Movie Review: Mercy Rule
{By Ellery Sadler}
Rating: A solid family friendly film, with Kirk Cameron, so that makes it cool.
Kirk Cameron’s new movie has just been released!! New movies always make me excited. So I had to watch this the day it came out, of course.
Mercy Rule is a faith based film that tells the story of John Miller struggling to keep the family business alive when the eco-freakos come to town, and his son Cody, struggling to learn what it means to be a team player in baseball. It’s a fun, easy to watch movie for the whole family.
Acting: Well done
Starring the amazing Kirk Cameron, his beautiful wife Chelsea, and that crazy comedian Tim Hawkins, Mercy Rule has a pretty awesome cast. While the characters were less intense and defined than in Cameron’s last feature film (Fireproof), the acting was equally well done. Kirk Cameron’s performance was fantastic, as usual. His charming realness and ease in front of the camera makes you feel like he isn’t even acting, and it’s wonderful to watch. Cody (Jared Miller) was adorable and did a great job. His sister Bea (Nicole Neilson) and the baseball team’s coach, acted by Bas Rutten, also did well. Kirk’s wife Chelsea was perfectly natural and a pleasure to watch. And Tim Hawkin’s debut role adds this random, quirky character to the mix that’s really fun.
Maturity Level: G
Reminiscent of We Bought a Zoo, the ‘bad guy’ in this movie is a hand-sanitizer-using suave city man, so totally fine for kids. There is nothing scary in this movie or even close to scary, except for maybe the baseball coach who is a little intimidating.
Worldview: Christian
While not explicitly Christian, this film is obviously grounded in Christian principles and exemplifies that throughout the story. Whether it’s when Cody is learning to be a good sport, or when Chelsea reminds her husband that he will still have his family even if he loses his business, Mercy Rule is definitely shows a Christian worldview.
Overall: Great and worth watching if you are looking for a kid-friendly film
Even though it is not as intense and passionate as Fireproof, Mercy Rule is a solid film. (You can’t really go wrong with Kirk Cameron.) The filming was also well done (except for the continuous use of slow motion for every pivotal moment during the film). It’s hard to find movies that your whole family can watch without constantly having your finger on the fast forward button, but Mercy Rule is a movie that lets you sit back and relax. You can buy it on DVD or as a digital download here. Mercy Rule is a great movie that is worth seeing for a fun family movie night.
‘There is no quit in family.’
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I’m sorry to say that based on your review, I would deem you an incredibly poor judge of movie quality. Mercy Rule was, at best, tolerable. Here’s what comes to my mind as I consider the movies qualities:
Acting: Weak
Kirk Cameron, Tim Hawkins and Bas Rutten have talent, that’s for sure. However, they can’t compensate for the incredibly shallow, forced acting of Jared Miller, Nicole Neilson and their equally uninspired supporting characters.
Maturity Level: PG
I’m not saying this simply to disagree. Multiple references to smoking simply give a PG rating, that’s all I’m saying.
Filmmaking: Atrocious
Seriously, did they edit the video in Movie Maker? It’s 90 minutes of unbearably monotonous montages, horrible colors and lighting, and cringe-worthy slow motion.
Worldview: Christian?
It’s hard to say. I still struggle with the fact than in an ostensibly family-values film, the main character is light heartedly depicted as a smoker. What kind of morals does that teach, honestly?
Overall: 1 1/2 hours of our family’s life we’ll never get back.
Hi Dayton,
Thanks for commenting. While the personal attack on my judgment is unnecessary [and you may want to take a look at the other movies I reviewed like Unconditional or Return to the Hiding Place, before stating that my judgment is ‘incredibly poor’] I do understand where you’re coming from.
As I said in my review, I agree with you that the continuous use of slow motion wasn’t the best but I thought the variety of angles and shots was well done for a low-budget film. And while the acting was not as passionate or defined, it was equally as good as Fireproof. I think Mercy Rule is a good movie.
So while I agree with you that this movie isn’t up to Hollywood production standards, I think it’s important to support faith-based movies. In a world of cinema that often displays evil as fun, normal, and even good, I think the benefit of supporting movies with good values outweighs the fact that some of the technical components or acting may not be as professional.
I was looking forward to this movie, but was dissapointed on a couple levels. They used slow motion WAY too much, I didn’t like the kid saying screw up, and Kirk saying suck as humans, and I was expecting more out of the story. I think the slow motion really cut into the feel of the movie. Fireproof was way better.
Hi Nicholas,
Thanks for taking the time to comment. Yes, I agree that the constant use of slow motion wasn’t great. And hopefully, with time and support from the Christian community, faith-based films can improve their production/acting quality (like Return to the Hiding Place or Fireproof has done). Oh I love Fireproof too, it’s a fantastic movie! Thanks again for commenting.
