"The Forge" (2024) starring Aspen Kennedy and Cameron Arnett

“The Forge” (2024) starring Aspen Kennedy and Cameron Arnett.

So, it’s been a few months since I’ve written a film review; much of this is due to limited time these past few months and viewing films that I feel carry value and that I actually like to write about…

Well, thanks to Alex and Stephen Kendricks’ “The Forge” (2024) starring Aspen Kennedy (in his debut lead performance) and Cameron Arnett, my writing drought is over.

Released on August 23rd, I had the privilege of enjoying this masterpiece with my lovely wife and four very close and dear friends (two other couples) …this film was a breath of fresh air.

Aspen Kennedy takes the reigns in his debut lead performance as 19-year-old Isaiah Wright. Isaiah is a good guy, a young man simply trying find his way in life while transitioning from boyhood to manhood. Much of what we witness from Kennedy is a truly heartfelt performance. I dare say that all males, from the ages of 18-80 will be able to see some aspect of themselves in this young man.

Equally as effective in this powerful, powerful story is the character, Joshua Moore as Isaiah's boss and mentor portrayed masterfully by Mr. Cameron Arnett. What gets the story moving is Joshua’s relationship with Isaiah as it begins to flourish after he hires him at his fitness equipment company. The formula for this story is simple yet extremely effective as Joshua immediately begins to mentor Isaiah through a year long journey of self-discovery, growth and righteous living.

What I love about the Kendrick Brothers’ films is that they focus on richly textured content that gets right to the point. I find their writing style to be very gentle and easy for a broad audience to digest. I personally haven’t been moved by a film on this level of quality in quite some time.

Give the gift of a good film, take your husband, son, friend, brother, cousin or fiancé and show them how much you love them through this film. There could be something that may move or awaken either yourself or a loved one.

We are in urgent and uncertain times.  

The messaging that “The Forge” (2024) provides is what we as Men need. We are still required to be the pillars of society, upholding values and standards that push humanity along. We must continue to Forge our minds and character with integrity and honor the way that a metalsmith forges steel.