Schoolhouse Review: FishFlix's UNBROKEN Legacy of Faith #hsreviews

I can think of no better way to kick off the Memorial Day Weekend than by watching a film that honors a soldier who lived a life of inspiration.  There are a ton of war movies to watch, but finding family-friendly content is not always easy.  FishFlix.com offers Christian movies that will both inspire and entertain your family.  There are movies of all genres available for purchase on the website, so there really is something for everyone.  We've recently had the privilege to watch and review the legacy of faith edition of the movie Unbroken.  This 2-DVD Unbroken Legacy of Faith Edition contains the movie itself and an additional 90-minute video entitled, The Story Behind the Film.

Unbroken  tells the true story of Louis Zamperini -- Olympic athlete, Soldier, Prisoner of War.  Directed by Angelina Jolie, the 2+ hour movie chronicles his life as captive in World War II while sharing his overwhelming will to survive and shares an underlying theme of faith in GOD.

 **Please be advised:  THIS IS A WAR MOVIE.  Scenes of combat and torture are realistic and made us cringe, but were not so harsh that my 14- and 16-year-olds could not handle watching them with me.  It is my personal opinion that we must watch those horrific scenes to even begin to grasp the gift of freedom  that we currently share.  For the most part, as Americans we are enemies of the world that we live in and brave men and women have fought hard and given their lives so that we may hold our heads high today.  We must remain UNBROKEN together.  That said, I found the language to be extremely family-friendly.  There are no curse words (although I'm certain there would be in real-life combat and prisoner situations).  There is one scene where prisoners-of-war are stripped and tortured with water, but it is as tastefully portrayed as torture can be and naked bodies are blurred.**  This movie is a must-watch for generations to come.

I have been moved to tears several times during our viewing of the movie as we see resilience and survival played out repeatedly.  The faith of Louie Zamperini is more than extraordinary.  The strength of the man behind the uniform was a blessing to see, but the statement at the end of Unbroken showed an even greater strength that so many of us never gain:

"Louie made good on his promise to serve GOD, a decision he credited with saving his life.  Motivated by his faith, Louie came to se that the way forward was not revenge, but forgiveness."

What we find is that FORGIVENESS is the KEY to healing.

In the second part of the Legacy Edttion, you can hear Louie's personal testimony first-hand as he explains how he was brought full circle in his relationship with JESUS CHRIST at a Billy Graham tent revival in Los Angeles, CA.  As you watch, you will hear Louis discuss his lesson of faith and how he was sustained through the years of torture.  By accepting JESUS as his personal LORD and SAVIOR, Louie dscovers HOPE and is able to dimiss the demons that have chased him ever since his days as a POW.  He was eventually able to return to Japan and speak forgiveness and life over those who held him captive and share the LOVE of JESUS with them.  I find this to be both very telling of a life well-lived and very convicting as I hold tight to the wrongs I have endured.  My prayer is that I, too, will be willing to be a living sacrifice as we are called to be in Romans 12:1-2.

I was able to share a portion of The Story Behind the Film with my middle school students at church.  The 6th - 8th graders remained spellbound (and silent -- remarkable in and of itself!) as we listened to the clear, strong voice of a 96-year-old hero that pointed to an amazing GOD who loves us in spite of ourselves.  The challenge has been issued.  Will we accept the call to be less selfish and more giving like Louie Zampirini?  Will we remain UNBROKEN in our faith?

Middle Schoolers watch the Captured By Grace testimony of Louie Zamperini

This film speaks to the heart and reminds us to hold on in times of trouble.  I am proud to recommend it to your family and am thankful that FishFlix endeavors to bring quality family films into the mainstream.  Make sure to stop by and pick out a great movie for your family to watch today and spend some time finding out more about FishFlix:  Christian Movies to Inspire and Entertain on the following Social Media sites:

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I was given the opportunity to review FishFlix.com as a member of the Schoolhouse ReviewCrew.   You can check out the Crew Review and see what other members of the Schoolhouse ReviewCrew thought of this and other movies as well (or just click on the banner below.)

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