The weekend’s David vs. Goliath matchup looked imposing even by Biblical standards.
Hollywood’s “Blink Twice” featured a who’s who of industry stars, including Channing Tatum, Christian Slater and “Batman’s” Zoe Kravitz behind the camera.
“The Forge,” from the team who gave us “War Room,” lacked a single A-lister and got a fraction of the media attention “Blink Twice” enjoyed. And that’s a conservative estimate.
Yet when the box office tickets were counted “The Forge” came out on top (with a single caveat).
Yes, “Blink Twice” earned roughly $700K more than “The Forge” ($7.3 million vs. $6.6 million). The former figure came from 3,067 theater screens. The latter? Just 1,818 screens.
That’s significant.
The Kendrick brothers, who previously gave us “Courageous,” “Lifemark,” “Overcomer” and “Fireproof,” tell uplifting tales brimming with Christian sensibilities. That brand doesn’t grab the Hollywood press’ attention, but the Kendricks have a direct line to their fan base.
And it shows.
Here’s the official description for “The Forge.”
Isaiah Wright has some growing up to do. A year out of high school with no plans for his future, Isaiah is challenged by his single mom and a successful businessman to start charting a better course for his life. Through the biblical discipleship from his new mentor, prayers of his mother and a prayer warrior named Miss Clara, Isaiah begins to discover God’s purpose for his life is so much more than he could hope for or imagine. From the Kendrick Brothers, the creators of the No. 1 hit WAR ROOM, comes THE FORGE, a faith-filled new movie with familiar friends and inspiring new twists.
“Blink Twice” featured a labored Jeffrey Epstein-style story with cartoonish villains and feminist platitudes. Most liberal critics praised “Blink Twice” and its far-Left messaging. The Washington Examiner’s Harry Khachatrian skewered the film.
The story feels entirely contrived, as if a predetermined political message was awkwardly reverse-engineered into a plot that struggles to justify its existence. Kravitz’s narrative hinges on the audience’s inherent distrust of Slater and his tech-bro entourage while expecting sympathy for Frida, the supposed victim of circumstance. However, the film does little to earn this sympathy beyond leaning on superficial identities: privileged white men pitted against a diverse ensemble of economically disadvantaged women.
“The Forge” also got a hefty Cinemascore rating of “A+,” a vote of confidence that could help it hang around the top 10 for another week or three. “Blink Twice” snagged a “B-” rating.
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