Carman: The Champion MPAA Rating: PG-13 Entertainment: +2 1/2 Content: +1

Two professional prizefighters face the fight of their lives in this action-packed drama. Orlando Leone (Christian music artist Carman) retired from the ring 10 years ago to continue his deceased father's ministry in an inner city neighborhood of Los Angeles. Now faced with foreclosure on the ministry's dilapidated building, Orlando begins to doubt God's purpose for him. His last opponent, Keshon (Jeremy Williams) continues to bask in the glory of public adulation, wearing expensive gold jewelry, flying in private jets and always surrounded by women. But Keshon is by no means free - he's controlled by very powerful backers whose lucrative livelihoods depend upon Keshon winning at all costs. Suddenly the "preacher" and the "sinner" are booked for a rematch and the stakes couldn't be higher. An underlying subplot focuses on Orlando befriending a troubled 10-year-old boy, Cesar (Romeo Fabian), who has a very beautiful single mother, Allia (Patricia Manerola). CARMAN: THE CHAMPION delivers messages of faith wrapped in engrossing, glitzy Hollywood action, danger and romance.

The purpose of TBN Films and 8X Entertainment, who brought THE OMEGA CODE to the big screen, is to produce entertaining films as modern day parables. Orlando's ministry is facing financial failure, and the temptation to re-enter the boxing ring becomes too strong to turn down. Ministering to troubled kids in the neighborhood, the ex-fighter becomes the target of drug dealers who coerce young Cesar to set up Orlando for an ambush that ends in a fiery car crash and explosion. Graphic flashbacks of an earlier fight as well as the final championship match, feature relentless blows to the head and torso, bloody cuts and noses as crowds cheer, begging for more. But the realistic violence is not gratuitous. And this violent sporting event becomes the vehicle enabling this devoutly religious man to glorify God by furnishing housing for the poor. It's difficult to recommend a film about people becoming wealthy by brutally beating one another. In sharp contrast are scenes of young people's faces lighting up as they joyfully sing praise songs and acknowledge Christ as their Savior. What a paradox! Although CARMAN: THE CHAMPION has no sexually suggestive dialogue, Allia wears very clinging outfits that draw attention to her shapely figure. The ruthless manipulators of the boxing world clearly worship monetary idols, but even they utter only one mild obscenity. If not for the intense, graphic boxing matches, Preview could give this Christian-produced feature film a higher acceptability rating.

Preview Reviewer: Mary Draughon
Distributor: 8X Entertainment, Universal City, CA