Fighting. In the film, it is surely representative of so much more than the surface of bare knuckles and bloodied leftover pulp of humanity. Sometimes it is the measurement of what we fight for, or even whom. Sometimes our fights externalize; sometimes they manifest from within.

Blackbear demonstrates the duality of fighting, from Blackbear’s (Scott Pryor) fights in the ring to Cowboy’s (Darrin Dewitt Henson) medical struggles. Both pave a narrative line of the price of fighting, what is at stake for themselves and for others. Viscerally, the film paints its portrait with no nonsense.

As faith-based films go, one wonders about redemption via violence. As aforementioned, fighting and action can prove concrete and visual form of struggle that audiences can see and instantly respond to. Yet on the same wavelength, do these messages inherently encourage violence in a faithful portrait? Blackbear clearly takes the hard road down the walk of faith, but some may find questionable that blood and broken bones are the height of communicating struggle and redemption.

The Dove Take

The case is made clear that this is a film intended for faith-oriented audiences. It may prove divisive in its messages. In the end, the film is not suitable for its level of content, and regrettably cannot be awarded with Dove Approval.