I may be too late for a review on Courageous, but I can't let a movie like that come out without at least saying something; despite how late I may be. All I have to say is that if you have not seen Courageous yet, please do! I wish there were more movies like Courageous. It made me cry and laugh (which is quite unusual for me when I watch movies!), and its powerful and passionate message is one our culture desperately needs.
The acting was good; the aesthetics were good; the story was action-packed, dramatic, and intensely moving. Courageous just felt like a "movie", and not the low-budget, amateur, stereotypical "Christian" film you might expect.
It is amazing to see how Sherwood Pictures (the makers of Courageous) has improved exponentially with every film: beginning with Flywheel, then Facing the Giants, then Fireproof, and now Courageous. The money they make with one film allows them to improve with the next. We must support their films, so they can make their next ones even better!
To my surprise, some Christians have had some negative reviews on the film. In response, I would say that perhaps Courageous isn't perfect, but please support the movie so Sherwood Pictures can continue to improve; and maybe their next film will be perfect! Considering how far they've come, this movie is impressive.
As I understand it, some of these negative reviews said that parts of Courageous were not realistic, in regards to how the police force behaves, or how crime is dealt with. Personally I wouldn't have known if it was realistic or not, because I don't know anything about the police force; so, for me, it was perfectly believable. But their point stands; if you are part of the police force, maybe the movie would seem unbelievable to you. I don't know.
To me, however, the movie seemed perfect. All in all, it felt like a "real movie".
Conclusion: I give Courageous 5 out of 5 stars. If you want to see more quality Christian films made, watch Courageous and support Sherwood Pictures!
View the official trailer below: