The Lost Medallion {a review}

Last Friday night was a big night for our family. We saw a movietogether…in a theater!

We don’t take our kids to the movies that often. (Who am I kidding…we don’t go to the theater without our kids that often!) Forget the outrageous ticket price or the “highway-robbery” cost of the snacks (it’s popcorn and oil, folks, not liquid gold!). It really comes down to the fact that there’s very little in the mainstream media that we want etched into the minds of our children.

So when we heard about The Lost Medallion, we were intrigued.

When Daniel Anderson (Alex Kendrick, Courageous, Fireproof and Facing the Giants) visits a foster home to drop off some donations he is quickly roped into telling the kids a story.

The story he tells is about Billy Stone and Allie, two teen-age-friends, who uncover a long- lost-medallion and then accidentally wish themselves back in time. Will the experience give them a new understanding of who they are and what their lives really mean? Daniel finishes his story to the foster children with the Truth about their tremendous value to God, who loves them and created them. The story not only changes the children, but is bound to change all who see the movie.

(Synopsis taken from www.thelostmedallion.com)

I admit when I hear about a “Christian” movie, I tend to be skeptical. Growing up in church, I’ve seen my fair share of poorly-made films, and poorly-done drama, all in the name of ministry. (Yes, I’ve seen some quality productions, but they are few and far between.)

But when I saw the trailer for The Lost Medallion, I knew this film had great potential. And when my kids saw it, they were hooked!

The story is a solid, well-told adventure which is the foundation for any good film. (Get more info on the book here: The Lost Medallion *affiliate link*) It has all the components of a great kids’ movie: action and adventure, good guys vs. bad guys, comic relief, and adorable kids. And I believe it delivered on all accounts.

Rated PG for “action and adventure violence,” their web site specifies it is for kids ages 6-14. The “bad guy,” Cobra (played by Mark Dacascos of Hawaii Five-O) is rather intimidating, and I would recommend thoroughly viewing the trailer if you think your kids might be scared by him. (You get a good sense of his intensity from the trailer.) Our Little Man is 5 1/2 and he LOVED the movie.

The Lost Medallion  can easily hold it’s own against any Disney or DreamWorks movie. The stunts and special effects are high-quality and the camera work was professional. While I found one or two of the characters a little “flat,” the rest of the cast was impressive (and there were no talking animals!).

James Hong (of Kung Fu Panda and Chinatown) is uproariously funny and the kids (Billy Unger, Sammi Hanratty, and Jansen Panettiere) are believable, entertaining, and entirely endearing.

But my favorite part was the message: You are valuable to God. A simple message portrayed in heartfelt way. It tugs at your heartstrings (I may have teared up at one point) without beating you over the head or drowning you in schmaltz.

You need to see this movie. As Christians we do a lot of complaining about what is coming out of Hollywood (and rightfully so). But it’s time to do more than complain. It’s time to put our money where our mouths are. This is a quality, family-friendly movie with a God-honoring message. It is our duty to support it. Let’s show the filmmakers we appreciate their hard work. And let’s show our kids what quality film-making (and a redeeming message) looks like!

The Lost Medallion opened in select theaters on March 1. Click here to find out if it’s coming to your area. If you’d like to bring The Lost Medallion to your city, go here for more info.

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8 thoughts on “The Lost Medallion {a review}

  1. Thanks for this review! I haven’t even heard about this movie (of course, unless they’re playing trailers on hulu.com then I usually have no clue about what’s coming up-ha). It doesn’t look like this is coming to our area yet, but I’ll keep an eye out for it.

  2. Great review! This movie sounds like it’d be right up our alley. I wish it was coming to our area. Maybe on DVD!

    Thanks for linking up to Inspired Wednesdays!

  3. Sounds like a great movie! We watch a lot of movies, though we often borrow them from the library rather than going to the theatres. I’ll have to watch for this movie, as I haven’t seen anything kid-friendly come through the theatres here for a while.

  4. Thanks for the information. I’m definitely looking for fun and uplifting shows to share with my grandkids. I’ve bookmarked this on Pinterest for when it comes out on video. Thanks again! 🙂

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