Back Rowe Reviews
Real Time Movie Reviews from the Back Row of a Theater

January 2025

Homestead (PG-13)

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Directed by: Ben Smallbone
Starring: Neal McDonough
December 2024


Warning! This is NOT a movie review. This is a critique of the film. Intended to initiate a dialogue, the following analysis explores various aspects of the film and may contain spoilers. For concerns over objectionable content, please first refer to one of the many parental movie guide websites. Ratings are based on a four star system. Happy reading!


The film opens with a doomsday scenario—a nuclear bomb is detonated just off the coast of Los Angeles. The aftermath plays out in a series of taut, well executed vignettes as characters scramble to get out of the city, which is blanketed by a dense layer of noxious, rust-hued air that’s just a few shades darker than the typical rush hour smog.

The next phase of the film brings us to the Rocky Mountains and a large estate owned by Ian Ross (Neal McDonough). We’re introduced to Ian’s family and a group of ex-military hoorahs, led by Jeff Eriksson (Bailey Chase), Ian has hired to guard his property. When food, water and supplies run out in the town below, the homeless and hungry amass at Ian’s main gate, hoping for a handout or an opportune moment to storm the gate (as does a SWAT team during the movie’s climax). Aside from security challenges, one of the most pressing problems, with winter approaching, becomes how to feed and shelter a growing number of people.

Homestead comes to us courtesy of the crowd-sourced Angel Studios (The Chosen), and is essentially a 2-hour pilot for a future web series. The early stages of the film are really good and feel like a legitimate big-screen release. However, when the action shifts to the titular locale, the movie begins to feel more and more like a CW TV series. Other dead giveaways that Homestead isn’t up to the standard of a major studio film is the music by Benjamin Backus. In addition to aggressive underscoring during conversations to heighten the drama, the music was mixed for the small screen rather than the big screen. What gives this away? There are several instances where the music is too loud, drowning out dialog, including several key voice-over narrations near the end of the film.

Despite its technical shortcomings,
Homestead is a unique vision of a post-apocalyptic America. Told from a conservative POV, the story foregrounds the complex issue of isolationism vs amnesty for all in survival situations. Ian’s front gate and property lines are an analog for the U.S./Mexico border. Ian’s wife, Jenna (Dawn Olivieri), urges her husband to invite the refugees inside their expansive property, but abacus-bound Ian refuses, stating they barely have enough to sustain their own family and hired security men.

But when Ian is sidelined by a stray bullet, Jenna completely disregards his wishes and admits everyone camped out at the front gate. In a predictable twist, the skills and knowledge possessed by the newcomers helps solve many of the problems Ian has been stressing over. This compassionate, liberal action provides a solution to the immediate problems facing the homestead, and provides a happy resolution for the movie.

As the series progresses, my major request is that the producers/writers make Ian more heroic and less of a stick in the mud. McDonough is a terrific actor, but his character here is downright annoying at times. He frets over everything and doesn’t seem to have the faintest modicum of faith, which is ironic since this is supposedly a faith-based film (it’s actually a faith-lite film).

Though Ian clearly constructed his estate with the apocalypse in mind, he seems ill-equipped to deal with the challenges that arise during the film, which is uber frustrating. He’s indecisive, uninformed and eternally pessimistic. He’s also cold. We rarely see him provide emotional support for his wife or daughter. Ian’s pride in the abilities of his own people to defend the compound is woefully unfounded, as a war games scenario with the new security forces makes abundantly clear.

Ian’s inability to make sound decisions creates a strange power dynamic in the film. As the de facto main character, Ian should be the protagonist, but due to his weak leadership, Jeff’s supreme competence and Jenna’s moral convictions make them the real power brokers in the movie.

Angel Studios, please make Ian the true leader of the series. Also, make him the emotional and spiritual leader of his family and those under his care. Accomplishing that will make
Homestead feel more like home.

Note: While putting the finishing touches on this piece, I learned that McDonough will not appear in the series. This type of bait-and-switch gimmick, employed to increase viewership, is distasteful and disingenuous. A similar casting ploy was used for TV’s
Invasion, which billed Sam Neill as its main star. Annoyingly, Neill only appeared for a few minutes in the first episode. This is a devilish move from the purportedly seraphic studio.

Rating: 2 ½ out of 4

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PG-13)

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Directed by: Kenji Kamiyama
Starring: Brian Cox
December 2024


Warning! This is NOT a movie review. This is a critique of the film. Intended to initiate a dialogue, the following analysis explores various aspects of the film and may contain spoilers. For concerns over objectionable content, please first refer to one of the many parental movie guide websites. Ratings are based on a four star system. Happy reading!


Set nearly 200 years before J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings books, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is an animated adventure helmed by journeyman anime director Kenji Kamiyama. This foray into Middle-Earth focuses on the King of Rohan, Helm Hammerhand (voiced by Brian Cox), and his family, who fight to defend their realm against an army of bloodthirsty avengers known as the Dunlendings.

