The Forge

by Mike McGranaghan

The Kendrick brothers have done it again. The sibling filmmakers, responsible for Christian-themed fare including War Room and Lifemark, deliver another moving, spiritual story with The Forge. Their theme this time is discipleship. That will certainly strike a chord with the target audience. This is a must-see for fans of faith-based cinema.

Isaiah Wright (Aspen Kennedy) is a high school graduate with a bad attitude and no concrete life plans. To placate his mother Cynthia (Priscilla C. Shirer), he begins half-heartly looking for a job. One of the places he applies to is a company that manufactures gym equipment. Its owner, Joshua Moore (Cameron Arnett), takes the kid under his wing, first guiding him into embracing maturity, then introducing him to a Christian men’s group called the Forge. Isaiah’s newfound responsibility is put to the test when a crisis presents itself at the company.

The Forge is very much a character study of how Isaiah transforms himself from a wayward teen into a young man of character. Drama springs from the hurdles he faces along the way. Even though you know he’s going to succeed, watching him get there is still compelling thanks to Kennedy’s sincere performance. The actor makes the transformation credible, earning our sympathy along the way. Some of his moments are big, others small. All of them are touching.

What goes on around Isaiah draws you in, too. Cynthia has her own arc about worrying whether her son will find his path in life. Joshua has one, as well. Over time, we learn how and why he started the Forge, and that revelation may leave you choked up. Their arcs tie together with Isaiah’s to dive into what discipleship means. If one person can inspire another to live a purposeful life, it could set off a chain reaction that potentially changes the world. In that way, the movie gets you thinking about how you can become a better person.

What the Kendrick brothers understand is that story is just as important as the message delivery. That’s the key to their success. Their screenplay puts interesting challenges in front of Isaiah, leading to a third act that’s suspenseful because the scenario playing out carries real weight for the character. Put another way, the film isn’t just a sermon, it’s a drama with real-world stakes. Building up the kid’s inner change, then putting it to the test leads to a cheer-worthy finale.

As is often the case with faith-based fare, the dialogue is occasionally a bit too obvious, and a couple scenes are slightly forced to make a point. It’s part and parcel of the genre. Those matters do not dampen the pleasure to any significant degree because the quality of the performances and the meaning of the story shine through. The Forge entertains and inspires in equal measure.

---