Saw "OVERCOMER" last night and it was absolutely terrific...DESPITE the (in my opinion) poorly chosen TITLE of the movie. The poorly chosen title might explain why there doesn't seem (to me) to be as much INTEREST in this Kendrick Brothers films as there was in the LAST few, at least not initially. VERY FEW were in the theater with me, frankly!! Let me explain what I mean by "poorly chosen title."
Look, the Target Audience for this movie is CLEARLY Christians, and 95% of us have heard the wonderful SONG "Overcomer" by Mandisa...since 2013 we've heard it over and over and over, in fact. For the Kendrick brothers to choose a song which predates their LAST great movie, "War Room," gives the impression to their fans that they are going backwards, not forwards in their art...a "Been there, Done that" feel, like they're out of original ideas. Bad enough that THIS movie has two of the same actors that "War Room" had *, but to TITLE this movie after a six year old song, which already appeared in ANOTHER Christian movie?? Big mistake, in my opinion.
Also, the LYRICS to the song "Overcomer" draw primarily on a BOXING analogy, and (these are not Spoilers, BTW, you can read them in most REVIEWS of the movie) the movie features BASKETBALL and CROSS-COUNTRY as sports...not BOXING. So to choose a song with a BOXING analogy may give Christians who despise Boxing (I am not one, but there are MANY) a reason not to go, and may also give clever, unsaved cynics and critics a reason to think there's a bit of "false advertising" going on. Additionally, those who WANTED to see Boxing might be very, very disappointed because the movie is titled after a song which clearly has Boxing as its theme.
Look, I'm a writer and TITLES must accurately convey CONTENTS. They say "You can't judge a book by it's cover" but you SHOULD be able to judge a MOVIE by its TITLE!! Just yesterday, I wrote a new poem and posted it on Facebook, asking my Friends for help coming up with a TITLE. The Kendrick Brothers should have sought counsel about properly TITLING this movie...not PUBLICLY, not on FACEBOOK, of course but in THEIR inner circles. They didn't...and it shows. (Frankly, having seen the movie I could come up with BETTER titles but I won't say what they are, those MIGHT be "Spoilers," Lol!!)
I hope the movie (pardon the pun) OVERCOMES this obstacle of its title because ONCE IT KICKS IN, IT IS A MASTERPIECE IN ITS OWN RIGHT. Despite the seeming predictability that the title suggests, it is filled with PLOT-TWISTS and PLEASANT SURPRISES...there were tears streaming down my face CONSTANTLY in the last 45 minutes or so. I was touched in my SOUL. Once again, as in "Flywheel," "Facing The Giants," "Fireproof," "Courageous" and "War Room," the movie ABOUNDS with solid Christian lessons and themes. Yes, Yes, Yes!! See the movie, even IF you are weary of the SONG "Overcomer," **
THIS MOVIE IS A MASTERPIECE.
* Not that I'm tired of looking (not lusting.....looking) at the godly and beautiful Priscilla Shirer, mind you!! Is she REALLY Tony Evans's daughter?? Must have got her looks from MOM, Lol!! (Just kidding, I love Tony Evans.)
** Before the "Overcomer" movie last night, there was a preview for ANOTHER movie.
Remember when I was RAVING here, a few months back, about Bruce Springsteen's new album "WESTERN STARS"?? Well, they've made a documentary about it and it will be in theaters in OCTOBER. Now, to make a MOVIE about an entire ALBUM is cool because the ALBUM is NEW...but for the Kendricks to title their MOVIE after a 6 year old song which predates their LAST flick is NOT cool, in my opinion. (Anyway, I was right about "Western Stars" being a classic ALBUM and I'm right about "Overcomer" being a wonderful MOVIE. SEE IT!!)
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