begins with Shiloh Christian Academy and coach Grant Taylor securing their sixth straight losing season. When the next season comes along, they find out that their star player has transferred out and the coaching staff as well as the players don’t take it well. As the film continues, we begin to learn that Grant Williams and his wife have issues outside of football, including car troubles, house problems, money issues, and trouble getting pregnant. Their season starts off with an embarrassing loss at home and that continues to the next week as well. Grant then finds out from bad news from his urologist and is too scared to go home to tell his wife Brooke. As a result of him staying at school late he overhears the fathers and others talk about replacing him as coach. As the next week out football comes and goes, they find themselves at 0-3 and Grant begins to pray more often for God to lead him. Grant now decides to lead the team in a new philosophy that honors and glorifies God rather than focusing on simply winning games. A senior, Brock, makes jokes during their team meeting and Grant challenges him to do a bear crawl to the 50-yard line blindfolded with a man on his back. As he does it, he tells Brock to not focus on where he is or how much is left, but rather giving his all, and he instead goes 100 yards. Grant explains that Brock is the most influential person on that team, and they go where he goes. At this time everything starts to change, they start winning games, being successful in the classroom, and Grants luck turns around as well. He’s gifted a new truck, finds out what the smell in their house was, gets a raise, his team reaches the state championships, and Brooke finds out that she’s pregnant. Grants leads his team to win the state title and ends with showing us that with God nothing is impossible. While the film seems to roll smoothly it also has some inconsistencies and leaves the viewers trying to figure out a proper timeline. The film shows a drastic sudden change in the players and it doesn’t touch on the struggles of that change. When trying to appeal to the religious side it can give people a false interpretation that it’s an immediate change and life is perfect. However, in most cases that isn’t exactly correct. Life is still a struggle, no one is perfect, and the devil will still try to attack you, and the film gives a false sense of security. On the other side, the film gives such a positive message to viewers. For those struggling with anything the film hits you perfectly by giving you real life problems that allows us to relate to them, and when we see them come out stronger on the other side it gives hope. The point of the film wasn’t just to give the story of the Eagles, but to show that God is bigger than us. God is in control and when we surrender our lives to him, he can do great things.

Review Now with all of this being taken into consideration, we can look at how this compares to others in the same genre. “Facing the Giants” can be categorized into many different genres, but we’ll focus on religion in film. This film ranks toward the top, due to its’ story and problems, being similar to those we face daily. The film makers wanted to allow viewers to relate to the struggles in the film, so that when they make the turn toward God, we’ll feel that we can do the same. For these very reasons is why the film succeeded in getting its message across. “You won the big one when you accepted Christ” stands true in Christianity and this film illustrates that perfectly. Overall, this film stands firm in its beliefs and can give anyone a quality time. Although we see some issues when it comes to the make-up of the film, its message was presented in a small manner that was able to touch the hearts and lives of others. If we were to grade the film on a 0-100, it’d get a respectable 84 as an overall film, but in its genre of religion would receive a 91.

'''Ninian Smarts "Seven Dimensions of Religion" as it relates to "Facing the Giants"  Experiential and Emotion''' Examples and Relation to Film - We see Grant Taylor feel guilty because of their lack of conception. With this though they get pregnant after they let God take full control of their lives. - We see his devotion the God, but also his team and his teams to him. - Early Grant Taylor seems to give up, but he stays true and trust God through it all with a little help from those around him and other staff at the school.

Narrative and Mythic ''Examples and Relation to Film '' - Abraham and Sarah who were in their 90’s had tried to have children for years, and it wasn’t until they turned to God that he told them they would. They put their faith and trust fully in him and he did exactly what he said he would. - Grant and Brooke Taylor had tried for kids, but when they both turned to God, he delivered, and she became pregnant at the end of the film. - His team suffered from many consecutive losing seasons, and unexpectedly they find success after trusting in God.

'''Practical and Ritual '          Examples and Relation to Film'' - Grant Taylor go to a spot in the woods alone to prayer Which Jesus tells us in Mark that this is important - The team create prayer groups to fellowship and build their trust

'''Doctrinal and Philosophical '              Examples and Relation to Film'' - Every other dimensions gives examples for this. - The way the team grows in God How Grant and Brooke grow as a unit and in Christ - The team putting their complete trust in God

Ethical and Legal Examples and Relation to Film - Change in the team after they change their focus from trying to just win football games and instead focus on how great God is. - Brocks unexpected 100 yard bear crawl with a teammate on his back.

Social and Institutional Examples and Relation to Film - The togetherness the team creates through their belief in God - Grant and Brookes trust in God, especially referring to trying to get pregnant - The players prayer group they create on the football field - The team prays before games for God to be glorified.

Material ''Examples and Relation to Film '' - The field goal kickers in ability to keep the ball straight, but once he fully believes in God and allows him to guide his life he kicks the game winning field goal.

Conclusion

When reviewing this film in deeper context and through the light of Ninian Smarts’ “Seven Dimensions of Religion”, and we see that the film “Facing the Giants” hits not only to mainstream audience, but also that on the religious end