Saturday, June 22, 2013

On DVD: Facing the Giants (2006)

The Shiloh Eagles hadn't been to the postseason in several years under coach Grant Taylor. The coach had other issues to deal with at home, so you'd understand if this was too much to bear. However, it is Coach Taylor's faith that carries him through, and leads the Eagles to an amazing turnaround in "Facing The Giants".

"Facing", released in 2006, is equal parts "Friday Night Lights" & "Hoosiers", but with a decided Christian bent. The Eagles learn to trust each other as a team, and reach the playoffs for the first time in six years. It appears as though they'll end up one & done, but a loss turns into a win when the opposing team is disqualified from the tournament for using ineligible, older players, and it sends the Eagles on an improbable journey to the state finals.

Crackle UK provided the trailer:



As sports movies go, this is one of the most underrated films of the last three decades, if but because it didn't play in a lot of theatres, and most critics tend to shy away from Christian movies. Their loss.

Rating: A.

2 comments:

magicdog said...

I actually had heard of this film but as you mentioned - it didn't get much buzz from the MSM - Christian themes scare them!

I'm sure it has found a niche on DVD despite the discrimination - not unlike "The Passion".

hobbyfan said...

It was recommended to me by a friend, and it took me a few years before I found a used copy second-hand for super cheap. Now, I just have to find the soundtrack CD.......