The story—written by Jeffrey Addiss, Will Matthews and Philippa Boyens—is based on narrative elements found in the appendices of
The Return of the King, the final book in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Other than brief run-ins with a handful of fantasy creatures that later appear in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movies, the bulk of the story involves warring human (humanoid?) tribes, whose petty and violent actions completely justify Elrond’s pessimistic appraisal of men in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001): “scattered, divided, leaderless.” The largely human-centric, magic-free story makes Rohirrim a unique chapter in the Middle-Earth saga.

Though the animation in
Rohirrim is consistently superb, the hand-drawn characters tend to clash against the near-photorealistic landscapes. Many familiar locations from the Rings movies appear here, including Edoras, Isengard and Helm’s Deep. All are finely-rendered and may produce feelings of nostalgia for fans of Jackson’s Rings films.

While its efforts to transform young ingenue, Hera (Gaia Wise), into an action hero (a la the younger Galadriel in
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) are overdetermined, the story, on balance, is quite good. Rohirrim is a reverent attempt at portraying the fantasy, characters, trappings and tropes Tolkien first created in The Hobbit (1937).

Though fairly appropriate for kids, the movie doesn’t cater to them. To its credit, the film doesn’t employ a Disney-style sidekick to infuse the story with comic relief. To its detriment, the film is serious to the point of being dire. An animated movie need not be kiddie, but shouldn’t it at least be a little fun?
Rohirrim is devoid of anything that even hints at levity and, from all indications, its characters are allergic to humor.

The film’s strong suit is its well-executed action sequences. Powerful and perfectly paced, without becoming protracted, the movie’s action beats help move the story forward without dominating it or detracting from it. Though decidedly violent, the action scenes here are surprisingly less bloody than those in the earlier animated
The Lord of the Rings (1978).

Composer Stephen Gallagher turns in an excellent score for
Rohirrim, which briefly employs Howard Shore’s main theme and The Riders of Rohan motif from the Rings films. While capturing the essence of Shore’s work, Gallagher creates a wholly original, dynamic and effecting sound tapestry.

Though far less goofy than the animated movies produced in the late 70s and early 80s based on Tolkien’s works,
Rohirrim lacks the charm, whimsy and magic of those other animated efforts. Still, Rohirrim serves as a quality prequel to The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and is a worthy entry into the Middle-Earth mythos.

Will this film earn enough money to justify a sequel? Time will tell. But for the moment, Middle-Earth is at peace.

Rating: 3 out of 4

Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. (PG-13)

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Directed by: Todd Komarnicki
Starring: Jonas Dassler
November 2024


Warning! This is NOT a movie review. This is a critique of the film. Intended to initiate a dialogue, the following analysis explores various aspects of the film and may contain spoilers. For concerns over objectionable content, please first refer to one of the many parental movie guide websites. Ratings are based on a four star system. Happy reading!


Based on the true story of author, musician, pastor and spy, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Jonas Dassler), Bonhoeffer is a predominately somber biopic that begins during the titular character’s childhood and ends with his tragic death—2 weeks before the end of WWII.

By now, it’s been well established that the German military, body politic and even general population were complicit in supporting and facilitating Hitler’s rise to power. Lesser known is the German church’s full-throated support of the Chancellor in pulpits from Berlin to the hinterlands.

Upon hearing a priest publicly elevate Hitler to the status of Christ, Bonhoeffer became incensed; his scathing criticism of such blasphemous speech dared to call out high ranking clergy members for their heretical espousal. Bonhoeffer’s divisive words effectively split the church along ideological lines—and put a bull’s-eye on his back by both pro-Hitler sympathizers and the dreaded Gestapo.

According to the movie, kid Bonhoeffer had an uncanny ability to evade capture in games like hide-and-seek. Ironically, when presented with an opportunity to escape from prison, adult Bonhoeffer chose to stay and face certain death rather than fleeing and taking a chance at life. This decision was proof positive that Bonhoeffer trusted God’s plan more than his own abilities…and his own life. Indeed, it would’ve been much safer to stay in America and simply wait out the war. But Bonhoeffer submitted himself to God’s will, essentially saying what Christ did at Gethsemane, “Not my will, but thy will be done.”

One of the subplots involves a failed assassination attempt of Hitler, who sniffs out the plot and arrogantly tells the would-be killer he lacks courage. Historians tell us that Hitler saw each failed attempt on his life as further evidence that he was doing God’s work. This demonstrates just how easy it is for someone to deceive themself, and others, with lies that sound so much like the truth, the error of their way may not be revealed until 6 million people have been exterminated. Though the phrase is often employed from a positive or aspirational perspective, this is the true “human condition.”

In spite of its slow pacing,
Bonhoeffer is a well-produced period piece that tells a familiar story (the ascendency of Hitler) from a unique angle (the ecumenical embrace of evil). It contains a compelling character study of a deeply concerned citizen who sounded the alarm, a la Paul Revere, to warn his countrymen of the impending dangers of fascism and the Nazi movement.

Bonhoeffer possessed unwavering conviction and courage during one of the darkest periods in human history. With the resurgence of socialism around the globe and even in the American government, we could certainly use more people of high moral character—like Bonhoeffer—in the world today.

A sobering reminder of the atrocities of the past,
Bonhoeffer challenges us to remain vigilant in an increasingly evil age.

One thing’s for sure; I’ll never look at strawberries that same way again.

Rating: 2 ½ out of 4