Bigger Than the Game (2018) User Reviews

A Unique Exploration of High School Basketball

[alexanderhanno · 8/10 · 30 December 2018]

"Warrior Pride" takes an intimate look at the world of High School basketball, a subject rarely seen on screen. Offering up some emotional performances and unique insight into that world, it's worth a watch, especially if you're not familiar with the subject matter.

Easy to relate to

[ruddycarpio · 7/10 · 10 January 2019]

Striking performances and an underlying message can be found in this indie gem that showcases a repertoar of captured raw emotions and overcoming adversity through perseverance.This is a really good inspirational movie. Anyone can certainly relate to this film.

Heart and Hope

[tlg317 · 7/10 · 20 January 2019]

Solid sports drama that faces the realities of life without stealing any hope from its audience. Definitely a great watch for more than just fans of basketball.

Entertaining and inspiring

[kisiel-1 · 9/10 · 21 December 2018]

Inspiring and very motivating movie with lots of heart. Well worth watching!

A really enjoyable sports movie that's worth a watch

[Smgrte235860 · 9/10 · 23 December 2018]

Warrior Pride is a very motivational and uplifting story that gets you absorbed in the characters and their struggles. A really enjoyable sports movie that's worth a watch.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

[CatiandMikeG · 10/10 · 16 January 2019]

What an awe inspiring story! This film has so much heart and faith to it. The entire struggle that these kids go through and the pressure that is put on their shoulders for them to be the best at their sport is portrayed realistically well here. There were many scenes that made me tear (from allergies of course...) Also, I have to say that Rockey Black did a superb job playing as the coach along with the cast of players. The female writer/director Janaya Black is just plain brilliant. The best part of this film that I enjoyed the most, is when God/Jesus is introduced during the height of conflict. For me, it was just pure icing on the cake. Very well done. RECOMMEND. *****

Good Movie

[MRP-Ent · 24 February 2019]

Really good basketball flick - which there are not a lot of those out there. Well paced and has a strong message. Good performances, too. Something I'd watch again for sure.

Indie family drama

[myproductionstx · 5/10 · 3 January 2019]

Good film. Has a great message. A real heartfelt family drama.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

[michael-gz · 10/10 · 19 January 2019]

What an awe inspiring story! This film has so much heart and faith to it. The entire struggle that these kids go through and the pressure that is put on their shoulders for them to be the best at their sport is portrayed realistically well here. There were many scenes that made me tear (from allergies of course...) Also, I have to say that Rockey Black did a superb job playing as the coach along with the cast of players. The female writer/director Janaya Black is just plain brilliant. The best part of this film that I enjoyed the most, is when God/Jesus is introduced during the height of conflict. For me, it was just pure icing on the cake for me. Very well done. RECOMMEND. *****

Angles matter...

[gentrynnorton · 1/10 · 17 March 2024]

The cinematography in this movie was terrible. Imagine a movie filmed for a high school project for your health class. You can tell that the writing has potential and the message is there but the over all direction of this film was clearly amateur with proper training with direction it had potential to be a great film. The overall transitions between the separate scenes was very distracting from the storyline. The story is great and you could tell there was heart and a great message behind it. I have seen some great independent films, and I can appreciate that all directors have to start somewhere. The quality just wasn't there.

Great sports drama with a greater message!

[AKamp79 · 9/10 · 20 January 2019]

Just checked this out on Prime Video down here in Australia - WOW! I love sports films - and this is great one! I watch a lot of low-budget indie films from studios like Indie Rights, but this one plays like a much larger, Hollywood film. The production values are all great, but what impressed me most is the message contained in the film. It's got all of the genre specifics right - basketball team going for a championship, needing to overcome obstacles, coach trying to keep the team together etc. But it's the incorporation of faith elements that, for me, help this film rise above other sports dramas. Do yourself a favour & check it out!

Not worth watching

[jimnavarre · 1/10 · 26 March 2024]

Nothing in this movie was good, the acting was terrible, the quality of the movie was very bad. The whole time the movie was lagging, it looks like it had been recorded on a cell phone camera, and put through a very poor and cheap editing software. I would not recommend wasting time and money just to see this movie. It dragged so bad throat the movie too. Unnecessary drama and dark stories were in this movie. So sad because it was a big advertisement for it, but ended up being a huge disappointment. I don't understand why some people just absolutely loved this movie. But there was nothing at all to like about it.

Heart & Drive

[mrtheflip · 10/10 · 5 January 2019]

I love sports movies. They bring me into a world I don't know a lot about with characters who have heart and drive. "Warrior Pride" has both heart and drive as it tells the story of Dylan Baxter, a basketball coach who needs to keep his team from falling apart as he pushes them harder and harder towards the national championship. This indie feels real and is directed/shot with a street level vibe and a cast that feels natural. No one feels out of place, this is a diverse cast of real people that help ground the story and make it believable. The movie is good for the whole family and has a through-line of faith. I highly recommend it for fans of sports flicks.

