Stand Your Ground (2013) (aka: A Cry for Justice) Movie Review

Stand Your Ground (2013)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Francine Locke in Stand Your Ground (2013) (aka: A Cry for Justice)

Having Faith in the Truth

With a series of copper thefts at Jason's (Drew Matthews) business he takes the police's advice and starts watching the place at night. When he tries to stop 3 men who try to steal more copper a gun goes off and Jason finds himself charged with murder. It becomes a testing time for Jason, his wife and his parents especially his church going mother Jackie (Francine Locke) who finds her faith put to the test as she feels helpless to help her son. With Jason putting his faith in telling the truth in the courtroom and Jackie refusing to hide her Christianity despite advice from some that it may alienate those in the jury the court case becomes a tense experience.

Well that caught me by surprise as most of the time when I come across a Christian movie it tends to be on a Christian TV channel and not on a mainstream channel but that is what happened when I came across "Stand Your Ground" or "A Cry for Justice" as it was called here in the UK. I even wonder if the channel in question realised that it was a piece of Christian cinema that they were showing and not one of their usual made for TV crime stories as whilst this is a piece of Christian cinema it is also a true story movie which also touches on the right to defend your home and business.

Drew Matthews in Stand Your Ground (2013) (aka: A Cry for Justice)

Now anyone who frequents The Movie Scene will know I don't mind Christian Cinema, there can be something quite uplifting by watching one of these movies. But at the same time having watched a few Christian movies I am also aware of the typical flaws which drag these movies down and plain and simply "Stand Your Ground" has them. What I mean is that some of the acting is weak and unfortunately when someone in this movie prays it seems forced because they have to say what they are thinking. In fact the whole Christian side of the movie gets forced far too often. It makes it feel unnatural when someone starts saying "ask God what is the lesson I am to learn". I really hate to say this but the portrayal of Christian characters in this movie comes too close to sounding too holier than thou.

Fortunately not all the acting comes across unnatural and Cameron Arnett as lawyer Mitchell Kane impresses as he works the courtroom, not in the sense of show boating but being business like, well drilled and in general convincing. In many ways it is thanks to Arnett's performance and the script when it comes to his questioning that you are drawn in to the case and ultimately eager to know which way things will go in the end.

What this all boils down to is that "Stand Your Ground" is a mixed bag as for everything which is good about it there is always something bad making it only an okay movie which builds to an impressive courtroom climax which makes the awkwardness of the opening frustrating.


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