Hey folks, Kirk Cameron here…
I just had the pleasure of speaking with Ellery on the phone about movie making and “living life to the fullest.” I applaud her faithful parents for their obviously good work in raising at least one enthusiastic, creative, and respectful child. Thanks guys, for your evaluations of the acting, the worldview, and the filmmaking of Mercy Rule- I find the thinking behind them revealing. Movie productions and reviews are, by nature, based on personal tastes- God hasn’t granted any of us the privilege of setting the universal standards. Same with music and painting.
Since Ellery has graciously allowed for comments on this site, I will humbly add mine. I thought Bas Rutten as the coach in Mercy Rule was a character full of life, engaging, and delivered one of the best life lessons ever given to a kid in a movie when he talked to him in his living room. Some of my favorite scenes are when John and Maddie are in the restaurant and we hear the wonderful line, “John, YOU are what your father built. Not some business.” As well as, “What’s her name? Oh, then NOT everything.” Powerful moments among others that speak of powerful truths about love and legacy. I’m so thankful for my wife, Chelsea, and her beautifully natural performance. What a joy to work with her again after 23 years of marriage! I absolutely loved the character of Bea and her playful and loving relationship with her brother. And how great to finally have a “slick, hand sanitizing, government paid, eco-eel” as the bad guy in a movie! And the multi-layered messages the film sends about the value of being a “family” makes me love mine even more whenever I watch it.
Someday I’d like to write a review about movie reviewers and the assumed standards they use to judge other people’s creative work. Personally, I LOVE slo-mo, black and white, and interesting uses of color and lighting. All these were intentionally used and highlighted in my film because, well… it’s a CAMFAM film. Dayton, if you ever decide to fund, write, direct, produce, edit, and/or act in a movie, I’d be honored if you’d send it to me to watch. I promise I’ll encourage you.
As I shared with Ellery, my next film comes out this winter, called, “CHRISTMAS” and I’m really excited about it. You can be sure it will have LOTS of fun, crazy characters, poignant moments highlighted with more than enough slo-mo, and aggressive use of lighting and color! This is why I love being a filmmaker. :)
This note was fun to write. Thanks for reading.
Kirk
Wow, excellent review Kirk.
This is Alan and like yourself have a large family.
I don’t know if I have the right to write this. Especially to a brother in Christ. I see the great words and encouragement throughout the movie. Wife to Husband and husband to brother, sister to brother and Cody to friend and so on…
There was a book that I just let my 10 year old read…”The Making of a Miracle”…I have loved seeing the behind the story of how God has guided you and continues to use you to reach the lost and how you and Ray were able to add something to LB2 to make it something that God can use to open the eyes of the blind. (Through the Basic training course in 2007, the Lord opened the eyes of this blind man and helped him to see: go from death to Life and darkness to Life and granting me repentance from me to faith/trust in Him!).
So, what I think has happened, is that many people were thinking: Kirk Cameron has stood [like the city council scene]: before movie producers, cast and crew, before famous talk show hosts before, refused to be in immoral films, and to only embrace and kiss his own wife (on or off screen). Since this was a film starring KC and by KC, that not only would the name of the Lord be praised but exalted.
That’s it…no stone to throw. (except the coach who with all his wisdom, seemed to be into trans-meditation/yoga or some psychotherapy individual): If Cody knew the Lord, it would hae made an incredible scene.
I encourage you in everything else you do in your life.
The gospel doesn’t just jump off and explain itself. You taught me that.
If you recommend a movie, and someone will watch it, then by all means, you may only get one shot. (also, I realize that I haven’t made a movie yet.)–sortof
“preach like it’s the first time they have ever heard the Gospel; preach like it’s the last time they will ever hear the Gospel; and preach like this is the only time they will EVER hear the Gospel in their life!” Father of 6, husband of 1
May God Bless you and your family and May God protect you and continue to use you for His Glory!
Miracle in the Making (by Ray Comfort)…correction old book…sorry (I found a John Hagee book with the same name…didn’t want to be misunderstood….
Thanks,
It is not about the lighting, and phrases like ‘screwed up” – or “sucks as humans”, or how many times “slow motion” was used – it is about clean entertainment for families to see without the cussing, sexual scenes, nudity, killing, etc that every movie seems to think they need to throw in a little of a lot to sell tickets – it’s about positive thoughts and, more importantly, any opportunity to enforce Christians morals that kids do not get at home or school – aren’t some folks getting a critical & picky – and/or just digging for negative things because . . . Why? There are much much worse out there going on to be concerned about!
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