Basketball is a metaphor for life.

[bohemianpirate-871-383487 · 9/10 · 3 January 2019]

WOW. This movie is incredible! I am not quite sure where to start, but let me say this film really transcends 'indie filmmaking' and feels like a huge Hollywood movie and that has to be because of the cast and size (in feeling) of this story. I also did not know much about High School basketball, but I was blown away by the performances, found the underlying message of overcoming adversity through perseverance to be a universal one, and really was charmed by this gem of a film. Highly Recommend!

Slam Dunk Good Family Film!

[tim-mcspadden · 9/10 · 19 January 2019]

Check out this cool little sports themed movie about a Coach who pushes with heavenly grace his team of basketball players to a national championship. The stuff the diverse kids go though is inspirational and WARRIOR PRIDE is something the whole family could watch and take away a few life lessons. What first grabbed me about this faith driven melodrama about Coach's drive to the basket of redemption was how well the production value was. Typically some of these low budget films from nowhere you have to suffer through some tough situations to focus on the story but WARRIOR PRIDE took this sports/faith themed movie to the House and made a slam dunk with me! Good job 4 stars!

Great Film

[js1906 · 9/10 · 31 December 2018]

This was a great film. It was more than just a basketball movie. It was a story about family, faith, relationships, sports, and the power to overcome obstacles. There are positive characters and messages throughout the film. The writing and directing was great, and the cinematography was great as well. If you want to be inspired by a great film, you must see this film.

Wonderful Film

[alecdawson-49717 · 10/10 · 10 January 2019]

Warrior Pride is emotionally moving, and very powerful in the world of sports. Would highly recommend to my family and friends.

More then a basketball movie. U got to c for yourself

[Goingpro12 · 10/10 · 26 December 2018]

This movie respresented love, God, faith, adversity and inspiration. If u liked blind side, coach carter or even remember the titans then I will like this movie.

This indie has heart

[caseykilloran · 9/10 · 2 January 2019]

This indie has heart. It is kinda like a Rudy or Remember the Titans with high school baseball. It is a feel good movie with a message about driving for greatness beyond yourself. I really liked how some of the game play was shot.

Blew me away

[mattsivertson · 9/10 · 25 December 2018]

This film blew me away. Warrior Pride is an outstanding basketball move. Good sports movies always make effective dramas and this movie had me the entire way through. The acting was really good and the basketball action was very very well done and believable. If you like basketball movies, or even if you just like good movies, this is for you.

Great movie

[heathbar-25943 · 10/10 · 26 December 2018]

Great story, great cast , make sure to have Kleenex theres some emotional content. Must see movie.

An indie gem

[jblockbuster · 9/10 · 3 January 2019]

This film is a real gem of indie filmmaking. Magnificent acting which really carries the story. I didn't know much about basketball, that didn't diminish the fun watching it. To the contrary. I believe Janaya Black is really a director to watch out for!

Great Story, Great Messaging

[TheAll-SeeingI · 10/10 · 30 December 2018]

What's not to love about Janaya Black's Warrior Pride?

This is a legitimately great film that leverages basketball to contact all the touchstones the heart requires in its need to be inspired. Here we have a real-life story which plays out theatrically at full blast, and is captured seamlessly by solid camera play. The acting similarly hits on all cylinders. And above all else, there's a composited uplifting message about the human journey that in this case is rooted in teamwork, family, a mutually realized direction, and a sense of higher purpose.

Although there are potential takeaways for any individual in Warrior Pride, it's hard to imagine this one isn't best consumed as a shared family viewing experience: The baked-in discussion points that naturally arise from its inspirational storytelling are those that historically allow families to then have those truly necessary team-building conversations. Because even if we already profess to know it, it's a film like this which can remind us that life's trials are always imminent and ongoing - and inevitably sometimes brutal - but not without the possibility of true growth and the realization of a larger purpose.

A must see. This is a movie for the whole family

[Moneytalks709 · 10/10 · 26 December 2018]

This movie will make u laugh, cry and and motivate u to be somebody in life. Well written, and exceptional acting. A little long but well worth the watch. It keeps u engaged from beginning to the end

A little movie with a lot of heart

[fredwilharm · 9/10 · 3 January 2019]

Warrior Pride is a well executed addition to the "Faith based sports" genre. The couple who are the lead actors (with the wife directing and editing) did an amazing job with what I'm guessing was a small budget. It was obvious only when there were sparse crowds at the games though. I was really impressed with the acting, especially that of "T" and his mom. The scene where he (spoiler alert) rejoins the team later in the film is a tear jerker. I don't know if the mom is a professional actress, but she should be. She really sold the "drunk/high/uncaring" mother character. The film has a satisfying ending and is a great example of how in a movie, story triumphs over all else.