War Room
War Room (2015) is a Christian drama that explores the power of prayer in transforming a struggling marriage and family. The narrative centers on Elizabeth Jordan, a successful real estate agent whose marriage to Tony is crumbling under the weight of his infidelity, neglect, and dishonesty. Through the mentorship of an elderly, devout woman named Miss Clara, Elizabeth learns to engage in intentional prayer and spiritual warfare, converting a closet into her personal 'war room' to fight for her family's restoration. The film is targeted at a Christian audience, emphasizing themes of faith, forgiveness, and the efficacy of prayer in overcoming life's challenges. It generally promotes values of marital commitment and spiritual reliance, making it suitable for families with appropriate parental guidance.
Concerns
Disrespect & Rebellion
HighTony Jordan exhibits significant disrespect and rebellious behavior through his neglect, anger, dishonesty, and consideration of infidelity towards his wife and family. The film's advice for Elizabeth to remain submissive in the face of this behavior has been criticized as potentially problematic and 'victim-blaming.'
Tony Jordan is initially portrayed as 'a first-class jerk' who is 'abrupt and dismissive' towards his wife Elizabeth and daughter Danielle, neglecting his family responsibilities. Critics specifically highlight Miss Clara's advice to Elizabeth, which some reviewers interpret as Elizabeth being 'at least partially to blame for Tony's abuse' and promoting 'wifely submission' rather than directly addressing the abuse.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumThe movie addresses marital issues, including a husband's temptation towards infidelity, which is a central conflict. Tony Jordan is shown having dinner with a flirtatious business associate, implying an intent for adultery, though no explicit sexual acts occur.
Tony Jordan is depicted having dinner with a flirtatious female business associate, Veronica Drake, who suggests going back to her apartment, implying a potential for adultery. As Tony is about to act on this temptation, he experiences a sudden stomach ache, which Elizabeth's prayer is implied to have caused, preventing the affair from being consummated.
Witchcraft & Occult
MediumThe film centers on spiritual warfare through prayer, which some critics find to be an oversimplification or misrepresentation of biblical teaching. Elizabeth engages in a scene where she explicitly rebukes the devil. Some interpret the depiction of prayer as a 'divine vending machine,' bordering on problematic theological themes.
Elizabeth Jordan converts her closet into a 'war room' where she passionately engages in prayer and explicitly shouts at and rebukes the devil, declaring spiritual warfare against unseen forces. Critics have noted that the film's portrayal of prayer suggests a 'Divine Vending machine! Put the right kind of prayer in, get the favor you want!', implying a transactional view of God's intervention rather than a nuanced theological approach.
Scary & Intense Content
MediumThe movie features intense marital conflict, including emotional abuse and potential infidelity, which creates an unsettling atmosphere. A spiritual battle against Satan is a central theme, and there is a brief, tense scene of a mugging attempt.
The film portrays the intense emotional and marital conflict between Elizabeth and Tony Jordan, characterized by Tony's neglect, anger, dishonesty, and flirtation with adultery, causing significant distress within the family. Elizabeth's passionate 'war room' prayers, which involve shouting and rebuking the devil, can be intense for some viewers due to their emotional and spiritual fervor.
Anti-Christian Themes
MediumWhile explicitly a Christian film, some critics, including Christian reviewers, raise concerns about the film's theological interpretations. These include an oversimplified view of prayer as a 'Divine Vending machine' and attributing complex marital issues solely to Satanic influence, which some find to be 'damnable false doctrine.'
Some Christian reviewers argue that the film promotes a 'false theology of prayer' by suggesting that if one prays correctly, God will grant specific desires, leading to criticism of a 'Divine Vending machine!' mentality. Additionally, the film simplifies complex marital and personal struggles by largely attributing them to Satanic influence, with one co-worker advising Elizabeth regarding her husband, 'Learn to duck so God can hit him,' which some view as an oversimplified and potentially harmful theological approach to marital conflict.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
LowThere is no explicit LGBTQ+ or gender identity content, characters, or themes depicted in the film 'War Room' (2015). The narrative focuses exclusively on a heterosexual marriage and traditional family dynamics. Comprehensive searches for relevant keywords yielded no results indicating any LGBTQ+ representation within the film's storyline or characters.
The movie 'War Room' (2015) centers on the heterosexual marriage of Elizabeth and Tony Jordan, portraying traditional family dynamics. Extensive searches for LGBTQ+ content, characters, or themes related to the film and its creators, Alex and Stephen Kendrick, did not return any findings of such representation within the movie's storyline.
Violence
LowThe film contains very limited physical violence and no graphic gore or bloodshed. The primary 'war' depicted is spiritual. A tense scene involves a potential mugging, but no actual physical harm is shown.
The film contains very limited physical violence and no graphic gore or bloodshed. There is a scene where Elizabeth and Miss Clara are held up at knifepoint during a walk, creating tension, but no physical harm is shown to either character. Newsreel footage depicting carpet bombing and firefights from the Vietnam War is shown briefly as part of Miss Clara's explanation of warfare.
Profanity
LowThe film contains no explicit profanity or strong language. Reviews consistently note the absence of foul language, aligning with its faith-based target audience and family-friendly production style.
Reviewers explicitly state that 'there is no violence, nudity or profanity' in the film. Another review confirms that 'the movie is family friendly in that there is no foul language, graphic violence, or nudity.'
Substance Use
LowThe film includes a scene where alcohol is present and consumed in a social setting during a moment of temptation for a character.
During Tony Jordan's dinner with Veronica Drake, a business associate with whom he is tempted to be unfaithful, Veronica suggests they have a glass of wine. Tony is seen drinking alcohol during this scene.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
Ages 10+ with parental guidance. The film is rated PG for thematic elements throughout. While it lacks explicit violence or profanity, it addresses mature themes like marital infidelity, emotional neglect, and spiritual warfare that younger children might find confusing or intense, requiring discussion and context from parents.
Additional Notes
The movie primarily targets a Christian audience, aiming to inspire faith and prayer in marital and family challenges. Its portrayal of marital issues and spiritual warfare, while uplifting for many, has also generated theological debate among Christian viewers and secular critics regarding its messages on submission, abuse, and the nature of prayer. The film's message is delivered in an overtly didactic style, which may feel preachy to some viewers.
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