THE FORGE: A powerful story of faith, purpose and discipleship.

The Forge, directed by the Kendrick brothers, is a faith-based story with a deeply spiritual tale of mentorship and transformation. The movie was released in 2024 as a spiritual spin off to the 2015 hit,War Room. This American Christian drama focuses on a young black man navigating purpose, faith, and growth in a chaotic world.

PLOT OVERVIEW

The movie, The Forge, set in Charlotte, North Carolina centers around a 19-year old boy, Isaiah Wright, portrayed by Aspen Kennedy.

He is raised by a single and prayerful mother,  Cynthia Wright (Priscilla Shirer). Isaiah, who just finished high school, insists that college is not for him and spends his days immersed in basketball and video games.

His mother, Cynthia, grows increasingly worried about his future and tells him to find a job and pay rent for living in her house.  Isaiah follows her instruction and his life changes forever when he meets Joshua Moore ( Cameron Arnett) who hands him his business card and tells him to come back when he answers just three questions which he proceeds to ask him.

This encounter sends Isaiah on a transformative and discovery journey as he begins to confront his past struggles, embraces responsibility and becomes a better man.

MOVIE THEME AND MESSAGES

The Forge is a narrative about discipleship [the process of nurturing and guiding someone to spiritual maturity]. The movie emphasizes the significance of mentorship as seen between Joshua Moore and Isaiah Wright and Joshua’s commitment to Isaiah’s growth emphasizes the impact a dedicated mentor can have on a young person’s life.

Another significant theme mirrored in this movie is forgiveness. Isaiah struggled with feelings of abandonment and resentment towards his father, who he claimed abandoned his mother and made away with their money, and also cheated. Through his interaction with Joshua, Isaiah learns the liberating power of forgiveness not just towards others but also to himself.

The film also anchors on accountability and the importance of a community The Forge which is a discipleship group serves as a support system to each other strengthening and encouraging themselves.

PERFORMANCE AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Aspen Kennedy delivers his role perfectly as Isaiah Wright capturing the character’s initial pain, struggle and lack of direction and his eventual transformation. His character shows the clear struggles of young adults facing similar conflicts in life.

Isaiah wright was clearly a boy still trying to figure out life, being a reckless teenage boy who constantly stressed his mother out. His tone disrespectful too and we see this in a scene still at the beginning of the movie where he walks into a coffee shop after sighting the girl behind the counter.

Her father at the time comes out to caution him but he replies him rudely saying he was not there to buy coffee and leaves 

But after the beautiful transformation of Isaiah, he goes back to the same coffee shop to apologize to the man and this happens a little over a year after his first encounter with him which caused the man to have troubles recognizing Isaiah at first glance but when isaiah explains he quickly remembers shocked at the maturity and transformation of the young man standing before him.

Cameron Arnett plays the role of Joshua Moore excellently well with a compassionate yet commanding presence of a mentor guiding Isaiah through his pain and transformation.

The character Jousha Moore is the excellent role of a mentor and this role was played to perfection and Inspires in its viewers the need to be accountable to someone and have the right mentor in your life.

We see a very remarkable scene when Isaiah meets his dad again at his workplace after he had abandoned them but Joshua Moore helps Isaiah through his hurt and anger telling him of his own experience and how he forgave the man that took his only son’s life and soon Isaiah heals Learning to forgive his father.

Another remarkable role was portrayed by Priscilla Shirer, the mother of Isaiah. She embodied the role of a prayerful mother earnestly wishing and praying for her son to find Jesus and direction. Her character emphasizes the need to have a concerned and prayerful mother and how their prayers as well as community Prayer support can go a long way in transforming the lives of their children. We see a specific scene in her salon where she invites and elderly woman and together they pray for her son to come to God and become better and God heard all her prayers because not only did isaiah find God he also became very responsible helping Mr Moore with his business and keeping a long time client who was about to walk away from the company.

LOVE PROSPECTS

The movie certainly hints at a potential love story between Isaiah and Abigail. Their first encounter was at a coffee shop which was owned by her father. At the time Isaiah was still struggling with directions and purpose and left a bad impression.

Along the line, after his beautiful transformation, Isaiah was able to make a lasting good impression on Abigail’s father.

The movie ended with another solo encounter between Abigail and Isaiah hinting at a potential friendship and love story.

We also see the beautiful relationship between Joshua Moore and his wife compared to that of Isaiah’s parents which did not end well and eventually made Isaiah bitter and angry. But with a perfect guide and mentor like Joshua Moore, his orientation in all aspects of life was fully transformed.

RECEPTION AND IMPACT

Upon its release on August 23, 2024 the movie received positive reviews from both critics and audiences. With a budget of $5million, the film grossed over $40million worldwide;, its subsequent release on Netflix further expanded its reach introducing the film to a global audience and sparking discussion on discipleship and mentorship within various communities.

PERSONAL REVIEW ON THE MOVIE

The movie, The Forge, stood out to me because it showed me the power of Jesus' love for mankind and how knowing him can cause such a transformation that leaves people in awe. It also reminded me about the importance of not just having the right parents but prayerful ones who want to see you be the best you can be. It also helped me strengthen my relationship with God, and reminding me of the nature of the Fatherhood of God.

In conclusion, The Forge stands as a testament to the transformative power of mentorship, community, and faith. Through Isaiah's journey, the film illustrates that personal growth often requires confronting past wounds, embracing responsibility, and seeking guidance from those who have walked similar paths.

While rooted in Christian principles, the film's themes of redemption, accountability, and the importance of supportive relationships are universal, offering valuable insights to viewers of all backgrounds. The Forge, not only entertains but also inspires, challenging audiences to reflect on their own journeys and the role they can play in guiding others.